Team 1
Team Members |
Faculty Advisor |
Kevin Gonxhe |
Dr. Vito Moreno Sponsor ABB |
sponsored by
N4 Gasketless Enclosure
The objective of this project was to design and test a NEMA 4 rated electrical enclosure without the use of any gaskets or gasketed materials in response to supply chain shortages. Since the 2019 pandemic, ABB has experienced challenges with gasket supply, leading to increased manufacturing costs and production time for NEMA 4 enclosures. By developing a gasketless solution, ABB aims to increase throughput for electrical enclosures while gaining a competitive advantage within an untapped market. To meet UL certification guidelines, the electrical enclosure underwent a hose down test at 10-12 feet, from a 1 inch hose, at 65 gal/min for around ¼ in/sec. ME01 successfully developed a unique enclosure technology which uses geometric manipulations to divert water away from any seams, validated rigorously at the UConn fire department in both metal and plastic to ensure no water ingress in pilot prototypes. This solution not only provides the intended environmental protections of an electrical enclosure, but also provides significant cost and production time savings for ABB. Moving forward, the solution and research provided hold promise for broader industry adoption and innovation within enclosure design.