Top 5 Advantages of Using Polycarbonate Enclosures in Harsh Environments

Securing performances in rough surroundings is not only a matter of performance, but it is a matter of safety, reliability, and cost-efficiency. It can be an outdoor solar installation, a factory floor or a location on the sea with saltwater, but the inappropriate enclosure can cause expensive failures in equipment.

The conventional repertoire has been metal and fiberglass enclosures which have been used in tough conditions. However, polycarbonate enclosures are also getting serious traction over the past few years, due to the fact that they offer a fairly distinct set of advantages, such as their combination of strength, weather resistance, and long-term reliability.

Polycarbonate is a high performance thermoplastic which is developed to support extreme conditions. It is very much employed in aerospace, construction, automotive, and is more and more being employed in electrical enclosures--and with reason. In this blog, the benefits of using polycarbonate enclosures in harsh conditions will be discussed as well as the answers to the common questions.

1. Exceptional Impact Resistance

Polycarbonate enclosures are also among the notable characteristics in which they are better impact resistant. Polycarbonate is approximately 200 times better than glass and is much more tougher than acrylic or ABS plastic.

Equipments in demanding environments such as construction sites, heavy machine and manufacturing plants, tend to be hit by vibrations, shocks or accidental knocks. The enclosure becomes weak and can crack or break causing danger to the system. Polycarbonate enclosures can however absorb the impacts without breaking so that delicate components are not also damaged.

For example, in the renewable energy sector, solar installations often face flying debris during storms. Metal enclosures may dent, while fiberglass may crack. Polycarbonate enclosures, on the other hand, can handle the pressure without losing integrity.

2. Outstanding Weather & UV Protection

Outdoor enclosures are exposed to sunlight, rain, snow, humidity, and extreme temperatures. Many plastics will degrade over time and become brittle or discolour. Metal enclosures will rust, and fiberglass may develop hairline cracks when subjected to UV exposure.

Polycarbonate cases are UV-stabilized and that is why they are created to withstand prolonged exposure to sunlight without becoming yellowish and fractured. They work at -40°C to +120°C and so can be used in deserts, coastal region or in freezing.

This thermal resistance to weather extremes renders them a dependable option in telecom towers, outdoor light systems, solar PV systems and water treatment plants. Using polycarbonate, companies do not have to replace it as often and experience increased service life.

3. Lightweight Yet Extremely Durable

Another advantage is the lightweight nature of polycarbonate enclosures compared to metal alternatives. They are very light, yet remarkably powerful and strong.

This allows them to be carried, mounted and serviced with ease wherever weight is a factor like in the rooftop of a residence solar systems, monitoring stations in the field or even on a high telecommunications pole. Installers are enjoying the less physical load and business is enjoying less installation cost and quicker deployment.

Additionally, their lightweight design doesn’t compromise durability. They are capable of being handled roughly on their way to location and still giving several years of useful service.

4. Corrosion & Chemical Resistance

Corrosion is of great concern in industries where enclosures are subjected to chemicals, salt water or high moisture. Even coated metal enclosures are susceptible to rust. Fiberglass is resistant to corrosion to a certain degree, which however, can wear away in presence of strong chemicals.

Polycarbonate enclosures, in their turn, have a natural resistance to corrosion, most of the chemicals, which makes them effective in:

• Marine applications (ports, boats, coastal installations)
• Chemical plants (where fumes and liquids have the ability to corrode other materials)
• Processing plants of food and beverages (where a regular use of cleaning chemicals)

This corrosion protection and chemical provides the enclosures reliability in hostile conditions, reducing the maintenance time and expense of equipment.

5. Cost-Effective & Long-Term Value

Despite the fact that the polycarbonate enclosures are at times a bit costly in comparison to the simple plastic or sheet-metal enclosures, they cost less in the long-term.

Why?

• They require less maintenance.
• They last longer, even in extreme conditions.
• Many models have clear covers, allowing internal parts to be examined by operators without opening the enclosure, saving time, labor and operational expenses.

This is their long-term reliability which makes them a smart investment in industries that value safety and efficiency and it also means lowering total ownership costs.

Additional Benefits Worth Noting

• Electrical insulation (they do not carry electric, like metal).
• Design flexibility (cutout, hinge and fittings are easily customizable).
• Aesthetics (clean design as opposed to massive tool boxes).

Conclusion

Polycarbonate enclosures are the ideal option as far as the security of delicate equipment that needs to be operated under severe conditions is concerned. They are resistant to impact, weather resistant, easy to carry, resistant to corrosion, and economical, which makes them an excellent alternative to metal enclosure or fiberglass enclosures.

Polycarbonate enclosures have unparalleled reliability applications in solar farms in deserts to telecom towers on mountain peaks or even the ocean near salty coasts. Where businesses opt to use them, they experience reduced maintenance, increased life span and superior value.

In the modern world where uptime and efficiency are the only acceptable terms, polycarbonate enclosures come with the added comfort that equipment will be secured, regardless of how aggressive the environment may be.