Anixter has announced the launch of its new "Levels for Industrial Environments" program, focused on providing network infrastructure for harsh industrial applications. The distributor says the program builds on the history surrounding the original Anixter Levels program for twisted-pair cabling, by simplifying the selection of the correct products in a market where there is a void in adopted standards.
With the new program, Anixter says it takes into consideration the technology surrounding Industrial Ethernet, but then focuses on understanding the environmental requirements where the product will be installed. “We are very excited about this new program, which allows our industrial customers to simplify product choices and deliver performance, scalability and reliability for mission-critical systems for harsh environments,” says Andy Chacon, VP Marketing Solutions for Anixter.
The distributor says the new Levels for Industrial Environments program offers customers an end-to-end Industrial Ethernet networking solution, with Anixter's technical engineering resources matching technology to the environment where products will be installed. “An office environment is considerably different than a harsh environment like a factory floor," notes Chacon. "Certain factors must be taken into consideration when choosing the right industrial infrastructure for harsh environments. Our new program helps our customers simplify that process while partnering with best-in-class manufacturers."
The distributor additionally notes that, within the industry, there are numerous performance and safety ratings that need to be taken into consideration when choosing products that will perform over time in an industrial setting or harsh environment. Specifying cable and products in these environments can be confusing, and it can difficult to get a clear understanding of what safety or performance standards should be referenced.
To alleviate such challenges, Anixter’s new Levels for Industrial Environments incorporates a highly engineered selection guide that has identified three distinct levels based on key criteria including humidity, temperature, oil and UV resistance, abrasion, and shock and vibration, that directly impact the long term performance of the industrial infrastructure. In sum, for the program, Anixter has created three distinct Levels categories:
-- Level 1 specifies for a controlled environment inside a factory but not to the extent as an office environment, such as a shipping office or control room in a factory.
-- Level 2 specifies for an area that has higher temperatures ranges, with exposure to light and dust that causes problems to electronic equipment.
-- Level 3 specifies for infrastructure on or close to a machine, which is the harshest. Potential technical issues include lubricants, abrasions, vibrations and extreme heat and cold.
“We quickly learned that most customers are installing commercial-grade cabling and connectivity in environments where the products would be exposed to extreme harsh environments, allowing the cable to break down and fail over time," concludes Bob Graham, Anixter's Senior VP of Wire & Cable. "While technology requirements might be similar, the environmental conditions can vary widely and have a major impact on the performance on the industrial infrastructure. The type of product installed needs to withstand harsh conditions of a mission-critical system with no failure or downtime which is exactly what the new Levels for Industrial Environments program addresses.”
For more information, visit anixter.com/levels.
