Electrical enclosures play a significant role in safeguarding delicate electrical components and connections from damage. When choosing one to be added to a new facility or as an upgrade to an existing enclosure box, is there a difference between plastic and metal enclosures? Our convenient guide will outline the right choice for your specific requirements.
Plastic Enclosure Boxes
Plastic enclosure boxes are usually made of lightweight and versatile thermoplastic materials, which include polycarbonate, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and fibreglass.
The Advantages of Plastic Enclosure Boxes
Cost Effectiveness
The lighter weight, ease of manufacture, and general availability of plastic enclosures make them budget-friendly options for electrical enclosure boxes. You can also find lower bulk purchasing prices to acquire plastic enclosure boxes for your facilities and electrical systems.
Corrosion Resistance
Thermoplastics are chemically inert substances, meaning they are highly resistant to chemical degradation or corrosion that can damage the electrical components within the enclosure. This unique property makes it an ideal option for use in humid or wet environments or areas with substantial chemical exposure.
Electrical Insulator
Plastic is also non-conductive in nature, reducing the risk of dangerous electrical incidents caused by short circuits or other issues. Plastic enclosure boxes do not require grounding as a result, but it never hurts to include additional safety measures to maximise the plastic enclosure’s overall safety.
Flexibility
Thermoplastic materials are light and easy to mould into different shapes and sizes for a wide range of uses, mountings, and more. It allows you to have specifically designed enclosure boxes for use in various scenarios and locations within your commercial or industrial facilities.
The Disadvantages of Plastic Enclosure Boxes
Less Durable
Despite the lower cost and decent quality, plastic is not as durable as metal. While resistant to light impacts, they can be easily stressed and damaged when subjected to significant physical force, making plastic less ideal for environments involving substantial physical work.
Static Buildup
Despite being an insulator, plastic may accumulate static and could cause equipment malfunctions or failure. You can minimise this with anti-static coatings, but these can add to the cost. Nevertheless, plastic enclosures are not suitable for housing sensitive electronics.
Temperature Limits
Plastic enclosures cannot withstand high-temperature conditions and can deform or melt due to this. While some thermoplastics may withstand specific temperature ranges, frequent exposure to high temperatures can still gradually weaken the plastic material.
No EMI/RFI Shielding
Electromagnetic and radio frequency interference (EMI and RFI, respectively) can cause extensive damage to sensitive electronics, and plastic enclosures lack any form of shielding to protect against this external element.
Metal Enclosure Boxes
Metals such as stainless steel and aluminium are commonly used to create metal enclosure boxes, providing exceptional durability to protect sensitive electrical components from damage.
The Advantages of Metal Enclosure Boxes
Highly Durable
Metal possesses high tensile strength and durability that allow it to withstand significant physical force applied to it compared to plastic. Even aluminium, known for its lightweight nature and high corrosion and rust resistance, features impressive durability when accompanied by regular maintenance.
Cost Savings
The added benefit of this impressive durability is the long-term cost savings from fewer replacements of damaged enclosure boxes, despite the higher upfront price. Regular maintenance schedules can maintain a metal enclosure box’s condition and reliably protect delicate electrical components.
Interference Protection
Metal enclosures offer higher electromagnetic shielding than plastic ones. It ensures that sensitive electrical components are not affected by external signals that could reduce the performance of your electrical equipment or machinery.
Heat Management & Fire Resistance
While metal does conduct heat, metal enclosure boxes commonly feature heat management measures that mitigate the effects of heat generated by active electrical components. Metals are also inherently non-combustible, making them invaluable in containing sudden electrical fires and ensuring the safety of your personnel and all nearby equipment or machinery.
The Disadvantages of Metal Enclosure Boxes
Hefty Weight
Metal enclosure boxes are much heavier than their plastic counterparts, which can delay the transportation and installation process, especially if they need to be placed in an elevated location.
Corrosion Risk
Metal is at high risk of rust and corrosion, especially for metal enclosure boxes located somewhere with substantial exposure to chemicals, moisture, and other elements. It can gradually cause damage to the metal and weaken it, which can then expose and damage the housed electrical components. Certain metals, like aluminium, do have additional properties that improve their overall corrosion resistance, making for a handy alternative you can consider.
Choosing the Right Enclosure Boxes For Your Facilities
When choosing an appropriate enclosure box, have a closer look at your facilities and the unique requirements that a suitable enclosure box can reliably fulfil.
Environmental Conditions
Facilities may have different environmental conditions that can affect electrical equipment and machinery differently. If the facility frequently deals with plenty of moisture or chemicals, a plastic enclosure box may be ideal, thanks to its chemically inert properties. If there is a risk of physical damage, high heat exposure, or EM interference, a metal enclosure box is the ideal choice.
Purpose
If environmental conditions are not a significant concern, specific functions or purposes will inform your enclosure box options. Indoor installations can benefit from a sturdy metal enclosure, while outdoor use would benefit from a lightweight yet chemically inert plastic enclosure.
Industry
Certain industry types may have conditions that work in favour of specific enclosure box types. For example, plastic enclosures are used in the food industry due to their high resistance to corrosion and rust, which helps maintain food safety and quality.
Budget
Plastic enclosures are more affordable in the short term, but may require frequent replacements when they undergo regular (or accelerated) wear and tear. In contrast, metal enclosure boxes are preferable for long-term use thanks to their high durability that reduces the need for replacements.
Regulatory Compliance
Regulatory standards can also influence overall safety for specific material types, and enclosure boxes that meet these standards are generally high-quality productions. Plastic enclosures may be rated for being chemically inert, while metal enclosures can be rated for fire safety and resistance.
Ta Lim Engineering also provides various electrical enclosure boxes for your commercial or industrial purposes. Contact us today to find out more!
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