NEMA 3R vs. NEMA 12 Electrical Enclosures
There are times when customers or companies are having a hard time choosing electrical enclosures for their engineering project. Whether they will consider buying an enclosure applicable to both indoor or outdoor use, they have to carefully consider all the factors. There are engineering projects that only requires indoor electrical enclosures like the NEMA 12, or if they want to use the enclosure for both uses they can opt for NEMA 3R. One of the key elements in considering which enclosure to buy is the presence of harmful elements in the location where the enclosure will be used. Also, companies also consider if they need UV ray protection – but that’s for another topic. In this article, we will compare the NEMA 3R & NEMA 12 to help project engineers choose their electrical enclosure.
What is NEMA 3R Electrical Enclosures?
NEMA 3R electrical enclosures are being utilized for protecting & housing equipment used for power distribution, switch gear, lighting contractors or any equipment that needs protection from the elements present in an outdoor environment. NEMA 3R is resistant to water ingress, ice formation, and snow. NEMA 3R can adapt to both indoor and outdoor use and they can be manufactured from different types of material.
Main NEMA 3R Characteristics:
- It gives the using personnel protection form having incidental contact with the equipment housed inside the enclosure
- Gives solid ingress protection from falling dirt
- It has provision for drainage
- Gives water ingress protection from rain water
- It can have alternate locking mechanisms
- Has no protection form windblown dust unlike its predecessor NEMA 3.
What is NEMA 12 Electrical Enclosures?
NEMA 12 electrical enclosures are primarily manufactured for utilization of indoor engineering projects and is being used across industrial and manufacturing companies. It can also be used for certain machining applications. This type of electrical enclosure will give equipment solid ingress protection from dirt, dust, dripping non-corrosive liquids, floating dust, oil and lubricants. NEMA 12 can be manufactured from different types of steel or plastic material.
- Primarily manufactured for indoor use
- It gives protection from solid ingress caused by floating dust, falling dirt, fibers and lint floating in the air
- Gives water ingress protection caused by dripping water and other non-flammable & non-corrosive liquids
- It has doors with oil-resistant gaskets
- It is readily available with pre-punched holes, latches or locks, hinges, insulation, and cutouts
| COMPARISON TABLE | NEMA 3R | NEMA 12 |
| Indoor Use | √ | √ |
| Outdoor Use | √ | |
| Light water ingress protection (from dripping water or non-corrosive liquids) | √ | √ |
| Foreign solid object ingress protection (including non-hazardous objects) | √ | √ |
| External ice formation protection | √ | |
| Corrosion Protection | ||
| Protection from rain, sleet, and snow formation |
How Important is Employee Wellness in Enclosure Manufacturing Companies?
With the improvement of the enclosure manufacturing companies today, some of them are really proud to announce that they are continuously developing electronics enclosures. Companies today are really taking good care of the product’s they produce or manufacture and because of this, they know that it is equally important to also take care of their employees’ health and welfare. Without healthy and motivated workforce they will not be able to sustain the product quality they are aiming for.
Just as companies are aiming to provide the best services as well as products, we are now providing the employees with the right resources and equal opportunities to improve their over-all well-being. There are programs that can be done completely voluntary and is aimed to generally promote their physical and mental health including fitness so that they can all live a happier and more prosperous lives.
These health programs should include:
- Free access to health-related facilities, such as gym and wellness centers. Companies should provide employees with access to these kind of facilities so that they can spend time to unwind and relax from the daily hustle and bustle. This is also aimed to improving overall general health.
- Healthy competitions such as weight challenges. Doing competitions like this across departments will boost the employees’ moral and spirit and this will also contribute to their physical and mental health. This is timely after the holiday season so they will have more energy to be fit and stay healthy.
- Programs that offers rewards for people who have stopped smoking. Companies should help the people who want to quit smoking by offering them support and services and free support. The support should include phone coaching sessions, a personalized quit plan, and a free kit of nicotine replacement therapy.
More and more should be added into this list. Companies should keep in mind that more than anything, all businesses are philanthropic in nature. They should aim to help more individuals get fit and healthy while at the same time boosting their moral. When employees are fully supported they will produce better work outcome and the companies will achieve their overall goals.
If possible, companies should also provide health care insurances for the employees in case of brutal accidents. Prevention is always better than cure right?
What are the Best Choices for Your Handheld Electronics Application?
Now that the summer season is fast approaching, I have started to notice the several pieces of summer clothing line starting to populate my favorite stores. Men’s, Women’s, Kid’s, Toddler’s: all pieces are showcasing the standard pieces for this season. Bikinis, shorts, summer trunks, etc. Yes, trends continue to repeat year after year but there is always this latest yet updated style to these wonderful pieces.
For example, the infamous summer shorts now has multiple pockets and it also comes with different loops. The bikini line has added some fashionable twists unto it and you can wear it under a beautiful translucent cardigan. These classic pieces can be worn by anyone even if there are new released piece of clothing available in the market.
Now let’s talk about electronics enclosures, shall we?
Like the recent update to our summer wardrobe, there are companies now who has just released a new handheld enclosure in a from of key fold enclosure. The small size is now comparable to the popular key fobs available in the market today. This new enclosure has more space inside and it sports a very modern look. There are now also battery holders inside. The companies that has released an old version of this product is still in compatible with the newly released key fob enclosures.
The companies are now releasing new products and these products comes with the extra functionality. The tactile buttons installed on the enclosure allows the PCB for better user feedback, which in return gives you the opportunity to properly design some more user-friendly functions. In addition to this, they have utilized more durable materials that can give you the best product there is in the market.
In addition to this information as well as the functions, the new key fob enclosure design available in the market today also has a new sleek design and it is widely available in either black or bright white. It also comes with the matte black buttons which is super amazing! One of the options available for this is on all of the 0,1,2,4,5 button designs. The companies now have started a new trend for the key fob enclosure design and that is one way to keeping the end-project in fashion a very good one.
Key fob enclosures has a versatility of functions. And because the need for keyless access is now increasing, companies should think of a way how they can do this more efficiently and effectively. This is also the very reason why they should think of various ways how they can improve the current model and design by releasing new designs and making it from new and durable materials. If you want to find the perfect handheld enclosure, you can search the Google for companies who are good in making these small enclosures and give them your design and inquire if they can meet your expectations.