Protecting Customer Electronic Innovations & Investments
The Challenge
An existing customer of Phoenix Mecano North America was ordering and performing final assembly of a standard “02” series fiberglass enclosure for their design. They were attempting to mount an off-the-shelf user interface three-button bezel housing with a Phoenix Mecano enclosure. In an attempt to seal the enclosure, they used a modified manufacturer-made box bezel with an open cell foam gasket, which proved unsuccessful. The product, when used in the Washington State area, was experiencing water infiltration due to the high moisture environment, as this environment type was not taken into consideration when determining proper Ingress Protection (IP). Because of this, the client was experiencing a high number of product malfunctions and returns from that regional area. The customer reached out to Phoenix Mecano to ask if the team could assist in modifying the product design to solve the moisture infiltration issues they were experiencing. The customer service team assigned an engineering expert to re-evaluate the customer’s needs. A conversation commenced to establish an Ingress Protection baseline, as the customer did not want water or moisture ingress. In asking the correct questions about the environment, possible scenarios, and the needed design specs, the Phoenix Mecano lead engineer uncovered how to solve this issue. The new unit does not go underground but is used in tandem with an underground receiver and transmitter; therefore, the new part would need to protect against outdoor exposure to a high moisture environment, but not submersion or the deluge of water.
