Enclosure Specifications
Seals are used in industrial, electrical, and/or electronic applications to keep in what's meant to be in and keep out what's meant to be out.
Four types of gaskets - strip, fit-in-place, die-cut, extrusion - help to seal according to the requirement of four of the most common standards:
- Underwriters Laboratories® (UL): Ratings are similar to NEMA
- National Electrical Manufacturere's Association (NEMA): Ratings are numbered. Most common for indoor are 12 and 13 while, 3, 4, 4x, 6, and 6P are most common for outdoor.
- International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC): IP-XX (ingress protection) codes specify protection required.
- Canadian Standards Association (CSA)
- *Note: Only UL requires compliance
Though multiple factors contribute to successful sealing, material selection is an integral part of gasket design. If the gasket leaks or must be replaced, the certification will be lost, resulting in lost time and increased expenses.