Eurocard PCBs are - as you might’ve guessed from the name - a European standard format for printed circuit boards (PCB). The fact that they’re standardised means they can be plugged together into an (equally standardised) subrack or chassis, and are completely interchangeable without needing to significantly alter, upgrade or replace the overall mounting system to accommodate new hardware.
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In proper use, the term Eurocards strictly refers to a mechanical slotting/mounting system and does not define the specific connector to be used for channelling the output signal from the PCBs through to subsequent components (nor, in fact, the types of signals that are assigned to those connector contacts).
In this guide, we’ll take a closer look at precisely what Eurocards are, what types and sizes are available on the current market, and some of the different uses of Eurocards found installed in hardware networks across a significant proportion of our modern industries and sectors today.
Eurocards in turn slide into these guides, where they’re held securely in place standing either horizontally or (more commonly) on end, effectively filed neatly away in the housing subrack, rather like the way files slot into a filing cabinet.
Connections on the rear panel of the subrack click into place with mating connectors on the PCBs as each one is inserted, and these allow for the PCB output signal to flow onward through the network as required.
Again, as noted above, these connectors are not technically standardised or universal in the same way the Eurocards themselves are. however, a few widely used variants tend to dominate the market and help support the general drive towards interchangeability that makes the Eurocard PCB format so handy to engineers, technicians and installers.
Rack-fitting enclosures and chassis mounts are specialised installation devices, used as protection and housing for PCBs that are inserted and supported via a series of slots. As well as PCBs, they’re designed for mounting a wide range of standard 19” rack-mount equipment into, which might include:
Rack mounts, subracks and enclosures should be approached as highly modular solutions to storage and protection of delicate or important components and hardware. For standardised electronic equipment racks, the term 1U is used to define one rack unit of height.
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You’ll find a range of specific Eurocard-friendly enclosures, cabinets and component sizes available to buy from most quality UK suppliers, and the majority of these compatible products will be listed as being 1U, 2U, 3U or 4U accordingly. In each case, this refers either to the available height for component installation, or the height of the component itself.
As we outlined in this guide’s previous section on Eurocard sizing, 1U of rack height equals 44.45mm, where ‘U’ is the standardised unit of measurement for designating vertical usable space in the metal frames designed to hold hardware devices. This standardised system of measurement applies both to basic racks, and to entire cabinets (rack mounting enclosures with one or more doors on the front).
The front panels of Eurocard rack fitting cases are usually pre-drilled, to allow installers easy mounting of components and hardware in an industry-standard layout. They’re typically designed with ventilation slots built-in - usually at the top and bottom, but sometimes on either side - to help keep electronics cool under load. The cases and enclosures will also come with screws to prevent equipment from moving about within the rack, and they’re widely available in a broad range of different configurations.
Rack fitting cases and enclosures are fitted inside rack mount units to secure equipment, save on storage space, to help keep things organised and accessible for quick and easy maintenance or repositioning, and to help protect fragile rack-mounted hardware, equipment and components. They’re used across a very broad range of industries and sectors, including:
We’re always happy to offer further information and advice on all aspects of buying and installing Eurocard PCBs, DIN connectors, or Eurocard-compatible subracks, enclosures and chassis mounts. If you’ve any further questions about which hardware, mounting solutions and component products you need to complete your network node installation, you can contact a member of our expert customer support team at any time.
Elma implements quickly and easily scalable, robust 19'' subracks, card cages or rackmount chassis for the use in just about any industry or environment: Industrial automation, test & measurement, transportation, energy, defense, communications and medical. The products of Elma Electronic support standards such as IEC, IEEE or AdvancedTCA.
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