Stealth Enclosures For Covert Operations
n the world of engineering
it's a truism that every
application has its own
unique challenges. However,
some challenges are more
noteworthy than others; such as specifying
enclosures f or external use on a vessel
with stealth capabilities, for example. This
is just one of the unique challenges that
Spelsberg has been presented with which
can be solved with the use of innovative
coating technology.
I
Stealth technology is designed to prevent
sonar and radar detection systems from
identifying an object. This is achieved by
preventing sound or light reflections from
returning to the sensor equipment, either
by absorbing the signal or reflecting it in
a non-uniform pattern. It's vital that every
exposed component is protected in this
fashion, as even a small returning signal
could be enough for advanced technology
to make an identification. For one recent
military application, the task of producing
anti-radar enclosures fell to Spelsberg UK.
Chris Lloyd, Spelsberg UK Managing
Director, comments: "Many of our
customers come to us for advice during
specification to make sure that they
end up with a product that fits their
requirements. I have to say though,
that this was one of the more unusual
enquiries. We needed to be able to supply
pre-assembled enclosures which would
conform to the very strict requirements for
applications of this nature.
"Obviously the first job of an enclosure
is to house components efficiently, so
it wouldn't be practical to manufacture
a design with the irregular angles that
are classically associated with stealth
technology. This left us with the option of
producing enclosures which would absorb
the radar signal rather than reflect it. We
were able to achieve this thanks to our
special coating service."
Spelsberg UK works closely with a UK
manufacturer that pioneers research and
development in Polymer Chemistry, which
means that it can offer solutions which
are otherwise unavailable on the market.
Specialist chemical coatings can deliver
an astonishing number of functions which
would normally require expensive and
cumbersome engineering. The range and
scope of available coatings are constantly
evolving with new developments being
made almost every day. Each of the
coatings can be applied to Spelsberg's
enclosures, no matter what the material.
All of the coatings are UV stable,
waterproof and have excellent chemical
resistance properties for long lasting,
reliable performance in even the harshest
of environments. Because the service is
supplied as part of the Spelsberg assembly
and customisation process, enclosures are
delivered to the customer pre-coated and
ready for installation. New developments
are very much customer driven so
new coating technologies are often
manufactured to the customer's specific
requirements.
Chris concludes: "The 'Stealth Enclosures' is
just one great example of how the coating
service has allowed us to meet a quirky
challenge. In the past we've supplied
enclosures which are ESD, EMI and RFI
shielded, fire resistant, thermally insulated
and ice resistant. We've even supplied
enclosures with CARC coating which
prevents the surface from picking up any
chemical or biological particles which
could be harmful to human contact."
Spelsberg's special coating service is
just one of the many ways in which
the company is able to customise its
enclosures to the needs of the customer.
It's sales team are experts in enclosure
specification and are able to offer
advice prior to ordering for almost any
application. Machining and assembly is
carried out in-house in the UK, so lead
times remain low.
“Space for you”
Spelsberg’s company philosophy is based
around the idea of providing flexibility
and freedom to its customers. The space
provided within each junction box; the
large distribution and warehousing space;
and the freedom to customise almost
any product, irrespective of quantity, all
equates to “Space for you”.
www.spelsberg.co.uk