General Purpose Enclosures

General purpose enclosures, also known as multi-purpose enclosures, electronics enclosures, electrical enclosures, and project boxes, are versatile storage devices designed to house and protect a wide range of equipment, primarily electronics. The range runs from small ABS project boxes through to sealed aluminium enclosure box formats and full industrial panel enclosures.

RS Australia stocks general purpose and electrical enclosure boxes in aluminium, ABS, polycarbonate and fibreglass, with industrial panel ranges from leading brands like Hammond, Fibox, and many more. Order from us and enjoy fast delivery nationwide.

Enclosure Standards & Compliance for Australian Industrial Projects

Electrical enclosures for Australian industrial projects are assessed against AS 60529 for ingress protection and IEC 62262 for impact resistance. RS is an authorised distributor, with compliance documentation available for project submissions.

In an IP rating the first digit covers solids and the second covers water. The pairing determines where the enclosure can be installed:

• IP65: Dust-tight, protected against low-pressure water jets. The minimum for sheltered outdoor and general plant-room installations.
• IP66: Dust-tight, protected against powerful water jets. For exposed outdoor positions and plant areas subject to hosing down.
• IP67: Dust-tight, protected against temporary immersion to one metre. For enclosures below a flood line or in a pit.

IK ratings under IEC 62262 run from IK00 to IK10 and rate the impact energy an enclosure absorbs without losing protection. Specify one wherever the enclosure is within reach of forklift traffic, mobile plant, falling tools or public access.

Material selection is dependent on the environment:

• Stainless Steel: Washdown, food-grade, coastal and corrosive settings where hygiene or salt exposure rules out coated steel.
• Aluminium: Outdoor and mobile installations needing corrosion resistance at low weight, and RF-sensitive electronics needing a conductive housing.
• Carbon Steel: Indoor panel and switchboard work, where a powder-coated finish is sufficient.
• Polycarbonate and Fibreglass: Chemically aggressive or electrically sensitive environments needing a non-conductive, non-corroding housing.

Three further checks apply to any project submission:

• Gasket Material: Polyurethane suits general sealing, silicone holds up at temperature extremes, and neoprene resists oils and solvents.
• Earthing: Metal enclosures need a bonded earth stud, and hinged doors need a separate earth strap to the body.
• Thermal Load: A sealed high-IP enclosure cannot shed heat by convection, so calculate the internal dissipation before specifying IP66 or above.

Types of General Purpose Enclosures

RS Australia stocks a wide range of electrical enclosures in diverse body materials, sizes, and ingress ratings to protect sensitive components in any operational environment:

• Aluminium Enclosures: Offers robust aluminium enclosure box options in die-cast or extruded formats, delivering exceptional durability, thermal dissipation, and IP66/IP67 ingress protection for outdoor instrumentation and mobile plant systems.
• ABS Plastic Enclosures: Delivers lightweight, non-conductive, and economical housing for indoor control panels and instrumentation, providing reliable protection against dust and moisture.
• Fibreglass & Polyester Enclosures: Combines glass-reinforced mechanical strength with full corrosion immunity, making these units ideal for chemical dosing, water treatment plants, and coastal installations.
• Stainless & Carbon Steel Enclosures: Provides maximum structural integrity and high impact resistance for heavy-duty industrial machinery, hazardous locations, and severe washdown environments.
• Shielded EMI/RFI Enclosures: Features specialised attenuation shielding to preserve signal integrity and prevent electromagnetic interference in telecommunications and sensitive electronic hardware.
• Modular & Custom Mounting Enclosures: Includes wall-mounted, pole-mounted, free-standing, and rack-mounted electrical enclosure boxes designed with customisable chassis plates, ventilation, and transparent display windows for flexible field installation.

Industrial Applications of Electrical Enclosures & General Purpose Enclosures

RS Australia supplies electrical enclosures to a wide range of industries across Australia, with options ranging from light to heavy duty protection.

• Panel Building and Switchboards: Floor-standing and wall-mounted steel enclosures house distribution gear, motor starters and control assemblies. Electrical enclosures are also used across manufacturing facilities to house control panels and variable frequency drives (VFDs), protecting equipment from dust, moisture and mechanical damage.
• Food and Beverage Industry: The electrical enclosure boxes must meet stringent hygiene standards. Stainless steel enclosures with high IP ratings (e.g. IP69K) protect components from washdowns and corrosive cleaning agents.
• Oil and Gas Industry: The sector requires electrical enclosures that can withstand explosive atmospheres and extreme environmental conditions. Explosion-proof enclosures house control systems and instrumentation in refineries and offshore platforms.
• Mining and Resources: Dust ingress, vibration and long servicing intervals push Australian mine sites towards higher IP and IK ratings.
• Renewable Energy: In renewable energy installations such as solar and wind farms, enclosures protect inverters, combiner boxes and monitoring systems from dust, rain and UV radiation.
• Telecommunications: pole-mounted and rack-mounted enclosures are used in telecom towers and data centres to safeguard networking equipment, power supplies and backup batteries.
• Water and Wastewater Treatment: Electrical enclosure boxes protect control panels and instrumentation from moisture, chemicals, and corrosive environments.
• Transport and Rail: trackside and roadside cabinets house signalling and monitoring equipment, and need a high IP rating for weather alongside a high IK rating for vandalism.

How to Order General Multi-Purpose Enclosures from RS?

RS is an authorised supplier and distributor for leading electrical enclosure manufacturers, so procurement teams receive genuine stock backed by full manufacturer warranty. RS stocks industrial panel enclosures and electronics enclosure boxes from brands like Hammond, Bopla, Fibox and many more, with aluminium held in both die-cast and extruded formats so an aluminium enclosure box can be matched to the sealing level the installation needs. Orders can be raised online or by phone, email and fax, and bulk or project volumes are quoted at special volume pricing on request.

RS also supplies related items that can be added to the same order, including DIN rail terminal blocks, axial fans for panel cooling and push button switches for the front panel, making RS a one-stop procurement source for a complete panel build.

Delivery Information for Australia

RS delivers general purpose enclosures to every Australian state and territory. Business account holders pay no delivery charge on online orders over $60 (excluding GST), and locally stocked items ordered before 5pm AEST arrive the next working day.

Delivery Charges on Online Orders

• Business Accounts (with a valid ABN or an RS credit account):
  • No delivery charge on orders over $60 (excluding GST)
  • A $10 delivery charge applies to orders under $60 (excluding GST)
• Private and Guest Accounts:
  • No delivery charge on orders over $80 (excluding GST)
  • A $20 delivery charge applies to orders under $80 (excluding GST)

Next Working Day Delivery

• Order locally stocked items before 5pm AEST, Monday to Friday
• Orders placed after 5pm Friday arrive Tuesday

For full delivery terms, the RS Australia delivery page covers every option, exclusion and fee.