Why Businesses Prefer ABS Enclosures for the Workplace
May 16, 2022
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) is a thermoplastic polymer that is ideal for use in the construction of protective enclosures for sensitive electronic equipment including servers, workstation computers, printers, barcode label printers, measurement systems, and laser marking enclosers. ABS was initially patented by and introduced to commercial markets by Borg-Warner Corporation in the mid-1950s. As a highly versatile product, ABS immediately became popular for manufacturing everything from industrial enclosures to consumer products. Today, ABS thermoplastic is considered to be an ideal material for the most demanding engineering needs.
Metal Alloys versus ABS Thermoplastic
The use of metals versus plastics in the manufacturing process for creating lightweight and durable protective enclosures is a decades-old argument. Nonetheless, for many industrial, manufacturing, business, and consumer applications, there are distinct advantages of creating products from ABS thermoplastics when compared to metal alloys. Several of these are discussed below:
Product Applications – Machine-grade ABS can be machined using standard techniques like cutting, turning, drilling, milling, and sawing. Moreover, it can be chemically affixed to itself and is generally a more cost-effective option. Custom applications are performed quickly and require less post-fabrication finishing than metals.
Sustainability – Shortages in ABS thermoplastics are virtually non-existent, whereas all metal prices fluctuate according to current levels of supply and demand. As a preferred recyclable product, thermoplastics are often formed through the recycling of used ABS plastics.
Specific Strength – ABS is lighter weight, stronger and more durable than polycarbonate materials. ABS sheet can also be specifically formulated to compete with steel and other alloys in strength-to-weight ratios, while remaining much less difficult to fabricate.
Operating Conditions – ABS enclosures are minimally affected by temperature or humidity and work well in a broad range of workplace temperatures. ABS polymers are resistant to extreme conditions, and industrial chemicals.
Wireless Networks - ABS thermoplastic remains constant over a wide range of electrical frequencies. Our impact-resistant cabinets are virtually transparent to wireless signals and ABS outperforms steel when wireless networks are in use.
Lightweight Durability –ABS components made from thermoplastic are many times lighter than the same products made from steel or metal alloys. For example, an enclosure made from aluminum would be twice the weight of an ABS enclosure and less resistant to harsh conditions.
ABS is a highly recyclable material that reduces the need for time-consuming equipment maintenance. Thermoplastic polymer sheet is extremely stable, fire-resistant, and does not easily deform when subjected to dramatic temperature changes that are common in numerous industrial settings. Since ABS materials offer strength and durability as well as corrosion resistance to chemicals or wet conditions, they are quickly replacing metals for many types of routine enclosures.
Protecting Computers in Today's Workplace
As one of the best-suited enclosure materials, our designers chose heavy-duty acrylonitrile butadiene styrene sheeting because of its impact resistance and durability for housing a wide range of electronic equipment. Dust Free PC’s NEMA-rated enclosures are designed and built from ABS sheet to reduce shock and protect the most sensitive equipment that is used in industrial and manufacturing environments. In addition, the ABS plastic sheeting we use has a textured finish that hides and resists scratches. Our enclosure surfaces are much less likely to suffer chemical attack and does not corrode.
Any metal fabrication process is more lengthy and less cost effective than using ABS sheet. That’s why Dust Free PC can guarantee on-time enclosure deliveries with advanced designs to keep your production line running more efficiently. Despite the bad rap that some plastics get when it comes to a lack of environmental friendliness, ABS is a perfect scrap material that can be used time and again to produce repurposed ABS thermoplastic polymers. This helps to save the environment and makes acrylonitrile butadiene styrene a more sustainable product as well as one that is cost-effective to reproduce.
At Dust Free PC, we are dedicated to providing the highest quality of environmental computer enclosures to ensure the best solution and best value to meet each client’s specific needs. Use our convenient contact form or call us today at 800-775-7611 to discuss the best solution for protecting any server, workstation, printer, or other sensitive equipment that needs an enclosure.
