Product Spotlight: AX Fiberglass Enclosures and the AX/KX Series

Building upon a legacy of innovation, Rittal recently launched the new AX/KX line of industrial enclosures. Designed with industry 4.0 and automation in mind, the AX and KX feature modular design, improved cut-outs, and larger gland plates, creating 30% more space for cables and improving upon the design of their predecessors.

History of the AX line — The AE Series

In 1961, Rittal was the first company in the world to produce standard enclosures as a series. It began with the compact enclosure AE, the predecessor of the current AX series. Going against industry advice, Rudolf Loh demonstrated a great deal of ingenuity in beginning to manufacture industrial-scale enclosures.

AE becomes AX

In the decades since the AE enclosure was created in 1961, industry and technology have changed drastically. In response to new evolutions and the challenges of Industry 4.0, Rittal developed the next generation of the AE line – the AX. With this new innovation, Rittal has combined the benefits of a sophisticated system technology with extremely robust materials to produce a unique enclosure series. 

AX enclosures provide maximum simplification, speed, and configuration freedom, while at the same time meeting the highest demands in terms of safety and robustness. The AX line comes in both steel and fiberglass varieties. Whether installed indoors or completely exposed to the weather outdoors, AX enclosures will safely protect your electrical components.

AX Fiberglass Enclosures

Thanks to having seven times greater UV resistance – confirmed by an F1 rating to UL 746C – alongside further benefits such as an integrated drip shield to protect against rain and stable stainless steel hinges, the AX fiberglass enclosure series is purpose-built for outdoor applications and can be used in even the toughest environments.

Ideal applications for the AX fiberglass include:

• Maritime
  Extreme ambient conditions place particular demands on the material and surface properties of an enclosure. The AX fiberglass enclosure offers corrosion protection and is resistant to UV radiation, salt, and salty air.

• Wastewater management
  Especially in this field, enclosures are exposed to various damaging influences, for example aggressive vapours which can attack the material. The fiberglass enclosure offers optimum protection as against wind, weather, and UV radiation.

• Railway technology
  Thanks to its robust material and stable construction, the fiberglass enclosure withstands aggressive environments, dampness, and all arising pressure/suction forces.

• Airports
  The fiberglass enclosure withstands UV radiation, rain, snow, and storms and offers protection against flying debris such as tire wear particles.

The AX enclosure series defines the standards for Industry 4.0-compliant enclosure manufacturing and has been developed with automation in mind. Trusted for outdoor storage, piping, and even boats, fiberglass provides seven times more protection to the elements when used outdoors compared to other materials. 

Enclosure details

• A variety of different enclosure variants, with or without viewing panels
• Symmetrical layout means the enclosure is easily rotated through 180°
• Double seal with an integral rain protection strip on the top and bottom edge of the door to protect the seal from dust and rainwater
• Fiberglass material has a high level of UV resistance 
• Wall mounting brackets are easily secured from the outside while retaining the UL approval
• The pole clamp may be screw-fastened directly into the external threaded inserts
• The mounting plate is easily screw fastened onto the pre-assembled bolts from the front
• Simple earthing of the mounting plate, even retrospectively, using machined keyholes with pitch pattern markings

Benefits of the AX/KX Series

With a large access opening, simple earthing, and intelligent engineering, The AX/KX enclosure series delivers maximum quality and consistency in engineering. These small enclosures include junction boxes and terminal boxes and are built for safety with a wide range of applications. 

The AX/KX line fulfills Rittal’s promise for automated production, permanent availability, fast delivery, and a high overall product quality. The AX/KX product line is:

Fast

• Gland plates attached from the outside
• Simple machining
• Fast assembly and installation

Flexible

• Optimized interior installation
• Simplified handling

Safe

• Simple wall mounting
• International protection categories
• Automatic potential equalization

Both AX and KX products are designed to be simple, space-saving, and durable. AX enclosures in particular feature 30% more space for cables in 30% less assembly time. EPLAN users will find that the software includes 3D models of the AX and KX to make designing and engineering with these enclosures easy.

Whether your application is for food and beverage plants, logistics facilities, automotive manufacturing, or other industries, AX and KX enclosures are safe, reliable, and durable solutions for a variety of applications. Want to learn more? Take a look at our dedicated AX/KX benefits guide for more information.