Industrial Manufacturing

Enclosure Cooling for CNC Machines, PLC Cabinets & Motor Drives

Protect automation equipment from heat, dust, and oil in the plant environment.

Modern manufacturing floors are filled with heat-generating electronics — PLCs, VFDs, servo drives, CNC controllers, and HMI panels — all sealed inside NEMA-rated enclosures to protect them from the plant environment. As equipment density increases and cabinet sizes stay the same, heat management becomes critical. VoltAire enclosure air conditioners provide the same cooling performance as the Hoffman and McLean units your panel shop originally specified, at pricing that makes sense when you're managing dozens of cabinets across a facility.

The Challenge

Why Industrial Manufacturing Cooling Is Hard

VFD and servo drive heat loads

Variable frequency drives and servo amplifiers generate enormous heat relative to their size. A single large VFD can push a sealed cabinet well past safe operating temperatures.

Dust, oil, and particulates

Manufacturing environments are full of airborne contaminants that would damage sensitive electronics if allowed inside the enclosure.

Multiple cabinets per facility

A typical manufacturing plant may have 20-50+ cooled enclosures. Replacement costs add up quickly at OEM prices.

Maintenance team access

Plant electricians need to be able to service cooling units quickly without specialized tools or proprietary parts.

The VoltAire Solution

Built for This

Full capacity range

From 1,000 BTU/hr (AN01) for small junction boxes to 19,000 BTU/hr (AT19) for large drive cabinets. Eight cabinet families cover every application.

Closed-loop NEMA 4 protection

Sealed air path keeps plant air — dust, oil mist, metal shavings, coolant vapor — completely out of the electrical enclosure.

Generic parts serviceability

Unlike OEM units with proprietary components, VoltAire uses standard contactors, relays, and fans that your maintenance team can source locally. Most repairs without removing the unit from the cabinet.

Volume pricing for plants

Managing 20+ cabinets? Our integrator pricing program provides 15% below published list prices plus net-30 terms. One vendor for all your enclosure cooling.

Recommended for Industrial Manufacturing

The right VoltAire unit depends on your heat load, enclosure size, and environment. Here are the most common fits for industrial manufacturing applications.

AN01

Small junction boxes and HMI panels. Compact 1,000 BTU, narrow profile.

Configure & Price

AN04

Standard PLC cabinets. 4,000 BTU in a narrow form factor.

Configure & Price

AT08/AT10/AT12

Large VFD and servo drive cabinets. 8,000-12,000 BTU/hr.

Configure & Price

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about enclosure cooling for industrial manufacturing.

What size air conditioner do I need for an electrical enclosure with a VFD?

It depends on the VFD's heat dissipation (usually listed in the VFD specs as watts of heat loss), the enclosure size, and the ambient temperature on the plant floor. As a rough guide: a single 10HP VFD typically needs 2,000-4,000 BTU/hr of cooling. Multiple drives in one cabinet need proportionally more. Contact us with your heat load details for a free sizing recommendation.

How often do enclosure air conditioners need maintenance?

VoltAire recommends quarterly condenser coil inspections and filter checks (if equipped), with a yearly full functionality test including evaporator cleaning and drain clearing. In heavy-duty manufacturing environments with high dust or oil, more frequent condenser coil cleaning may be needed. The centralized service tray design makes maintenance quick — most checks take under 15 minutes.

Can I replace a Hoffman air conditioner with a VoltAire?

In most cases, yes. VoltAire units are engineered as bolt-for-bolt replacements for McLean, Hoffman, Pentair, and nVent enclosure air conditioners. Use our cross-reference tool to find the exact VoltAire model that matches your existing unit's capacity, voltage, and mounting pattern.

Managing enclosure cooling across your plant?

Managing enclosure cooling across your plant? Contact us for facility-wide pricing.