Due to miniaturization and ever-increasing demands on the functionality of electronic components, controllers and other intelligent components are becoming more and more compact. With electronics housings from Weidmüller, they can be installed quickly, space-savingly and conveniently on the DIN rail. CAD models and customer-specific article numbers minimize the effort for design-in, production and warehousing. Maximum freedom in the design of the connection concept, as well as customizable components, which can be customized with both cut-outs and printing, complete the offer.
The article describes the simple design-in of electronics for overspeed protection in the housing using engineering data.
The sensors already in the system should continue to be used by means of configurable inputs and outputs. All of the electronics needed to be accommodated in a compact housing that could be mounted on the DIN rail in the control cabinet or integrated into an existing 19-inch rack on a subrack for retrofit applications.
Form meets function
Istec did not want just any housing, but a highly functional modular system that stands out from the standard solutions in the control cabinet due to its design – an eye-catcher that underlines the high-quality technology. The choice fell on Weidmüller’s modular, IP20-protected CH20M45 and CH20M67 electronics housings, which were customized.
A main advantage of this housing is the free choice of connection levels; even an asymmetrical configuration is possible. With up to 18 socket strips and thus 72 connection points, the wide CH20M67 housing offers the greatest possible freedom in the design of the circuit board. Another advantage of the Weidmüller socket strips is the possibility of coding. This means that the devices can be exchanged without any errors and without rewiring.
Another criterion is the ATEX/IECEx approval. Under no circumstances must it happen that impermissible voltages are conducted into the explosion-proof areas due to a connection error. The connections must therefore be clearly marked. Weidmüller provides coded socket strips with blue release levers for this purpose. These clearly identify all field connections and thereby minimize the risk of incorrect wiring.
Complete solution instead of individual components, virtual vs. real
Designing electronics into an enclosure is a time and labor intensive process. In this development phase, Weidmüller was able to support Istec as a competent housing supplier. Initially, the first visualizations of the housing were created using the Weidmüller Configurator WMC. Circuit board contours and CAD data for the housing are basic requirements for working in our own engineering system and were made available by Weidmüller. In this way, Istec had all the information relevant to development in the desired form and was able to define the cut-outs for the front element in its own CAD system, so that Weidmüller was able to produce the initial sample series of the housing for Istec. These cases also served as release samples.
Once development is complete, each customized component is given its own item number. This means that Istec can, for example, order a front element with cut-outs for status LEDs and service interfaces “from the catalogue” just as easily as a standard terminal block. This means that the device manufacturer can concentrate entirely on its core business.
With the high-quality components and services from Weidmüller, Istec can now place first-class devices on the market that make a real statement in the control cabinet with their striking design and excellent technology.
Istec is convinced of the housing and the services and continues to rely on Weidmüller housing for further developments, such as the RecipSys 200.