THE CHALLENGE
Mining giant BHP, contacted B&R Enclosures (B&R) when looking for a data cabinet solution for its underground server container rooms at the Olympic Dam site in South Australia.
Each cabinet needed to be smaller than 600mm wide to enter the reduced width doorspace, leading to where the data and communications equipment was to be housed – this door width was smaller than previous data cabinets B&R had designed for standard 19” equipment. An innovative product solution was needed, so that once set up inside the room, the cabinet could still house 19” data and ICT equipment.
The chief installer for the project was MPS; they had previously installed other above ground cabinets at Olympic Dam that were also designed and engineered by B&R.
THE STRATEGY
BHP approached B&R directly, following the success of the previous project and relationship at Olympic Dam.
This was the first time B&R had needed to solve the issue of a 19” equipment cabinet having to fit through a door space narrower than the standard 19” racking width. After discussing options it was decided to use the iLINQ product – a bayable and multi-configurable enclosure system suitable for a range of applications including 19” data and ICT infrastructure.
This product is usually assembled prior to delivery to a customer, however it could be manufactured as normal and delivered in flat pack form for the installer to assemble on-site. The flat packs would be able to fit through the reduced width door space and allow for assembly with an instruction manual, once inside the underground server rooms.
B&R worked closely with BHP to ensure it had the right specifications for the iLINQ configuration design, before beginning to manufacture the components.
B&R moved swiftly to deliver the flat packed cabinets to BHP for installation. The design was delivered within a fortnight, and once signed off, B&R built the made-to-order product and delivered it within six weeks.
THE RESULT
Each cabinet was flat packed in individual crates, and came complete with a pictorial manual on how to assemble and install the product onsite.
While B&R had previously created assembly manuals for iLINQ, which included line drawings, these were improved upon for this BHP project. One such improvement was that a B&R mechanical designer added photographs of each step, taken during the test metalware assembly phase within the B&R factory.
The added photographs within the manual, combined with extra descriptions, made the document very comprehensive and easy to follow.
CLIENT SATISFACTION
B&R’s flat pack solution was a clear winner with all involved.
The client was thrilled with the end result, with MPS project manager Matt White commenting, “I’m extremely happy with B&R’s approach and how the company supplied the product with ease. Putting the cabinets together couldn’t have been any easier. Well done on the flat pack solution.”
The installer, MPS, also said the assembly instructions were “absolutely marvellous” and made installation a breeze.
BHP commented that it would offer B&R’s product to other clients who had space issues and required flat pack solutions.
