Size and position the electrical enclosure before you freeze the machine frame. If the required cabinet cannot fit with service access, component clearances and cooling space, enlarge the frame or mount the cabinet remotely. A cabinet that fits geometrically can still fail as a working layout. For a compact machine, reserve three separate spaces: the enclosure body, the external service area, and the cable and cooling connections. None can substitute for another.
Start with the environment at the proposed location
Map the conditions where the enclosure will actually sit, not just the general conditions in the building. A cabinet below the machine may receive coolant, dripping lubricant, metal chips or cleaning water that never reaches an adjacent wall.
Check the proposed location against these exposures:
- Water from cleaning, leaks, hoses and overhead piping.
- Dust, chips and debris falling from the process.
- Coolant, oil, sanitizers and other chemicals contacting the enclosure or seals.
- Direct sunlight, nearby heaters and hot process equipment.
- Ambient temperature during production, shutdown and cleaning.
- Vibration, impact and loads transmitted through the machine frame.
A sheltered indoor installation does not automatically need the same protection as a washdown installation. Conversely, placing a cabinet inside a machine base does not make that space clean or dry.
Consider relocation before adding complexity. Moving the enclosure to a clean, accessible side of the cell can reduce exposure and simplify maintenance. It must still remain outside collision paths and must not obstruct machine safeguarding or escape routes.
Choose protection before accepting the location
For an indoor cabinet exposed to dust and dripping liquids, a specified Type 12 design may suit the environment. Hose-directed cleaning calls for Type 4 protection; corrosive exposure may call for Type 4X plus suitable materials and seals.
Our wall-mount enclosures are manufacturer-rated NEMA 4X-type / IP66; not UL listed. Custom enclosure ratings are manufacturer ratings for the specified design. Confirm any project listing requirement before choosing an enclosure.
Do not treat a rating as permission for every cleaning method. High-pressure or hot washdown needs application review, including the door hardware, gasket, cable entries and installed devices. An IP code also does not establish chemical compatibility.
The machine frame is not a substitute for the electrical enclosure boundary. If an outer machine cover provides additional protection, establish what remains protected when that cover opens or is removed.
Specify the finished assembly, including its penetrations. A bare enclosure rating does not automatically establish the protection of an installed fan, connector or door-mounted display.
Match the material to the local exposure
304 stainless steel is a practical starting point for indoor washdown and many general industrial locations. Consider 316L stainless steel where salt, brine or chloride exposure makes material selection more demanding.
Neither grade eliminates the need to review chemical concentration, temperature, contact time and cleaning practice. The gasket and cable-entry seals also need compatibility with the actual fluids.
For sheltered indoor panels, a custom powder-coated carbon steel enclosure may be appropriate. Keep coating damage and persistent wetting in the assessment. Material selection should follow the exposure, not the appearance of the surrounding machine.
We build custom enclosures with customer-defined material, width, height, depth and cutouts, from one piece. Use that flexibility to fit an approved electrical layout rather than compressing the layout into a leftover frame opening.
Reserve usable layout and depth
Build the component layout at full scale before selecting the enclosure dimensions. Include terminals, protective devices, power supplies, drives, controllers and any required internal accessories. Then add the clearances required by each device manufacturer.
Use the enclosure sizing guide for dimensional fundamentals. For this machine-level decision, the key question is whether the resulting layout remains installable and serviceable at its proposed location.
Reserve space for more than component bodies:
- Wiring ducts, cable bends and terminal approach space.
- Access to terminal screws, removable plugs and mounting fasteners.
- Separation of power, control and communication wiring as required by the equipment.
- Door-mounted devices, their connectors and the moving wire harness.
- Bonding connections and access to the mounting panel.
- Defined future additions, including their wiring and heat load.
As a planning allowance, reserving 25% of usable DIN rail length can provide a starting expansion budget, not a compliance rule. For example, 24 in [610 mm] of usable rail would leave 6 in [152 mm] unoccupied. Reserve matching duct capacity, terminal positions and power capacity; empty rail alone does not create a usable expansion area.
Depth deserves a separate drawing. In an illustrative stack, a 5 in [127 mm] device, 1.5 in [38 mm] connector projection and 1 in [25 mm] routing allowance total 7.5 in [191 mm]. That total still excludes mounting-panel offset and any opposing door hardware. An enclosure's outside depth cannot be used as mounting-panel-to-door clearance.
Two catalog candidates show why dimensions need checking rather than guessing. The 24 x 20 x 10 in 304 wall-mount enclosure has outside dimensions of 24 x 20 x 10 in, height x width x depth. The 36 x 24 x 10 in 304 wall-mount enclosure has outside dimensions of 36 x 24 x 10 in.
The taller candidate offers more nominal internal height, but neither set of dimensions establishes usable backplate area or door clearance. Confirm those dimensions on the drawing before committing the machine frame.
Check heat with the machine frame included
Calculate heat from component loss data at the intended operating conditions. Do not use motor output power as cabinet heat or assume one loss percentage covers every drive.
Include power supplies, drives, transformers, controllers and other internal equipment. Account for regenerative or braking equipment according to its duty and location. Review the machine cabinet cooling assessment for the calculation inputs.
The machine structure changes the thermal boundary. A cabinet surrounded by close frame members or machine panels may have less effective exposed surface than a freely mounted cabinet. A hot process nearby can also raise the air temperature around it.
A taller enclosure can help separate heat sources and increase available surface area. It does not guarantee an acceptable temperature. Use the sealed-enclosure component layout article when arranging hot devices and temperature-sensitive controls.
Reserve physical space for the selected cooling method before finalizing the frame. Include external projections, required airflow clearances, servicing access and any condensate arrangements. A cooling unit that fits on the drawing but cannot be maintained is not a complete design.
For example, at 95 F [35 C] ambient, outside-air ventilation cannot maintain the cabinet below 95 F [35 C]. If the required internal temperature is lower, assess suitable active cooling rather than simply increasing fan airflow.
Choose between a taller frame and a remote cabinet
Increasing frame height can preserve floor footprint, but check reach, door swing, machine stability and removal access. Increasing width or depth may provide a cleaner layout when depth, cable bends or cooling equipment are the limiting factors.
For a machine with a 36 x 48 in [914 x 1219 mm] base, do not treat that entire footprint as available cabinet space. Frame members, guarding, process equipment and cable routes all consume part of it. The service area usually extends beyond the machine footprint.
Where NEC 110.26(A) applies, provide the required working space and room for equipment doors to open at least 90 degrees. For 0–150 V to ground under Condition 1, the stated minimum depth is 3 ft [900 mm]. Other voltages and conditions can require more. Check the applicable installation requirements rather than applying that example universally.
Choose a larger frame when an integrated cabinet can remain accessible and the added structure solves both layout and thermal constraints. Avoid positioning routine terminals so low that servicing requires reaching underneath the machine.
Choose a remote cabinet when the integrated position compromises access, exposes equipment to the process or leaves no workable cooling arrangement. Position it outside the robot operating space where practical, without obstructing safeguarding or required access routes.
Remote placement adds cable-length, voltage-drop, shielding and communication checks. Drives may impose motor-cable limits or require additional measures. Follow the equipment instructions and verify the machine safety design; relocating a cabinet does not replace isolation or lockout procedures.
Mount and seal without sacrificing service access
Our stainless wall-mount enclosures have hinged gasketed doors, removable mounting panels and wall-mount feet. Verify the supporting machine structure against the completed assembly weight, including installed equipment and external accessories.
Keep mounting loads from distorting the enclosure or its door opening. Maintain access to mounting fasteners and leave a practical path for removing the mounting panel. Follow the enclosure mounting guide for mounting fundamentals.
Lay out cable entries before the frame members and guarding are finalized. Allow room for the gland body, locknut, sealing surface, cable bend and installation tools. The stationary-machine cable-entry article covers the routing decisions behind those openings.
Do not place a frame rail directly beneath a gland plate or connector that must be removed for service. Prefer entry arrangements that avoid collecting liquid and keep cables supported independently of the sealing fitting.
Bond the enclosure and door as required by the electrical design. Protect the door harness from pinching and abrasion throughout its travel. Check access with the door open and the harness installed, not with an empty enclosure model.
Put the enclosure and location requirements on the order
Once the layout, service area and thermal assessment agree, use the enclosure selector to compare usable dimensions and listing requirements. A dimensional match still needs a separate heat check.
Send a dimensioned installation drawing alongside the electrical layout. The machine control cabinet specification article explains the broader quote scope; the table below identifies the location-specific requirements.
| Requirement | What to specify |
|---|---|
| Installation position | Integrated, side-mounted or remote; show the surrounding frame and guarding |
| Environment | Dust, liquids, cleaning method, chemicals, sunlight and local temperature range |
| Protection | Required enclosure type, IP code where applicable, and any listing requirement |
| Material | Selected grade or material, based on actual exposure |
| Outside dimensions | Height x width x depth, with the available machine envelope clearly identified |
| Usable dimensions | Required mounting area and mounting-panel-to-door clearance |
| Component layout | Device outlines, required spacing, wiring routes and terminal access |
| Expansion | Named future devices, reserved layout area, wiring capacity and added heat |
| Thermal design | Component losses, ambient conditions, acceptable internal temperature and cooling arrangement |
| Service access | Door swing, working space, mounting-panel removal path and cooling-service envelope |
| Entries and mounting | Cutout locations, fitting details, cable approach and supporting structure |
Approve the enclosure drawing before releasing the final frame dimensions. Resolve any conflict by changing the enclosure, its location or the machine frame—not by deleting required clearances.
Enclosures in this article
| Enclosure | Material | Outside H x W x D / display | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 × 20 × 10 in | 304 stainless | 24 x 20 x 10 in | Rated NEMA 4X / IP66 by the manufacturer; not UL listed |
| 36 × 24 × 10 in | 304 stainless | 36 x 24 x 10 in | Rated NEMA 4X / IP66 by the manufacturer; not UL listed |
Questions
Can an electrical enclosure go inside the machine frame?
Yes, when the enclosure fits with required component spacing, wiring space, cooling provisions and external service access. Check the real environment inside the frame, including falling debris and leaks. The machine structure must also support the completed cabinet without distorting its door opening or blocking maintenance.
Should you enlarge the machine frame or mount the cabinet remotely?
Enlarge the frame when the electrical layout needs more space and an integrated cabinet can still provide safe, practical access. Choose remote mounting when the integrated location compromises maintenance, cooling or environmental protection. Compare complete installation envelopes, not just the outside dimensions of the empty cabinet.
How much expansion space should a machine cabinet include?
Define the future equipment first, then reserve rail length, terminal positions, wiring capacity, power capacity and thermal capacity for it. A 25% usable-rail allowance can support early planning, but it is not a compliance rule and may be insufficient for the expected additions.
Does a taller enclosure solve a compact machine's heat problem?
A taller enclosure can provide more layout area and exposed surface while preserving some floor space. It does not establish thermal suitability. Calculate component losses, assess the local ambient temperature and account for frame panels that restrict heat transfer or cooling airflow.
Are nominal inside dimensions the same as usable component clearance?
No. Nominal inside dimensions describe the internal shell, not the unobstructed distance from the installed mounting panel to the closed door. Panel offsets, door hardware, mounted devices and connector projections reduce usable depth. Confirm the complete equipment stack against the approved enclosure drawing.
