The wheels of rail digitalisation are firmly in motion, which means we’re seeing many tried-and-tested products and processes being gradually replaced by more digitally-driven ways of working.
A prime example of this is the materials that are now being used for trackside services, for instance, data enclosures.
While the tendency may have always been to manufacture these cabinets from Glass Reinforced Polyester (GRP) or die-hard metal, new, more future-proofed materials have been emerging in the market in recent years.
One of these materials is polycarbonate, which we’re major ambassadors of. Earlier this year, we entered into a preferred partnership with German manufacturer, Berthold Sichert, to supply polycarbonate cabinets, which is a real trailblazing move on our part.
While metal traditionally may have been the material of choice for enclosures and may come with its advantages, such as durability and low conductivity, it’s vulnerable to corrosion and weathering over time. Plus, it’s inflexible, making it ill-suited to fast and adaptable enclosure installations.
In comparison, polycarbonate is as strong as its traditional counterpart, metal, but won’t weaken or corrode over time. There are many more benefits to manufacturing trackside cabinets from polycarbonate, here we’ve listed our top 5:
BENEFIT 1: All-round weather resistance
Polycarbonate has a slower reaction to temperature changes, which means it stays cooler in the summer, reducing the risk of overheating. It also stays warmer in the winter and can withstand the harshest of cold temperatures (down to -100°C at which the material retains its high mechanical strength).
BENEFIT 2: Lightweight properties
Polycarbonate enclosures are incredibly lightweight when you compare them to their traditional counterparts – they’re 8X lighter than steel and 3X times lighter than aluminium.
BENEFIT 3: Low carbon footprint
Being the environmentally-conscious company that we are, this is one of our favourite features about polycarbonate – it’s 100% recyclable; every single part of it can be reused.
BENEFIT 4: Zero interference
Polycarbonate doesn’t impact RF signals and it also allows 4G and 5G signals to pass through seamlessly, reinforcing its future-proofed status and significantly aiding digitalisation.
BENEFIT 5: Longer lifespan
Another key benefit of polycarbonate, is that it’s built to last – for up to 50 years. It doesn’t rust, is fire and vandal-proof and has a high resistance to chemicals, including acids and alkalines, as well as rain and urine.
The benefits above are a tiny glimpse of why polycarbonate is such a game-changing material for the manufacturing of data cabinets. There are, of course, many more benefits, all of which we’d be more than happy to discuss with you. For more details contact us on 0121 344 6316/4229 or email us at enquiry@chhconex.com
