Bocube series of enclosures by BOPLA

The Bocube series reflects the company’s relentless drive towards innovation.

Even though the standardisation of electrotechnical equipment and installations has been advancing steadily, it is impossible to avoid less typical elements or completely customised solutions in any production plant or machinery park. In some cases, they actually contribute to process modernisation, and in other cases they arise from the need to combine incompatible systems, optimisation, production scaling. Frequently, universal enclosures are used and customised to such strictly defined applications.

The Bocube series of enclosures comprises solutions designed with such situations in mind. They can also be used to manufacture short batches of devices, create prototypes, or implement one-off projects. See below for a comprehensive overview of the BOPLA solutions, as the series includes products demonstrating exceptionally diverse properties.

This article covers the following issues:

• Bocube tool-free closing system
• Plastic enclosure specifications
• Bocube Alu series products with aluminium bodies
• BOPLA products – capabilities and examples of applications

B100806-PC-V0-7024 Graphite

B221309-ABS-7035 Grey

B140806PC-V0-G7024 Transparent cover

BA-241309-7035 Aluminium

Design and closing system

The front panel closing system is the most characteristic feature of the Bocube product range. The front cover is pressed down with two levers that are located on opposite sides (horizontally or vertically). The panel can be tilted (as if it were hinged) or detached from the two press-down elements and removed. It does not require any special tools, as standard side holders come with a small gap into which a prying element (a screwdriver blade, knife, etc.) can be inserted.

Simultaneously, full closure ensures the nominal body tightness. As a result, depending on the model, the IP66 (full dust- and water-tightness) degree of protection is ensured as a standard, however, it can reach even IP69 (protection against immersion and high-pressure water jet). The closing system designed for the Bocube series is described by its manufacturer in the video material presented below.

Apart from the state-of-the-art closing system, note also a few structural details which highlight the perfectly thought-over design process. Wall-mounting holes are positioned inside the enclosure, but outside the main compartment, so that the installation process does not compromise wall integrity, and screws and holes remain protected from the external factors. There are factory-made bushings inside each model, designed to seat rails or a mounting plate in order to minimise any processing needs before use.

Note also that the Bocube series includes enclosures of multiple sizes, i.e., from small designs accommodating a single electronic circuit (80 x 89 x 47mm) to panel boxes, which are large enough to install two DIN rails (364 x 284 x 120mm). As for larger enclosure bodies, an important feature is the above-mentioned possibility to mount them vertically, in which case the front panel is opened by tilting it downwards.

Design materials

New BOPLA products are divided into two series: Bocube and Bocube Alu. The former series includes products made of plastics, e.g., ABS or polycarbonate, whose properties allow for outdoor operation of products and their exposure to weather conditions. The entire body and front is always made of a single raw material, which streamlines recycling (polyurethane seals are the only exception from this rule). Moreover, the bodies made from polycarbonate  demonstrate the IK07 mechanical strength class and comply with international fire safety standards (UL 94 V-0 class, i.e., resistance to flames, self-extinguishing capability).

d8e14906cb Bocube enclosure customised to mass-produced units

Bocube Alu

Bocube Alu made from aluminium enclosures exhibit not only a higher impact protection class (IK08), but also offer the degree of protection up to IP69 (with silicone seals). Due to the materials used in their design, they offer protection against electromagnetic interferences (shielding) and dissipate the heat emitted by electronic components to the body exterior. Their surfaces are powder-coated (except for the mechanical components, i.e., hinges). The parameters of Bocube Alu solutions make them perfectly suited for (rail, sea, etc.) transport applications, such as heavy machinery.

Applications and customisation options

16e0233164 Electromechanical components remain visible behind the transparent panel

Regardless of the model selected, design materials are susceptible to processing, which facilitates gland installation and the customisation of an enclosure to a variety of applications while maintaining its high integrity (sealing) level. Once the body is closed, mounting screws remain concealed, even in models with transparent doors, which enables manufacturers to build equipment that is not only functional, but also visually attractive and safe. The range of possible applications is additionally extended thanks to the possibility of installing displays, indicators, etc., behind glazed covers. With those, Bocube enclosures can be used to build machinery operation monitoring components and entire installations or even to protect signalling devices.

Thanks to their high degree of protection and possibility of being installed outdoors, small enclosure models are perfectly suited to the needs of remote IoT sensor installations, such as battery-powered circuits that require periodic energy cell replacement. They can also be successfully customised to operate as distribution points for power, signalling, alarm, and even communication systems. Moreover, by incorporating membrane keypads or buttons in the front panel, they can also be used as control panels.

The Bocube series provided by BOPLA offers extremely diverse, but also very simple to implement, customisation capabilities at minimum expenditure, which eliminates almost all compromises that universal enclosure users must face.

b48875e1f8 Bocube enclosure with a membrane keyboard installed in its panel