- URL
When working with electronic installations, especially in industrial control, automation and networking applications, you will undoubtedly come across the DIN rail in your journey. These rails — named from the acronym for “Deutsches Institut für Normung” or “German Institute of Standards” — are the metal rails used to mount electronic components in control cabinets, junction boxes or electronic enclosures. You can think of them as the backbone of complex electronic setups, as they are the components that house circuit breakers, contactors, terminal blocks, transformers, relays and other control equipment to the rack within a cabinet.
The fact that DIN rails are made to an industry standard, which is now adopted globally, allows them to be compatible with many different electronic components. As such, you can be sure that your DIN rail’s terminal blocks or circuit breakers will fit regardless of the manufacturer. This standard also allows us to produce DIN rail enclosures (sometimes referred to as “top hat rail enclosures”) that are compatible with the rails you already own or plan to use in your next project. Polycase is an excellent resource for finding easy-to-install rail enclosures for many applications.
We recommend implementing these kinds of mounting rails and enclosures in any environment where you don’t want to fuss with panel mounting, or for applications such as control panels when you want a central location for all of your equipment. What’s more, DIN rails can help you save space while also reducing labor time and cost, as they allow engineers to easily and quickly attach interchangeable components to the rail. At a glance, these rails simplify and standardize setups so that you can effortlessly work with parts and products from many different manufacturers.
In this guide, we’ll cover the different DIN rail enclosure options we offer at Polycase, as well as information on how to install your electronic enclosures onto DIN rails and how to use enclosures that house DIN rails. While a good majority of DIN rail jobs are hyper-specific to the user, there are some basics that apply to most projects to help you get started. We will also help you determine which type of enclosure is appropriate for your unique DIN rail needs, as you should be well aware of materials and how they perform in certain environments.
We offer two primary types of DIN rail products at Polycase: DIN rail kits to install inside enclosures and enclosures that mount onto DIN rails. Be sure that you understand the difference before you embark on your DIN rail endeavor.
If your goal is simply to find an enclosure that makes for very easy installation of your existing DIN rails, we have a good option for you. Many of our customers prefer the SK Series Enclosure with Knockouts when working with DIN rails because of the centered mounting bosses on the base of the enclosure, which help when installing the DIN rail. These enclosures are made of fiberglass reinforced polycarbonate and are weatherproof and waterproof. They are made in Germany by Spelsberg, one of the leading manufacturers of electrical equipment.
Even though we do not currently offer DIN rail kits cut to fit our SK Series, we would suggest these cases for DIN rail applications because of the centralized mounting bosses that make it especially easy to assemble DIN rail within the enclosure. SK Series enclosures also have knockouts, easily removable with a screwdriver, that allow for smooth installation of cables or wiring without needing additional customization.
Below, we’ve outlined how to install the Polycase DR Series and EK Series DIN enclosures, but there are a few things you should take into consideration before you start installing to ensure that your setup is safe, up to code and protected from damage.
The primary considerations when choosing a DIN rail enclosure are:
If you already know which enclosure will best suit your project, you can order it now at Polycase. We offer both plastic and metal din rail enclosure styles. Be sure to take advantage of volume discounts if you need multiple enclosures or kits to complete your job. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, be sure to contact us, and we can work with you to try to customize one of our enclosures to fit your needs. Or, you can self-quote a customized enclosure using our online Quick Quote tool. We are always available to assist you with finding the perfect DIN rail products.
Polycase DR Series DIN rail kits include a zinc-plated steel DIN rail plus two screws for assembly. Each rail is custom-cut to length to fit its designated WH, WQ or YH/YQ NEMA enclosure. Note that, because the steel is slotted, we take special care in where the cuts are made to ensure that it aligns for the correct mounting configuration inside the case.
DIN rails can be assembled lengthwise or widthwise inside the base of the enclosures. The DIN rails are secured down into the base of the enclosure via the screws provided, to the mounting bosses. Once secured in place with screws, you can start assembling your components to the DIN rail.
The EK-50 enclosure box and DIN rail clip come as two separate pieces. Once your components are assembled within the box, you can connect the box to the DIN rail via the provided clip. You will first affix the clip to the DIN rail in your desired location. Next, the box portion simply snaps right onto the clip. It can be easily removed from the clip, as well, by snapping it off the clip, which is helpful if you need to switch out the electronic components within the case, etc. However, the clip does include two screw holes that provide the option to secure the box and clip firmly in place if you do not want the clip removed from its location along the DIN rail.
If you aren’t sure whether or not any of these enclosures will work with your specific project, or if you need more in-depth information on installation, get in touch with us, and we’ll do our best to assist. Polycase is a leader in CNC machining and enclosure manufacturing, so we’re always a great place to start if you need prefab or custom enclosures.