A 19 Inch Rack is a standardised metal cabinet or enclosure designed to hold and organise various pieces of electronic equipment, following a standard that the front panel measures 19 inches wide.
Depending on the style and size of the 19 Inch Rack frames, racking is used to create cabinets, enclosures and server units for a wide variety of industries, such as audio visual, performing arts, live broadcast and events, telecommunications, data centres and IT services as well as home installation for home entertainment and smart home systems.
19 Inch enclosures are generally made from durable steel or aluminium (they can also be made from wood), depending on the requirements of your rack-mount equipment. 19 Inch Racks come in various styles, including Stand Alone Racks with lockable doors, Open Tower Racks for easy access, installation and improved ventilation, Wall Mount Racks for smaller projects, as well as Slide and Rotate Racks for instant 360 degree access to your rack-mount equipment, even in tightly stored areas.
19 Inch Racks can be static with sturdy feet or mobile with the addition of castors. A popular solution for 19 Inch Rack enclosures are swivel castors with integrated adjuster foot, which gives you the flexibility of your rack being both static and easily moved if needed.
What parts make up a 19 Inch Rack?
Rack Rails
A core component of what makes 19 Inch Racks so versatile is the Rack Rails.
Also referred to as rack strips, they typically run vertically in pairs and act as the standardised and stable platform for installing and securing equipment, ensuring effective load distribution.
Rack Rails can be tapped with 10/32, M5 or M6 threaded holes.
Rack Panels
Rack Panels play a pivotal role in enhancing the versatility and accessibility of any 19-inch rack setup.
Whether you're seeking to add stability, manage cables efficiently, reduce exposure to dust and dirt, or simply blank off unused space, panels can be mounted using flanged edges or directly into the 19-inch cabinet.
Rack panels come in multiple forms including Plain Rack Panels, Perforated Rack Panels, Punched Rack Panels, Patch Panels, Security Panels, Corner Rack Panels and Cable Management Panels.
Rack panels can also be made to fit specific requirements, which you can explore through our Panel Designer - a free to use software that allows you to create bespoke rack panels from 1U to 6U.
Rack Shelves
Whether they are Standard Rack Shelves or Sliding Rack Shelves, a rack shelf is a crucial element for accessing equipment.
From plain shelves and vented/perforated rack shelves, to clamp bars and other rack shelf supports, rack shelves are highly adaptable. We also offer a range with custom Faceplates to seamlessly house various AV devices.
Rack Drawers
Lightweight or heavy-duty tour-grade, Rack Drawers offer an essential storage and organisation solution for various items including tools, devices and accessories that require quick access. Rack drawers are often built with slam latches and are also available with a security lock.
Rack drawers come in various U sizes, but are also available in specialised sizes such as Laptop Security Drawers for laptops and smaller devices/items.
Rack Doors
Coming with their own fixings, hinges and locks, Rack Doors are used to keep your 19 Inch Rack secure.
Made from plain or perforated steel, they are hard-wearing and tough whilst their hinged design allows for quick access to equipment and wiring for maintenance and repair.
Power Distribution Units
Power Distribution Units (abbreviated to PDUs), often serve as a pivotal part of the 19 Inch Rack.
Using centralised power distribution units within a rack or data center, PDUs effectively distribute power from a main source to various rack-mounted devices and components.
PDUs reliably organises the power supply with monitoring capabilities which serve to protect equipment from power surges and control power supply across your entire cabinet.
Rack Cooling Systems & Fans
Rack Cooling Systems & Fans are an essential part of many server and 19 Inch Racks when managing critical equipment with the proper thermal controls is imperative.
Rack Cooling Systems are usually created to be modular, allowing for flexible installation, efficient airflow and temperature monitoring.
Cooling systems come in various forms from horizontal fan trays to heat extraction units and full server enclosure fan trays.
Rack Fasteners and Mounting Hardware
Securing equipment and devices with quality fasteners, clip nuts, mounting screws, cage nuts and washers is important to maintain and ensure the longevity of your rack system.
The smaller things can make a big difference... the right rack mounting brackets for wall mount enclosures, effective cable management and other rack accessories for perfect performance.
What is a Rack Unit?
A rack unit (abbreviated as U, less commonly seen as RU) is the standard terminology for describing sizes associated with 19 inch racking. Knowing how much rack unit space you require is incredibly important when installing 19 inch rack cabinets and enclosures.
A rack U is a unit of measurement applied to equipment racks and the servers, disk drives and other devices that they contain. One U is 1.75 inches (44.45mm); the standard rack, at 19 inches, is 42U.
Use our handy Rack Unit Calculator to measure your rack perfectly.
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