When considering a product to buy especially investing for equipment and office assets, it is always best to consider looking at the NEMA 12 Enclosures standards.
NEMA 12 enclosures are intended mainly for indoor industrial, manufacturing, and machining applications. These metal enclosures will protect against dust, dirt, and be dripping non-corrosive liquids, oil and lubricants. NEMA standards will give customers a quality enclosure for any industrial application. Certain companies produce a number of enclosure types in aluminum, carbon steel and stainless steel delivered quickly at competitive prices.
A consumer can consider these certain aspects of the NEMA 12 enclosures:
NEMA 12 Characteristics:
- Primarily for industrial indoor use
- Protection against dust, falling dirt, fibers, and lint
- Protection from dripping water and other noncorrosive liquids
- Resistant to damage from external condensation of noncorrosive liquids
- Doors with oil-resistant gaskets
- Available with pre-punched holes, cutouts, lift-off hinges, insulation, latches or locks
- Common application: automation control and electronic drives systems, including packaging, material handling, non-corrosive process control, and manufacturing
- Designed for indoor use
- Used in applications where non-pressurized oil and water occurs (light drips and splashes)
- Protects against non-hazardous foreign solid objects besides water
- No protection against significant environmental risks (rain, snow, sleet, icing, and spray of liquids)
- No protection against corrosive agents
When it comes to electrical enclosures, knowing where it will be used and the level of protection required are two important considerations.
The National Electrical Manufacturer Association (NEMA) has established a scale from 1 to 13 to help identify which type of enclosure will best protect the enclosure and equipment inside.
However, selecting an enclosure with the wrong rating is one of the most common errors when specifying a NEMA enclosure. This can result in inadequate protection for equipment, leading to wasted time and money.
Two of the most commonly confused ratings are NEMA 4 and NEMA 12. Many customers assume they need NEMA 4 which has one of the highest levels of enclosure protection. However, the protection rating is so high that it may exceed the needs of the customer, resulting in unnecessary cost.
Moisture and particulate matter can greatly affect pressure transmitter function and longevity. Environmental exposure to water ranges from “condensing” moisture to wash-down with water under pressure to total and permanent submersion.
These systems define protection from solids and liquids entering an enclosure. An IP rating considers only protection against ingress of solid foreign objects and ingress of water, while NEMA ratings consider these and other specifics such as corrosion and construction details. It is possible to say that a NEMA type is equivalent to an IP rating, but it is not possible to say that an IP rating is equivalent to a NEMA type. The comparison of NEMA and IP enclosure ratings is only approximate. It is the responsibility of the user to verify the enclosure rating necessary for the given application.
Customers must check each material that exhibits specific traits that present both advantages and disadvantages depending on its use and location.
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