Rating systems are very important for both Daisy Data as an industrial computer manufacturer and you as the end user. By assigning a rating to a category of computers or enclosures, we are able to easily identify the industrial computers and enclosures best suited for the hazardous environments we work in.
Here, we discuss the NEMA rating system that daisy uses to categorize its industrial computers and industrial displays. You can see the NEMA rating system in action by viewing Daisy Data’s complete list of NEMA rated industrial products.
Understanding the NEMA rating chart
To reiterate, the NEMA rating chart groups electrical enclosures by three levels:
- Type of electrical enclosure
- Application of the electrical enclosure (hazardous vs. Non-hazardous)
- Environmental conditions the electrical enclosure protects against (when properly installed)
For our purposes at Daisy Data, we focus on manufacturing NEMA 1, NEMA 4, NEMA 4x rated industrial computers and displays.
Non-Hazardous Locations: NEMA Ratings 1-6, 11-13
For NEMA ratings 1-6, 11-13, specific characteristic of the enclosure are outlined. Of note, Type 1 describes electrical enclosures intended for general purpose, while Type 4 and Type 4x are more specific for enclosures to be used inside and outside that protect against dirt, water, ice and in some cases, corrosion.
- NEMA 1: indoor use only; protects personnel against hazardous parts; protects equipment inside the enclosure against ingress of falling dirt.
- NEMA 3: indoor or outdoor use; protects personnel against access to hazardous parts; protects equipment inside the enclosure against ingress of falling dirt and windblown dust; protects equipment from ingress of water (rain, sleet, snow); undamaged by the external formation of ice on the enclosure.
- NEMA 4: indoor or outdoor use; protects personnel against access to hazardous parts; protects equipment inside the enclosure against ingress of falling dirt and windblown dust; protects equipment from ingress of water (rain, sleet, snow, splashing water, and hose directed water); undamaged by the external formation of ice on the enclosure.
- NEMA 4X: indoor or outdoor use; protects personnel against access to hazardous parts; protects equipment inside the enclosure against ingress of windblown dust; protects equipment due to the ingress of water (rain, sleet, snow, splashing water, and hose directed water); additional protection against corrosion; undamaged by the external formation of ice on the enclosure.
Note: NEMA 3, NEMA 4 and NEMA 4x have only slight differences between them.
Hazardous Locations: NEMA Ratings 7-10
The hazardous location NEMA ratings 7-10 encompass four electrical enclosure types.
- NEMA 7: Explosion Proof; Indoor Use Only
- NEMA 8: Explosion Proof; Indoor or Outdoor Use Only
- NEMA 9: Dust Ignition Proof; Indoor Use
- NEMA 10: Meets Requirements of the Mine Health and Safety Act
It’s important to note that NEMA is not a regulatory agency, and compliance with NEMA enclosure ratings is strictly voluntary. It also does not perform any testing of electrical products.
Choosing the Right NEMA Rated Enclosure
As an industrial computer manufacturer, our industrial enclosures are assigned NEMA ratings to ensure that you as the end user are selecting the industrial computer enclosure that is right for your hazardous environment thus minimizing operating risk.
You can view Daisy Data’s complete list of NEMA rated industrial products. If you have questions about the NEMA rated products that you need for your hazardous work environment or are looking for a custom industrial computer enclosure, please contact our sales team directly.
Additional Questions People Ask
What is the NEMA standard?
NEMA stands for National Electrical Manufacturers Association, which defines standards used in North America for various grades of electrical enclosures typically used in industrial applications. Commonly known as the NEMA ratings or NEMA standards, the NEMA standards describe the hazardous environments that specific electrical enclosures best function in to reduce hazards and risks resulting from difficult working environments.
What are NEMA Ratings?
As explained above, NEMA ratings are standards for electrical enclosures most commonly used in industrial work environments. Each enclosure is rated to protect against personal access to hazardous parts and environmental condition (depending on the type of environment).
What do NEMA ratings mean?
Similar to the answers above, NEMA ratings are assigned to electrical enclosures based on the environmental risks they minimize to both the technology and the workers.
What is NEMA 4X rating?
In the post above, we walk you through the definitions of the NEMA ratings that our customers most commonly require for their rugged and hazardous work applications; NEMA 4X being the most common among our industrial computer enclosures.
NEMA 4X rated enclosures (and the industrial computers housed within them) are approved for both indoor and outdoor use. These industrial enclosures are designed to protect the computer inside the enclosure from dust, direct and indirect water, as well as corrosion and ice.