3 Questions to Ask When Selecting an Industrial Enclosure

Industrial enclosures play an important role in protecting controls, circuit boards, switches and other critical machine components. To function properly, these components should be shielded from environmental elements such as dust, water, debris and extreme temperatures.

While enclosures are integral, they are often an afterthought in terms of planning specs and budget. To assure the best industrial enclosure selection for proper protection and performance, you should consider the following:

1. In what type of environment will the enclosure be used?

Considering the environment in which the enclosure will be used should help you to determine details like the best type of enclosure material to choose. Factors to consider include:

  • Need for UV resistance
  • Plant or factory conditions
  • Temperature extremes
  • Excessive humidity
  • Exposure to harsh elements
  • Environmental dust or debris
  • The presence of any electromagnetic interference

Understanding your specific environmental conditions will help you make the best decision on which material to choose: polycarbonate (UV light, high temperature and impact-resistant); fiberglass (lightweight; high temperature and corrosion resistant); stainless steel (heavy-duty; corrosion and EMI resistant) or aluminum (lightweight; corrosion resistant).

2. What are the requirements of the application?

Each application has unique requirements that affect the materials, equipment, and components involved. Concerns may include:

  • Required enclosure size
  • Available space
  • Ease of accessibility
  • Mounting requirements
  • Access to duct and power
  • Thermal management for heat generating components

Make sure these are addressed early on in order to save yourself the hassle of having to troubleshoot issues down the road!

3. What specific performance standards will the enclosure need to meet?

Some applications will have particular performance standards that enclosures must meet, such as NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Association) and UL (Underwriters Laboratories).  

These standards are met during testing when an inspector determines if any dust, moisture or other damaging elements have entered the enclosure. At that point, if the enclosure performs well against infiltration, it is determined to meet the guidelines. Pay attention to these types of ratings in order to decide which option will most effectively protect your components.

Hi-Tech Offers a Variety of Industrial Enclosure Solutions

We provide our customers with a wide selection of enclosure solutions to meet the demands of their specific industry. Protecting vital components from the elements is a major priority—and our enclosures are UL and IP/NEMA rated and designed for both indoor and outdoor applications.

Our enclosures are available in polycarbonate, fiberglass and stainless steel—making them extremely durable and resistant to both heat, chemicals and electromagnetic interference. They are available in a variety of sizes and styles to match your needs and can be customized to match your unique specifications. View our selection of enclosures here.



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Product Announcement

You’ve heard the phrase “It’s what’s on the inside that counts” and at Hi-Tech Controls we believe it! We try our best to deliver products with outstanding quality for all of your applications. However, we also want you to be pleased with our product aesthetics. The new ENYCASE® Enclosure/Junction Box will provide you with everything you’re looking for. These boxes are designed for outdoor installation with protection from moisture, dirt, and dust (NEMA 4X, IP66/67) and offer higher impact resistance (IK09, 10 Joule) than our current stock of enclosure/junction boxes.

If you’re not picking up the phone to contact our sales reps yet, then maybe one of these key features will convince you:


1) Maximum Wiring Space 
The new robust design provides more room for all of your wiring needs.

2) Smooth or Metric Knockouts All of our new ENYCASE® Enclosure/Junction Boxes are available with smooth or multi-level metric knockouts.

3) Quick and Secure Lid Lock Locking the enclosure lid is easier than ever! Just turn a  screwdriver a quarter-turn.

4) Mounting Brackets Every Box, whether it comes with or without knockouts or terminal blocks, comes with external mounting brackets.

5) Terminal Blocks Every size are available with or without  terminal blocks.

6) Eight Sizes 3.66 x 3.66 x 2.44 / 4.09 x 4.09 x 2.76 / 5.12 x 5.12 x 3.03 / 7.09 x 5.12 x 3.03 / 8.27 x 6.10 x 3.62 / 10.03 x 8.07 x 4.41 / 11.61 x 8.86 x 4.80 / 13.98 x 10.04 x 4.80

For a complete list of specifications visit our website or call us directly 303-680-5159!