Enclosures supplied ready for their big close-up

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Aug 31, 2005

Dallas-based K-Tec Corp sources aluminium enclosures that are milled, drilled and "dressed in black" ready for use in "wet" Hollywood blockbusters and outdoor TV filming.

The Spelsberg enclosure customisation service has been employed to great effect by Dallas based US company K-Tec Corp to source aluminium enclosures that are milled, drilled and "dressed in black" ready for use in "wet" Hollywood blockbusters and outdoor TV filming.

As the first generation of Shock-Block GFCIs (ground-fault circuit-interrupters) from K-Tec Corp won an Academy Award for Scientific and Engineering Achievement, K-Tec's new range of Shock-Block units (models SB-100, SB-250 and SB-300) just had to make an entrance.

"How better to do it than 'dressing in black' for the premier", comments Steve Kay, Shock-Block designer and owner of K-Tec.

"We chose Spelsberg aluminium enclosures not just because they were light and strong, but also because the sealing matched our high IP requirements".

"Spelsberg in the UK were also able to supply them with a precise premilled aperture in the lid for our sealed display panel, predrill the cable entry points we required and spray them black for that Hollywood look".

"Having the enclosures supplied to our specifications and already prepared for assembly saves us a significant amount of time and effort in production".

"We do stock Shock-Blocks, but the nature of the movie industry means that when the production team from the next big film calls, we have to be able to respond quickly".

The portable Shock-Block GFCI is designed as a simple in-line plug-in device to protect actors, film-crew and equipment on sets where water or moisture can create electrical hazards.

A high level of impact resistance is provided for the tripping mechanism and the detection circuit by the aluminium enclosure, while minimising weight, important as the units are often moved around by hand.

The unit itself is protected from the rigours of set life by the an external "roll cage" but the heavy duty cable and cable glands are mounted directly onto the side walls of the Spelsberg enclosure, demanding high mechanical strength from the enclosure.

Conventional GFCIs tend to nuisance-trip or fail to operate on high current circuits (above 20A) and are often tripped by a variable voltage power supply such as a lamp-dimmer.

The three-model range of Shock-Block 100A GFCIs has proven so popular because it is easy to install and provides reliable and nuisance-trip-free 5mA (Class-A "people-protection") ground fault protection, it has a five-element LED chain indicating the condition of the circuit(s) being monitored and protected.

As ground leakages develop, the LED chain indicates the amount of circuit leakage present.

"This feature is useful when multiple loads are involved".

"Gaffers, best boys and technicians can easily identify and isolate any faulty circuit", adds Kay.

"The premachined aperture in each Spelsberg enclosures is highly precise, it is also cleaned and deburred before it arrives making the LED array simple to install and the sealing is assured".

Spelsberg can supply a wide range of aluminium and polycarbonate enclosures fully assembled and kitted with accessories such as external mounting fixtures, DIN rail, terminals, circuit breakers, PCB mounts, hinge kits and cable glands.

Spelsberg can also precut bespoke entries, engrave text and predrill cable entry points.

All items are stocked and assembled in the UK at Spelsberg's Telford headquarters where the company holds the largest range of ex-stock plastic enclosures available in the UK.