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An on-board computer in a train, a server in a data centre, measurement equipment in a laboratory, or a control system in a nuclear power plant – each of these devices needs more than a printed circuit board and cables. It needs a structure that holds it in place, protects it from shock and overheating, and in the event of a failure allows a faulty module to be replaced in minutes without dismantling the entire unit. That is what nVent SCHROFF does – a brand that for over 65 years has not been making electronics, but building a home for it.
ELTRON – Your partner in industrial automation, electronics, and electrical engineering
ELTRON has been active on the Polish market for over 30 years, more than 20 of which as an authorised distributor of nVent Schroff. This is not, however, simply selling components from a catalogue. ELTRON employs engineers who work alongside clients' R&D departments to select tailored solutions, and when the standard catalogue version does not fit – they help adapt it, creating a customised product. This kind of collaboration makes even more sense given that Schroff itself has long specialised in solutions designed to individual requirements, not just off-the-shelf sales. In practice, the client has on their side not just a sales contact, but a team that understands why a given enclosure, subrack, or cooling system has exactly those parameters – and no others.
The enclosure as a starting point
The foundation of the nVent SCHROFF portfolio is the 19” rack enclosure, including models from the Varistar CP series in steel, available in protection classes from IP20 to IP55 and with EMC shielding. The same structure is available in variants for rail (standard EN 50155), defence (MIL-S-901E; MIL-STD-461G; MIL-STD-810E; MIL-STD-167), seismic zones (Bellcore Zone 4), and server rooms.
The aluminium Novastar enclosure is designed primarily for laboratories and test benches, where easy access and mobility are key. For outdoor applications (telecommunications, energy, rail), separate single- and double-wall enclosures are available, and for trackside wall mounting – the SRW family, certified to EN 50125-3 and weatherproof (IP66).
Inside the enclosure: compatible components
The enclosure itself is only the outer shell. The electronics inside are mounted in subracks and 19-inch housings designed so that components from different manufacturers fit the same frame (thanks to standards IEC 60297 and IEEE 1101). In practice, this means an electronic card from one manufacturer will fit into an enclosure from another.
The EuropacPRO family covers subracks, while MultipacPRO and Interscale handle rack-mounted housings. Inpac and RatiopacPRO – also available in desktop versions – allow the same device to be taken out of the rack and placed on an engineer's desk for testing. Front panels and plug-in modules with handles are the components the user interacts with directly – they can be individually customised and fitted with shielding to reduce the impact of electromagnetic interference.
Open standards instead of proprietary solutions
In embedded systems (CompactPCI, VPX, MicroTCA, VME, PXI), what matters is more than just bus names – shared structural standards are what count. They guarantee that a processor card from one manufacturer can be combined with an I/O card from another, and that the entire system will survive many years of maintenance without losing compatibility. In defence and aerospace applications this carries additional weight – the OpenVPX standard and compliance with SOSA guidelines mean that a system built today can be expanded a decade from now, without starting the design from scratch.
Electronics thermal management
Every electronic circuit generates heat, and excess heat is one of the leading causes of failure. To address this, nVent SCHROFF offers solutions covering several heat dissipation methods: from conventional fans and rack air conditioners, through conductive cooling (heat removed directly through the metal card frame, without fans – critical in dusty or sealed enclosures), to liquid Liquid Flow Through modules compliant with VITA 48.4, used where power density is so high that air cooling is insufficient.
When conventional rack air conditioning cannot deliver adequate performance, air-to-liquid heat exchangers installed at three different levels are used. LHX is a heat exchanger installed directly in the 19” rack (4U or 6U module) – it cools the air right at the electronics and is available in versions rated from 5 to 10 kW. Its design allows fan replacement without dismantling the entire unit. RackChiller RDHX PRO is mounted at the rear of the enclosure as a door integrated with a heat exchanger – the passive version, without fans and with near-zero energy consumption, dissipates up to 68 kW with water supplied at 14°C (44 kW at 24°C). The system can be expanded with a fan module if required. RackChiller In-Row 45 is a closed cooling system mounted to the side of the rack (side-by-side).
Power distribution and safety systems
Power distribution in a rack begins with PDU strips, whose functionality depends on the model selected. Basic PDU versions simply distribute power to outlets with overcurrent protection – no electronics and no remote access. More advanced PDU models feature a display, allow current and voltage measurement per outlet, and support remote switching of individual devices via Ethernet. They also offer load balancing (distributing load across phases). In larger installations, these units are combined into a centrally managed network – up to 64 PDUs simultaneously – allowing power to a specific device in a specific rack to be cut from a single panel, without walking the server room floor.
A separate category is RackSafety Plus – a 19”, 3U power unit with a physical safety button, designed for test and measurement benches. It supports device supply at 400 V 3-phase or 230 V, provides overcurrent protection, and the emergency stop function meets the requirements of EN 60947-5-1 and EN 60204-1 – the same standards that apply to machine building. In an emergency, a single button press disconnects power to the entire bench.
In infrastructure using DC power (telecommunications, data centres running at −48 VDC, edge computing), DCDU units are used, distributing up to 250 A at 48 VDC. They are equipped with hot-swap circuit breakers with precise per-device energy and power metering, allowing power consumption to be tracked as accurately as a utility meter.
Application areas for nVent SCHROFF solutions
The range of applications for nVent SCHROFF solutions is broad, because the challenge of safely integrating, protecting, powering, and cooling electronics is universal:
These solutions are also increasingly finding application in quantum computer control systems, where requirements for mechanical and thermal stability are particularly demanding.
nVent SCHROFF solutions at ELTRON – complete infrastructure for electronics
Modern electronic infrastructure is far more than just a rack enclosure. The reliability of the entire system depends on the interaction of housings, subracks, cooling and power systems, and the use of components that comply with current industry standards. nVent SCHROFF solutions make it easier to design, upgrade, and operate systems over many years, ensuring infrastructure consistency and standards compliance.
Thanks to its direct partnership with nVent SCHROFF, ELTRON offers not only catalogue products but also support in configuring and modifying enclosures – including custom cutouts, painting, and labelling – tailored to specific projects. In practice, this means real engineering support at the design and implementation stage for electronic and IT systems.
Browse the nVent SCHROFF offer at ELTRON and select components that meet your infrastructure requirements. If your project calls for a bespoke approach, contact the ELTRON team – our specialists will help identify the configuration and solutions best suited to the technical requirements of your application.
See also
As part of our long-standing partnership with nVent Schroff, ELTRON also publishes technical articles and information on product developments and changes. We invite you to explore the additional resources below:
These articles expand on topics related to nVent Schroff system solutions in the areas of industrial automation, IT infrastructure, and special applications.
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