UK-based Intertec, a supplier of unique systems designed to provide reliable protection of sensitive field-mounted instruments, has launched a large cube-shaped sunshade for process instrumentation.

It will provide plant engineers with a highly cost-effective means of shielding equipment such as electronic monitoring systems, explosion-proof junction boxes or analyser installations from solar radiation.

Dubbed ‘CubeShade,’ the protective cover measures 600 x 550 x 500 mm (HxWxD) and will provide a 165-litre capacity shaded environment that will make it easy to accommodate and protect large or multiple instruments, as well as simplifying maintenance access.

The new sunshade design is manufactured using an automated moulding process and offers a particularly economic solution for this common application.

Intertec’s new CubeShade is constructed entirely from glass fibre reinforced sheet moulding compound (SMC). It 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 – for protection against impact – with a very low weight.