Nalco hired us to design an IP 65 rated outdoor enclosure to protect the electronics for their 3D TRASAR Technology. This technology manages the treatment of cooling water systems in large scale applications like nuclear power plants. We took this product from styling sketches to prototypes to injection molded first articles ready for production. The final design incorporated a capacitive touch screen, LED indicators, thermal regulation, and customizable cable routing, in an enclosure that protects against water, dust, and UV light.
Product Development
The primary challenge was creating a sealed box with two sections that have different safety access restrictions. The top section houses low voltage electronics and needs tool-free access for service and maintenance. The lower section houses high voltage electronics, which requires a screwdriver to gain access for safety. When a low voltage module is added to the top section, connections must be made in the bottom section. To avoid fishing wires with large connectors through holes in tight spaces, we designed the two compartments to have overlapping doors. When both doors are open, a center divider can be removed, and wires can be run freely between the two sections.
To ensure that our concept worked, we conducted several water-resistance tests on full scale SLA prototypes. We attached the prototypes to a tree, filled them with paper towels, and started hosing them down with high pressure from all angles. If the paper towels came out dry it meant our prototypes were successful.
For more information please read Nalco’s product literature: 3D TRASAR™ CW8000 Series
