What Are the Best Rack Components for Each Industry?

A&J Manufacturing Company is a leader in electronic equipment enclosure design and manufacturing. We have served various industries since 1953, developing unique solutions over the years that accommodate a wide range of project requirements. Our clients in defense, research, and other key sectors trust us to provide exceptional quality and timely delivery.

Equipment racks are highly customizable to meet industry-specific requirements. The right components for your project will vary depending on the operating environment, type of equipment, and your unique housing needs. We will highlight the top rack components and builds our clients depend on, along with the customization capabilities they support.

The Best Rack Components for Your Enclosure

Rack components are a key design consideration. The right components can come together to promote functionality and effectively secure critical equipment. Designing a quality electronics rack requires careful consideration of your application’s requirements.

Military & Defense

Military and defense applications rely on our electronic enclosures to protect mission-critical equipment in the field and during transport. We design our parts and products to comply with rigorous military specifications such as MIL-STD-167, MIL-STD-810, and MIL-STD-901D. Whether you’re concerned about corrosion resistance or environmental factors, there is a build that can meet your unique operational needs.

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) and shock (or vibrational impact) are key factors we consider when designing a rack for military and defense clients. Interference caused by inclement weather, nearby wireless devices, and other sources can disrupt functions in devices and equipment. Our ruggedized aluminum builds help protect against EMI and shock, as well as moisture, impacts, and vibrations.

Racks for military and defense are typically constructed from a medium or heavy-duty frame system with isolators to absorb shock and vibration. They may feature honeycomb panels, filters, or gasketing to increase functionality and shield electronics from EMI. We can also add ground studs to cabinet chassis and copper busbars for extra stability (per 810G requirements).

These types of applications should consider these types of accessories:

• Cooling solutions (ex: liquid cooling)
• Power distribution units (PDUs)
• Environmental monitoring
• Rackmount shelves and drawers
• Security locks
• Shock & vibration absorbers / isolation
• EMI/RFI shielding

Best practices for implementation:

• MIL-STD compliance: ensure all components meet relevant military standards for durability and reliability
• Redundancy: incorporate redundant power suppliers and cooling solutions to ensure continued operation in critical situations
• Customization: look for accessories that can be customized to fit specific operational needs and environmental conditions

Research & Testing Facilities

Rack enclosures play a crucial role in the research and testing industry, providing structured, secure and efficient environments for housing sensitive equipment. They shield from dust, moisture, and other contaminants, ensuring optimal operating conditions. Our racks come in various sizes and configurations, allowing for customization based on specific research needs. Using RETMA rails and a modular framework allows for unlimited vertical spacing configurations, as well as easy expansion and reconfiguration as research requirements evolve.

Common applications include housing servers and networking equipment to support data processing and storage; in laboratories to store testing instruments and provide a secure workspace; or in field testing conditions to ensure protection and accessibility.

These types of facilities should consider these types of accessories:

• Cooling solutions (ex: blanking panels and fans) to help with airflow and efficiency
• Cable management
• Rackmount power strips
• Environmental monitoring
• Rackmount shelves

Best practices for implementation:

• Scalability: ensure that your rack setup can grow and change with your needs without additional heavy investments
• Security: lockable enclosures to prevent unauthorized access
• Redundancy: consider redundant power supplies and network paths for critical systems

Energy & Utilities

Oil, gas, and utility applications depend on electronic enclosures to protect equipment from environmental hazards. Racks serve to house, protect and organize equipment essential for operations, monitoring, and control. They’re designed to accommodate various types of equipment including servers and control systems critical for energy generation, transmission and distribution. Common applications include housing control systems to enable real-time management of energy distribution; to protect and organize transformers, switchgear, and communication systems within a substation; and portable field operations in remote locations for temporary installations, monitoring, and data collection.

Our racks safeguard sensitive equipment from harsh environmental conditions, including dust, moisture and temperature fluctuations commonly found in utility settings. Customizable solutions can be designed to support cooling systems, ensuring the electronics operate with optimal temperature ranges.

These types of facilities should consider these types of accessories:

• Cooling solutions (ex: liquid cooling and direct direct expansion systems; blanking panels)
• PDUs
• Environmental monitoring
• Rackmount shelves and drawers
• Security locks
• Rackmount power monitoring
• Adjustable RETMA rails

Best practices for implementation

• Redundancy: ensure components have redundancy features where necessary, such as dual power supplies and cooling systems
• Compliance: verify that components meet industry standards and regulations (e.g., UL, IEC, NEMA)
• Integration: choose accessories that can integrate seamlessly with existing systems and scalable for future expansion

Rack Components for Every Industry From A&J Manufacturing

A&J Manufacturing is a woman-owned family business with over 70 years of experience serving various industries. We offer custom and commercial off-the-shelf electronic rack solutions, as well as a range of rack installation kits and accessories to meet your unique design requirements.

Our racks and components are used in demanding sectors such as military and defense, research and testing, and energy and utilities. We can help you select the ideal rack components for your application.

Contact us or request a quote to speak with a specialist about your electronic rack component needs.