What Does the VX Plinth Have to Do with More Flexible Cable Management?
May 10, 2024
As modern manufacturing continues to diversify and incorporate a larger variety of environments or locations, the need for more flexible, versatile industrial automation equipment has emerged as one of the top priorities to maximize productivity. A large component of this includes the ability to scale production quickly and easily, and this starts with specifying industrial enclosures that allow for accelerated customization and configuration.
One of the more critical yet time-consuming tasks for assemblers and installers is managing cable layouts inside the enclosure, especially as production demands call for increased cable density and more complex panel wiring. This is where an enclosure plinth can make it easier for assemblers and installers to create a more flexible cable management strategy that reduces the downtime associated with managing cable configurations.
Here, let’s take a quick look at what an enclosure plinth has to do with creating more flexible cable management, and what makes Rittal’s new VX plinth the ideal solution for this challenge.
What is an enclosure plinth and how do plinths work?
An enclosure plinth is a square or rectangular base that is used to support and elevate an industrial enclosure once it has been assembled and installed on the production floor. Plinths also provide enhanced stability to the base of the enclosure, and, depending on the type used, plinths can provide additional rigidity to the frame of the enclosure.
Plinths can also help protect enclosures against flooding or other types of damage that may affect the factory floor by elevating sensitive electronics and wiring off the ground.
From a cable management perspective, enclosure plinths expand the wiring capabilities of an enclosure by creating new, more flexible and versatile pathways for wires and cables to power the panels inside the enclosure.
Because plinths help elevate an enclosure off the ground, they also make it faster and easier to access control panels. This not only reduces the amount of time and resources necessary to scale wiring configurations based on demand, it also reduces the potential for downtime should your cable configurations require troubleshooting or maintenance.
Outside of cable management, industrial enclosure plinths serve a couple of additional key functions, like helping to reduce intense vibrations or other environmental side effects as a result of continuous operation.
For instance, outdoor industrial enclosures can require a greater degree of reliability and durability, and a plinth can help ensure an enclosure remains stable in more demanding applications — the material handling industry is a common deployment as more warehouses and distribution centers look to expand automation systems to outdoor environments.
An enclosure plinth is also important for successfully baying enclosures. Plinths allow for easy cabling between bayed enclosures, and plinths also provide a secure space to support and route cabling between enclosures in ways that conserve space inside the enclosure.
Baying multiple enclosures without a plinth can create unnecessary complexity in panel wiring and cable management, and it can compromise the ability to scale or customize your enclosure based on need.
How can the VX plinth help unlock flexible cable management?
Rittal’s new VX plinth builds on the success of its predecessor by providing superior cable management features, with the added benefits of a centering aid, and the ability to accommodate the same enclosure platforms as previous plinths. However, the new VX plinth offers some new capabilities that further enhances the cable management versatility.
For example, the new VX plinth helps manufacturers optimize cable and wiring workflows via:
- Interior installation via corner pieces
- A second mounting level for straight cable entry to the mounting plate
- Ventilated trim panels that are compatible with brush strips
- The use of trim panels to stabilize the plinth corner pieces
Additionally, the new VX plinth can easily integrate with the floor mounting lug, and the VX plinth helps eliminate gaps between multiple baying enclosures to help quickly and seamlessly scale your automation infrastructure, regardless of need or application.
With an emphasis on simplified installation, enhanced stability, and easy access for accelerated customization and configuration, the new VX plinth demonstrates Rittal’s continued dedication and innovation in the industrial automation space.
