Cube shaped process instrumentation sunshade

CUBESHADE protects your process instrumentation

The new sunshade design is manufactured using an automated moulding process and offers a particularly economic solution for this common application. Most process instrument sunshades on the market are relatively small and are often targeted at single instruments or small-scale field equipment installations. If Intertec needs to provide solar protection for larger installations – such as two or three process transmitters – sunshades are usually created to suit the specific application by building up multiple layers of glass reinforced polyester (GRP) in a custom mould to achieve the necessary thickness. This manually-intensive process can increase costs significantly.

Intertec''s new CubeShade is constructed entirely from glass fibre reinforced sheet moulding compound (SMC). This combines chopped glass fibres, fillers, polyester resin and a catalyst in the form of a ready-to-mould composite that is ideal for low cost, high volume manufacturing. The material has similar advantages to GRP for this type of application, including a high resistance to UV and corrosion from salt and common petrochemicals, and a low thermal conductivity, which helps to prevent heat generated by solar radiation being transferred to the shaded area. It also combines excellent rigidity and mechanical strength.

CubeShade''s single-part design and SMC-based construction facilitates production using automated moulding techniques. As standard, the body of the sunshade is 5 mm thick but incorporates 8 mm thick reinforcing ribs around the rim and down the back of the unit. These ribs also help to channel rain.

Unlike many instrument sunshades on the market which essentially consist of a single top shade that only protects against overhead sun, Intertec''s design incorporates structural side walls that also shade low-angle sun, as well as providing partial protection against rain, snow, wind-chill, blown dust or sand and accidental impact.