How to Select a Rittal-Style Cabinet: A Guide to Profile Type, Material, and IP Rating Selection

Selecting a Rittal-style cabinet isn’t difficult—but balancing five interdependent parameters is: profile type dictates structural rigidity, material determines environmental suitability, dimensions affect installation feasibility, IP rating defines sealing design, and accessories impact long-term serviceability. Follow these 5 steps, and you’ll avoid most selection errors.

Step 1: Choose the Profile Type—9-Fold or 16-Fold?

This is the most frequently overlooked factor—and the one with the greatest impact on cost.

• 9-fold profile cabinet: Offers high structural rigidity and excellent dimensional accuracy. Ideal for medium-to-large electrical control cabinets, automation equipment enclosures, and PLC cabinets. The default choice for most applications.
• 16-fold profile cabinet: Features more bending folds per cross-section, delivering higher static load capacity. Recommended for heavy-duty power distribution, metallurgy, and machine tool applications where cabinet stiffness is critical.
• Welded-frame cabinet: Used for fully non-standard, custom-shaped, or exceptionally high-strength requirements.

If your application involves no heavy loads or severe vibration, the 9-fold profile delivers the best value—no need to over-specify and pay extra for 16-fold.

Step 2: Select Material & Sheet Thickness

One reminder: don’t automatically increase sheet thickness. Over-thickening raises weight, cost, and fabrication complexity. The correct solution for insufficient load capacity is adding stiffeners or reinforcing specific load-bearing components—not thickening the entire cabinet.

Step 3: Define Dimensions & Load Capacity

Standard range: height 300–2200 mm, width 400–1200 mm, depth 300–1000 mm. Determine dimensions by working backward from “total internal equipment height + cable routing space + thermal margin”—not by selecting an outer size first and forcing components in.

Calculate three load factors: total internal equipment weight, mounting plate load capacity, and static cabinet load rating. For heavy equipment (e.g., large transformers or VFD banks), select a 16-fold profile and reinforce mounting plates.

Step 4: Specify IP Rating

IP30–IP40 suffices for dry indoor environments; IP54 is typical for general workshops with dust or moisture; IP55 or higher—with waterproof roof and drainage features—is required for washdown or outdoor use. Each IP level increase raises cabinet cost, gasket expense, and manufacturing complexity. Select based on actual site conditions—not over-specification. For detailed comparison, see IP54 vs. IP65 Protection Ratings.

Step 5: Finalize Internal Configuration & Accessories

This step directly affects long-term usability—specify all items clearly during quotation:

• Number and load rating of mounting plates / shelf panels
• Requirement for standard mounting rails (19-inch or DIN rail)
• Cooling method: natural convection / fan cooling / cabinet air conditioner (determined by thermal load calculation)
• Climate control: thermostats, hygrometers, heaters (for outdoor or low-temperature environments)
• PDU units, copper grounding bars, wire management channels
• Door lock type (single-point, three-point, or keyed lock)
• Cable entry/exit method and sealed cable glands

Selection Self-Checklist

Confirm these 8 items before ordering to prevent rework:

• □ Installation environment (indoor/outdoor, temperature, humidity, corrosivity)
• □ List of internal equipment and total weight
• □ External dimensions and mounting requirements (with drawings)
• □ Profile type and sheet thickness specifications
• □ Material specification
• □ Required IP rating
• □ Accessory list
• □ Order quantity and delivery timeline

Three Common Selection Pitfalls

Pitfall 1: Focusing only on price—not sheet thickness. A 30% price difference for identical dimensions often stems from sheet thickness and surface treatment quality.

Pitfall 2: Overlooking accessory compatibility. If you plan to install Rittal-standard rails, fans, or thermostats later, verify that mounting hole patterns match standard modular spacing—or accessories won’t fit.

Pitfall 3: Over-specifying IP rating. Using IP65 indoors just because it’s available means paying for unnecessary performance; conversely, using IP30 outdoors will lead to water ingress and equipment failure.

Xingyuan Electric (Suzhou) provides tailored Rittal-style cabinet selection support and pre-production sample approval. Our factory is located in Wujiang District, Suzhou. Factory audits are welcome. View full Rittal-style cabinet series and technical specifications ›

Related reading: Full Rittal-Style Cabinet Series · Rittal-Style Cabinet Production Requirements · How to Choose Between IP54 and IP65 · Knowledge Center Home

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