Application-specific enclosure provides decreased installation time

Having originally been approached by a major manufacturer of mass spectrometers to replace a previous supplier and manufacture a design to print enclosure, Verotec designed and manufactured a much improved alternative, based on its standard HD167 subrack family. The new application-specific enclosure provides decreased installation time for the housed electronics, better thermal management, improved EMC screening and greater mechanical protection; all achieved at a lesser cost. The unit is at the heart of the mass spectrometer, housing the instrument’s controller. EMC screening is a critical requirement to ensure reliable operation, given its physical location in an environment subjected to high intensity ionising radiation. Solid side plates and top/bottom ventilated covers combine an 80% open aperture ratio for ventilation with effective attenuation. The unit is a 6U high, 32HP wide KM6-HD card cage, fitted with 19” mounting angles and configured as four 5HP slots and a single 12HP one. There are four distinct designs of EMC screened front panels, and a plain EMC blanking panel are provided as part of the unit. The backplane, supplied by the customer, is only 1.5mm thick; it mounts typically on the rear tiebars and extends below the card cage to give an I/O area fitted with multiple Min D connectors. A solid rear cover offers both EMC shielding for the backplane and gives it mechanical support; an additional separate front cover shields the Min D connectors. Conductive gaskets assure ground continuity through the unit, the large cable aperture through the rear panel is also fitted with an additional external EMC cover once the cable is installed. Three 80mm top-mounted 80mm intelligent fans produce managed cooling.