MIXING PNEUMATIC AND ELECTRIC INSIDE ENCLOSURE 1

[josedavidch]

Hi All..

Dealing right now with decision of a big control panel for PLC and servo drivers. Almost 50% of space will be available after installing electric control/power components and thinking in using the rest of space for installing some valves and tubing for a purge system of this equipment. Assuming ideal conditions and safety of air supply, does any one of you can tell weather or not should I mix pneuamtic with electric componentes in a same enclosure. Please see pic attached.

 

[roydm]

It's done all the time, just be sure you vent exhausts outside the cabinet if your air is wet or has any oil carry-over. To make it nice and tidy you can use bulkhead fittings to pass through the enclosure wall.
Roy

 

[ScottyUK]

It's done frequently enough. If you have components exhausting air into the enclosure make sure there is a release point to avoid pressurinsg the enclosure. Make sure the release point doesn't reduce the IP rating below the client spec.


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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!

 

[cmlr]

If you are located in the USA and want/need to UL label the enclosure you may want to confirm with your UL inspector though.

I am working on some enclosures that combine electrics and pneumatics. Our client requires a NEMA 4X rating, but UL508A states that penetrating the enclosure with a non-rated component derates the panel to NEMA 1. Since we have not been able to find NEMA rated bulkhead fittings we are having a problem with our client now.

Caspar

 

[jraef]

You can use a product called Roxtec, a sealing technology for passing cables, tubing, pipe, or anything round through an enclosure wall. The Roxtec frames maintain UL/NEMA 4X when installed. One added benefit is if you have pre-terminated cables or tubes, they can be put through without removing the termination device.

http://www.roxtec.com/

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[sreid]

I worked on a design for an EU customer a few yers ago [French} and their Safety Person made us house the electronics and pneumatics separately. The theory was "Two Energy Sources in the Same Enclosure." A Tech might "Safe" one energy source [the one he's working on and thinking about] but not the other source. We put the pneumatics in a mechanisms area but had to Safety Interlock the cabitet door [there by making it impossible for the Tech to run the machine with the door open unless he had a Magnetic Safety Key].

 

[ScottyUK]

That's a strange reason to need to segregate things. Think how many pieces of electrical equipment have multiple sources of energy. Personnel need to understand what they are working on and how make it safe. Still, if the customer is happy to pay for it then he can have it his way I suppose!


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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!

 

[buysell]

Arrange the electrical/electronic systems/components on the top and other parts on the bottom of the cabinet.
Gravity will help you in case you have water condensing in the air/pneumatic lines.

 

[sreid]

ScottyUK,

And then the Safety Inspector [who test every unit going to the USA or Canada) kept finding thing. Insisted on a ground strap for the Polish Cart even though the Pump was double insulated, safety grounded through it's AC Plug and isolated from the frame with rubber vibration mounts. And a Coded Safety Switch.