Enclosure Design Guidelines

Satu Savolainen-Pulli
11.03.2003
 Outline

• Enclosures and Chassis Ground

• Enclosures and Operators
• Enclosures and PWB Design
• Enclosures and I/O Devices
• Slots or Holes
• Slot Locations
 Enclosures and chassis ground
Next guidelines are to prevent arcing inside enclosures and are based on
the fact that the dielectric separating electronic lines and components
from chassis ground is typically air:

• Metal portions of enclosures should be connected to chassis ground

• Metal portions that are not insulated and are connected to chassis
ground, should be kept 2.2 mm from exposed components or lines
• Metal portions that aren’t connected to chassis ground and are not
insulated must be kept at least 2 cm away from exposed electronic
components and lines
• Avoid sharp edges on metal components
– they encourage secondary arcs
 Enclosures and Operators
•In air a 20 kV voltage can arc about 2 cm. A relatively
well-grounded chassis will typically not develop enough
voltage to arc very far.
•Design system enclosures so an operator cannot approach
closer than 2 cm to exposed ungrounded metal,
components or lines; or so a grounded object is between
the operator and the electronics
•It is best if the enclosure design provides the maximum
separation from ESD source to ESD target. Although a
discharge to ground is not likely to damage equipment, it
can create strong near fields. If no discharge is possible,
these fields won’t exist.
 The length of an arc path
It is good to have a 5mm separation from the person to possible chassis discharge
points. Sometimes it is necessary use crooked path to increase the length of
an arc path.

Both seams are in the same thickness of plastic but the right one has a longer arc path.

It is possible to get longer arc path by adding an inner barrier.

 Enclosures and PWB Design

• The enclosures should not constrict PWB designs so much that it is

impossible to include sufficient logic ground grid or chassis grounding
• Enclosure designs should allow the I/O devices to remain close the I/O
connector and each other

Design all enclosures so there is the possibility to add shielding.

 Enclosures and I/O devices

• Try to locate the I/O cable entry point in a central location on each
enclosure
• There must be a provision for a short, low corrosion connection of
each cable shield to the chassis; this connection must be within 4 cm of
the cable entry points.
• Connectors must be within 4 cm of the cable entry and chassis
connection points, so the unshielded portion of the cable doesn’t
exceed 4 cm
– 4 cm is necessary to reduce tendency of cable lines to act as antennas for
ESD noise.
• If a cable had a ferrite added this ferrite must also be near the cable
entry point
 Slots and Holes
• No slot or hole should have a long dimension greater than 2 cm
– The largest possible hole in a enclosure is 2 cm*2 cm!

The primary methods of keeping slot antenna effects to minimum are:

• Use several small openings instead of one large opening
• The space between openings must equal the largest dimension of the
opening

For maximum shielding and hole area (required for cooling vents) use 60 degree
array of holes.
 Slot Locations

• Don’t place a slot near a chassis cable ground connection point or near
sensitive signal lines or devices
– A slot antenna converts currents flowing around it into the fields that it
radiates.
• Electrically fasten the shielding seams at several points to reduce the
slot length that can exist (screws, clips, etc.)
• If necessary use conductive gaskets to fill gaps that remain in seams
• Gaskets and fasteners both should be chosen to keep corrosion to a
minimum
• If foil tape is used, it must make electrical contact with the rest of the
shield
 Slot Locations
• A shield seam should be overlapped and the overlap should be at
least five times the gap width and equal to the distance between
contact points

Example:The width of the gap is not changed but overlapped seam will shield better. Since the
overlapped seam shield better, the fasteners may not need to be placed every 2 cm.

•Bonding straps used to connect various chassis or enclosure sections must be

kept short and kept away from sensitive electronics. Bonding straps should
also be wide; it is recommended that bonding straps be no more than five
times longer than they are wide
•Bonding straps will radiate noise if ESD current flow through them.
 Summary
The enclosure design must ensure that
1. Uninsulated electronic components and lines have at least a 2 cm
arching distance from ungrounded metal objects that may be touched by
the operator
2. Uninsulated electronic components and lines are at least 2.2 mm from
any item connected to chassis ground.
3. Uninsulated electronic components and lines are at least 2 cm arching
distance from the operator, or that the chassis ground point is between
the operator, or that a chassis ground point is between the operator and
electronics.
4. Should allow the electronic devices to be grouped together.
5. Must allow sufficient room for the PWB, so the PWB design guidelines
can be followed.
6. All shield materials must have an EMF within 0.75 V of the metal they
connect to.
7. All design must make provision for the addition of shielding.
 Summary
The following specifications refer to shielding design:
8. No slot seam or hole in the shield may have an operating dimension
greater than 2 cm, unless the length-to-opening ratio of the hole is at
least 5 to 1.
9. The two acceptable holes on the left of fig. may also represent seams.
This means a seam must have an overlap at least five times the gap
width
 Summary

10. If 9 can’t be met for shielding seams, use gaskets to fill the seam
gaps, or use fasteners every 2 cm along the seam.
11. If several holes are required, the space between holes should equal
the largest diameter of the hole.
12. Use several small openings instead of one large opening.
13. Don’t place a shield hole near a point where the shield connects to
chassis ground or near sensitive devices or lines.
14. If foil tape is used, it must make electrical contact with the shield.
15. Keep bonding straps short and wide.
 References

• Electrostatic Discharge and Electronic Equipment, Warren Boxleitner,

IEEE Press, New York, 1999, 118 pp.