Powder Coating System Platforms for Industry and IT Rittal

In all markets, in countless industries, and in nearly every company, “Industry 4.0” is the next big thing: but does the investment in new equipment really pay off? Rittal is one of the world‘s leading system suppliers for enclosures, power distribution, climate control, IT infrastructure and software & services. This global player based in Herborn, Germany, offers insights into the configuration and processes of its state-of-the-art powder coating systems.

Machinery and equipment from Germany are a calling card of local industry and in high demand the world over. Wherever electronics have to be protected, the chances are good that the enclosures for the equipment control system, power distribution or climate control come from Rittal. Headquartered in the German state of Hesse, Rittal is a genuine global player employing over 9,300 people and operating 13 production facilities worldwide.

Rittal has a 50-year tradition of success, and customers have long valued the quality of the products. “Our industrial coatings meet their specifications – on land, in the air and on the water. Some of our enclosures are installed on super-yachts,” grins Denner, “that not only look great, but also withstand harsh sea air.”

“Our goal is to use standardized products to meet customer specific requirements faster and on a more timely basis. We are in the process of creating the conditions to achieve this, especially in the coating systems area,” admits Heiko Denner, Project Manager for Surface Finishing Technology at Rittal, during our meeting in the company’s own Rittal Innovation Center, “and we’re doing so despite the fact that the total number of square meters of powder coated surface area per year measures in the millions!”

In addition to Rittal’s standard Light Gray RAL 7035, many other colors approved by Quality Assurance are available as serial production to satisfy customer wishes. “For anyone offering such a broad variety of colors, an intelligent, extremely flexible booth concept is absolutely vital.” Rittal relies here on the highest standards of Nordson ColorMax3 booth technology, with special booth floor material and highly automated cleaning cycles that enable extremely fast color changes.

ColorMax3 powder booths are ideally suited for all our applications, no matter whether we run a single color in a shift or have to change colors frequently.

The very consistent operation of the HDLV® pumps provides ideal conditions for uniform processes, transporting the powder very carefully from our 400 kg big bags to the powder center and to the guns and then returning the overspray back to the system again – thereby keeping the material stable over an extended period.

Along with the design possibilities of Rittal enclosures, the company started already from an early stage to develop specific solutions for an extremely wide range of applications. For the food and beverage industry, for example, which is subject to uncompromising hygiene requirements in all areas. Here the right housing design can help save cleaning and disinfectant agents, improve cleaning results and reduce the risk of contamination.

Other examples include wind turbine and photovoltaic systems, whose outdoor housings must withstand wind and weather to protect sensitive control technology from extreme temperature fluctuations and moisture. In much the same way, applications in IT, transportation technology, and – in extreme cases – machinery construction and process industries also impose special requirements. Once installed, an enclosure usually then stays in its place for many years – where aggressive environments are not uncommon.

That means a powder coating must function reliably – and also look good – for a long period and under adverse conditions. “Our products can achieve that only because we consistently apply the highest quality coatings,” says Heiko Denner, returning to the subject of surface finishing. 

Along with the design possibilities of Rittal enclosures, the company started already from an early stage to develop specific solutions for an extremely wide range of applications. For the food and beverage industry, for example, which is subject to uncompromising hygiene requirements in all areas. Here the right housing design can help save cleaning and disinfectant agents, improve cleaning results and reduce the risk of contamination. Other examples include wind turbine and photovoltaic systems, whose outdoor housings must withstand wind and weather to protect sensitive control technology from extreme temperature fluctuations and moisture.

In much the same way, applications in IT, transportation technology, and – in extreme cases – machinery construction and process industries also impose special requirements. Once installed, an enclosure usually then stays in its place for many years – where aggressive environments are not uncommon. That means a powder coating must function reliably – and also look good – for a long period and under adverse conditions.

“Our products can achieve that only because we consistently apply the highest quality coatings,” says Heiko Denner, returning to the subject of surface finishing.