The recent high growth in the demand for data storage, and in turn the surge in construction of Data Centres both in the UK and globally, has led to a need to change the way we think about CMS systems in this type of installation
Armorduct’s ability to manufacture and develop bespoke Cable Basket systems and interface with different equipment has seen us evolve into a preferred choice of manufacturer by a number of Blue Chip clients and large contractors
The drive to remove on site fabrication and hot works has been instrumental in Armorduct’s development of complete Cable Basket Systems with a full range of manufactured modular accessories all to meet the stringent client demands
Working closely with our clients we have been able to clearly demonstrate the value of manufacturing a product designed to suit the installation and client’s needs, rather than trying to adapt standard catalogue items
With the future development of the cable management systems used in Data Centres, Armorducts contribution in designing specific products to suit each different application is a key part of our success in this challenging and exciting market sector
Data Centre Case Study – Vodafone
The rise in construction in the Data Centre Industry over recent years has been dramatic. Our increased demand for data storage has been to say the least, meteoric
Armorduct’s ability to meet the needs of the client in this area has also radically changed. We constantly aim to recognise and fully embrace the clients design needs
Vodafone’s Data Centre at Uxbridge incorporated a number of design criteria. These included a tamperproof CMS system running through the data centre, clear colour coded CMS systems for ease of client identification, manufactured accessories with suitable data cable radiuses, and bespoke interfaces between the CMS system and the data cabinets themselves
The mixture of CMS systems included Cable Trunking, Ladder Rack, Cable Tray and Cable Basket
The Cable Basket systems used a mixture of manufactured bends and were designed to integrate with Cable Tray. This was achieved by means of locating the basket with solid connections inside specially made cable tray fittings
Armorduct’s unique fully adjustable waterfall units were designed to give maximum adjustment both vertically to the data cabinet and horizontally and still maintaining the desired cable radius
These units also used a retaining system to ensure cables were retained within the waterfall at all times. The clear epoxy powder coating applied after manufacture also meant that any cables were prevented from being snagged or damaged during installation
The system, unique to the Vodafone installation, was also rolled out in three further data halls in Germany as well as several upgrades in the UK. It shows a clear corporate identity as well as meeting all of their design requirements
Armorduct has employed elements of this system in Data centres across the UK and Europe. It is having a clear understanding of our client’s requirements and our willingness to say yes that sets us apart as a manufacturer of cable management systems
Zinc Whiskers
Zinc whiskers are conductive strands of zinc that are usually a few microns thick and less than a few millimetres long. When a steel product or material has been zinc coated for corrosion protection, zinc whiskers can grow outward from the zinc; the actual mechanism that causes their formation is not yet fully understood, but it is proposed that it is due to the compressive stresses found in the coating.
If the coated product is knocked evidence has shown that the zinc whiskers can break free and become airborne. Because zinc is a conductive metal if the zinc whiskers bridge electrical conductors they can then cause a short circuit which can lead to service interruptions. While any zinc coated surface has the potential to form zinc whiskers, the short circuits that have been caused by them in the past have been linked to zinc-plated raised floor systems that are typically used in computer rooms and data centres. However, there have been no reported cases of any short circuits been caused by zinc whiskers borne from cable management systems even though the existence of zinc whiskers has been known about for over 60 years.
If using zinc coated products, it is advised to use products or materials that have been hot dip galvanised because the stresses in the coating are lower.
There are two methods of hot dip galvanising:
• Pre-galvanised, a steel that is hot dip galvanised in sheet or coil (raw material) form before being used in manufacturing processes. Produced in accordance with BS EN 10346.
• Post-galvanised, the process of dipping a manufactured uncoated product in a bath of molten zinc (and trace amounts of other elements). Processed in accordance with BS EN 1461.
As Bright Zinc Plated and Electroplated finishes are not hot dipped galvanising processes, it is not advisable to use these for containment products where zinc whiskers may be considered a risk.
All components of a cable management system, including fixings, should be considered when specifying items for an installation where zinc whiskers are a concern. If zinc whiskers need to be absolutely avoided then the following materials and finishes may be specified instead: