A large number of mechanical engineering and industrial processes are subject to special safety requirements.
In the case of sensitive production workflows, for example, processes and components need to be protected against external influences such as light, dust or other forms of pollution. At the same time, staff should not be exposed to excessive noise or to risks associated with emissions or direct contact. Similar requirements also apply to the surrounding area. When carrying out laser processes, for instance, protection is needed in both directions, as incoming light would significantly disrupt the process and laser beams must not be allowed to escape either. Other applications and processes must meet compulsory cleanroom criteria (in the item Academy, you will find an introduction to cleanroom technology and the associated regulations). In this case, the cabin interior must be kept sterile and shielded from dirt.
All this places high and wide-ranging demands on the machine cabins used for such tasks. A flexible design is therefore a must for machine enclosures, so standard systems quickly reach their limits. A modular building kit system such as Line XMS from item, on the other hand, offers clear advantages. These include quick and easy machine cabin assembly, maximum stability and secure, convenient cable laying. Conduits that are accessible from the outside make it far easier to lay cables and mean operating elements can be installed quickly.
Advantages of machine cabins made from modular components
Whereas welded structures are inflexible, flexibility is a key feature of screwed connections. item fastening technology makes it possible to adapt quickly to changing conditions. This is where the benefits of the modular building kit principle are demonstrated. “Our Line XMS makes building machine cabins a quick and easy process. Stable aluminium profiles and the appropriate fastening technology create frames in different formats that are perfect for the relevant work process,” explains Uwe Schmitz, product management team leader at item.
Special Door Profiles can be used to create perfectly closing doors, hatches and maintenance openings in all sizes.
The modules of Line XMS from item ensure maximum freedom when designing machine cabins, which can be curved, angular, long or compact. They are also easy to modify or extend, if required. Further benefits of machine cabins made from Line XMS profiles include smooth outer surfaces that are very easy to clean and seamless transitions between the individual profiles. Special Door Profiles can be used to create perfectly closing doors, hatches and maintenance openings in all sizes.
Convenient, time-saving cable laying
The cable conduits integrated into the aluminium profiles make for structured cable routing. These conduits can be sealed using easily adaptable Cover Profiles, which ensures they are secure and protected. If necessary, plastic Conduit Profiles can be clipped into the profile groove. Laying cables inside machine enclosures normally involves a great deal of work. What’s more, integrating and connecting controls such as switches and buttons is taxing.
The profiles are sealed using Cover Profiles once the cables have been installed, making it easier to gain quick and convenient access to various process sections.
Given that installation from the outside is far more convenient, item has enhanced the XMS profile system on this basis to make laying cables far simpler. With Profiles X 8 M45 – XMS, cables and leads can be accessed from the outside thanks to the inside-out principle. Operating and control elements can also be connected to applications inside the cabin in no time at all. The profiles are sealed using Cover Profiles once the cables have been installed, making it easier to gain quick and convenient access to various process sections. The series-standard sealing groove keeps the interior clean and free of dust.
Fastenings for flexible changes during cable laying
The objective when laying cables is to connect machinery and equipment located inside machine cabins to operating elements and switches on the outside as easily and neatly as possible. Given that cables need to be routed in all sorts of different ways, fastening options must make it easy to switch from the vertical to the horizontal direction and vice versa during this process. Before the inside-out principle was invented, profiles required additional machining before a cable could be routed in the other direction.
Besides fastening the horizontal and vertical sections together quickly, special fasteners also create a cable feed-through to connect the equipment inside the machine cabin.
item offers special fasteners for these intersection points. They can be used in any location, holding the profiles together and making it easy to lay cables within the frame structure. Besides fastening the horizontal and vertical sections together quickly, they also create a cable feed-through to connect the equipment inside the machine cabin. No further profile machining is required for this purpose. “This next logical step builds on the basic principle of our Line XMS. Specific requirements can be met with great flexibility and minimal assembly work,” says Schmitz.
Easy integration of standard components into machine cabins
The clip geometry of item profiles is ideal for integrating electrical components from the M45 standard system. All standard switch, display and operating elements from a variety of manufacturers can therefore be used in addition to item components. This means factory equipment engineers aren’t confined to a limited selection and can simply choose the components they want. Operating elements for machine cabins are secured in Profile X 8 80×80 M45-36° – XMS in a particularly ergonomic way. Here, too, there is a clip profile to quickly integrate M45 standard components into the horizontal section. Components are connected without any difficulty, while sockets, operating elements and Cover Profiles simply clip into place and are easy to release again if necessary.
Versatile configuration options and a high-quality design
Line XMS creates enclosures in all kinds of formats with virtually unlimited lengths and widths. All components are compatible with the MB Building Kit System. This means, for example, that carrier systems such as the item Groove Plate can be combined with Line XMS components. The extensive item range includes different variants of the aluminium profiles and caps, along with Transport Plates, Base Plates, door solutions, Light Fittings, Spotlights, Safety Switches and further accessories. This makes it possible to create several functional sections, such as a further area above the process section for air filters, exhaust systems and air-conditioning technology.
An attractive design that seamlessly combines functionality and form has been a top priority for item from day one.
The supply section can be located below the machine cabin’s process section, with separate door segments providing easy access for maintenance work on pumps, motors or other units. The wide choice of materials for panel elements also offers users a great deal of freedom when it comes to panel design. An attractive design that seamlessly combines functionality and form has been a top priority for item from day one. This application is no exception – the frames look equally stylish whether they are curved, have distinct edges or are octagonal. The overall design with its clean lines has won a German Design Award and an iF product design award.
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