Manufacture switchgear assemblies

Since it is not practical to manufacture a llameproof enclosure due to its size and bulk and the number of knockouts and openings on the doors for switches, metering, indicators, and pushbuttons (PBs) etc., it is common practice to locate the.se assemblies some distance from the affected area in a separate well-ventilated room. Depending upon the location and intensity ol contamination, it may be permissible to meet the requirement by using a pressurized enclosure by maintaining a positive pressure inside the enclosure similar to that for motors (Section 7.1.3..3). When there arc many switchgear assemblies, the room itself can be pressurized, which is safer and easier. Small enclosures, however, such as a PB station, switch or a switch fuse unit or an individual starter unit etc., which can be easily made of MS plates or cast iron, as discussed in Section 7.13, can be mounted in the hazardous area while the main MCC can be installed in the control room, away from the contaminated area and from where the process can be monitored. 

The mechanical endurance of the current-carrying parts of all the equipment, bus system, deviees and components, used in a particular circuit as well as the load-bearing members and supports on which they are mounted. The electrical parts of a device (breakers and switches, etc.) are the responsibility of the component manufacturers. The manufacturer of the switchgear assembly is responsible for the busbar systems, metallic links and wires. 

In the cubicle construction of a switchgear assembly the busbar chamber is normally located at the top of the assembly and runs through the length of it. It is usually suitable for extension, through fish joints at either end, if required at a later date. For installations having top cable entry, the busbar chamber may also be located at the bottom of the assembly or the depth of the panel increased, with an additional shroud between the top busbar chamber and cable chamber. From these main busbars are tapped the vertical buses for each vertical panel. Manufacturers may adopt different practices for horizontal and vertical busbar arrangements to economize on their cost of production. We illustrate the most common types of busbar arrangements. 

Below we discuss briefly the constructional requirements and general manufacturing practices for cubicle-type switchgear and controlgear assemblies, and the electrical and the mechanical design considerations to comply with the above design parameters and service conditions. 

These should be suitable to accommodate the size and voittme of a switchgear or a controlgear assembly being manufactured by the unit. The size noted below should be adequate to meet most needs ... 

Switchgears can serve as main secondary service equipment, as main primary service equipment, and as load center equipment when located near load concentrations. The assembly and its devices provide for the control and distribution of electricity to utilization or subdistribution equipment. Most switchgear manufactured since 1955 has been metal-enclosed, dead-front, free-standing type, with its circuit protective devices enclosed each in its own compartment. For certain types of load applications, the protective devices are group-mounted in separate cubicles instead of individual compartments. 

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