Creating reliable Ex-certified wireless solutions requires balancing safety, durability, and performance. These priorities become even more important in demanding high-salt locations such as offshore platforms, wind farms, and coastal refineries. Meeting the unique environmental challenges found in such areas requires Ex wireless enclosures, which protect wireless equipment and deliver reliable performance in hazardous and corrosive settings. 

Marine and coastal conditions challenge every aspect of design. With the right materials, protective coatings, and precision engineering, Ex wireless enclosures can maintain safety and performance year after year while meeting the strict requirements of hazardous-area certification. 

Achieving the resilience needed for Ex wireless enclosures to operate effectively in harsh environments takes more than compliance. It requires understanding how materials behave in real-world environments and applying proven design principles that turn difficult conditions into long-term reliability and value for customers.  

Understanding the Challenge 

Offshore and coastal environments expose equipment to constant salt, humidity, and UV radiation, all of which accelerate wear. Temperature changes and vibration add further stress, pushing materials and seals to their limits. Designing Ex wireless enclosures for marine locations requires careful consideration of every factor that could affect corrosion resistance or sealing integrity, ensuring the enclosure continues to protect sensitive equipment as conditions fluctuate. 

In these conditions, attention to detail makes all the difference. Selecting corrosion-resistant materials, applying effective sealing methods, and isolating components correctly all contribute to lasting protection and consistent performance. When developing Ex wireless enclosures for high-salt areas, engineers also focus on how materials interact, how coatings resist UV exposure, and how seals retain compression over time to preserve integrity. 

Environmental factors such as condensation, UV degradation, and mechanical vibration must also be managed. Temperature variations can affect the stability of materials and the integrity of seals, so each Ex wireless enclosure must be engineered to deliver protection and dependable performance throughout the years of service in high-salt environments.

IWAP – Built for Wireless 

Our iWAP wireless enclosures are specifically engineered to overcome the harsh conditions found in high-salt or coastal environments, providing a safe, reliable way to deploy standard wireless access points, extending connectivity across the site. Certified for use in Zone 1, Zone 2, and harsh outdoor locations, the iWAP range combines Ex protection with flexibility, allowing customers to integrate the technology they need whilst maintaining compliance and long-term performance, even in corrosive environments. This is crucial for completing critical tasks such as remote equipment monitoring, real-time communication between offshore teams, and maintaining the integrity of safety and control systems in exposed environments. 

Drawing on our expertise, we’ve developed a set of iWAP design principles that guide every aspect of our enclosure engineering. These focus on extending equipment life, simplifying maintenance and ensuring safe, continuous operation in challenging conditions. Through targeted design enhancements, we’ve refined every detail, from material selection to enclosure layout, to deliver solutions that are both robust and easy to work with in the field.  

We’ve engineered our iWAP107 enclosure with Stainless Steel 316, a material renowned for its exceptional corrosion resistance in high-salt and marine conditions; ensuring long-term reliability and dependable performance. Likewise, the iWAPXN3 is crafted from marine-grade aluminum; its specialized alloy composition delivers outstanding corrosion resistance even in its raw state, providing exceptional durability in salt-rich and coastal environments. 

The marine-grade aluminum body is protected with an E-coat (electrocoating), the first layer of corrosion protection. During this process, the enclosure is dipped into a coating bath, and an electric current helps the coating bond evenly to its surface. This creates a corrosion protective barrier.  

Both enclosures feature a durable white finish that reflects solar insolation, keeping internal temperatures stable and performance consistent, even in direct sunlight. This carefully chosen coating not only minimizes heat build-up but also forms a sealed barrier that shields salt spray by preventing moisture from reaching the metal beneath.   

Detail Matters: Protecting Against Corrosion with Galvanic Isolation 

Success in these tough conditions comes down to more than just rugged materials; it’s about paying close attention to the smallest design details. In Ex wireless enclosures, even the way a bolt connects to the housing can determine whether the system provides years of reliable service or fails prematurely. 

Here’s one example of how we’ve addressed that challenge in our iWAP design. 

To further ensure long-term durability, we decided to use stainless steel fixings that secure the cover to the main iWAPXN3 body. Each bolt passes through the cover and anchors into the housing. In coastal or offshore environments, salt acts as an electrolyte, creating a small electrical charge between the dissimilar metals; in this case, the stainless-steel fixings and the aluminum body. Over time, this reaction creates rust or surface damage. If a bolt is overtightened or the paint coating is compromised, blistering can develop as salt and moisture work their way underneath the surface. This reaction gradually weakens the bond between materials and accelerates corrosion. 

That’s why our design takes special care to protect against these effects by utilizing galvanic isolation. By adding a PTFE-coated (polytetrafluoroethylene — a tough, non-stick material that resists heat, moisture, and chemicals) washer under the bolt, we’re adding a protective layer that keeps the metals separated, ensuring long-lasting performance, and strong resistance to corrosion in harsh environments.  

Finally, as offshore assets often run continuously for years, maintenance and accessibility are essential. Our design approach focuses on ease of service, efficiency, and longevity, helping customers reduce downtime and maintain productivity across their operations.  

Wireless Performance Matters

For wireless systems, protection is only part of our strategy. Consistent connectivity is just as vital. The design of Ex wireless enclosures is essential for achieving reliable wireless network performance, since material selection, antenna placement, and internal shielding all influence RF behaviour. Solutions such as optimized antenna placement provide clear, reliable communication without compromising Ex protection. These design choices support stable networks, continuous data flow, and operational efficiency.  

From Compliance to Confidence 

Designing Ex wireless enclosures for high salt environments is about delivering dependable performance and lasting value in the world’s most demanding conditions. 

Our focus is on helping customers achieve safe, efficient, and uninterrupted performance across their critical operations. By combining engineering expertise and advanced materials, we develop solutions that extend equipment life, simplify maintenance, and keep teams connected. This includes our Ex wireless enclosures, designed to protect critical wireless systems and operate effectively both offshore and onshore. 

Such a commitment to durability and smart design supports safer and more productive industrial environments and gives customers the assurance that their systems will continue to perform when it matters most. 

As industries accelerate their digital transformation, especially in high salt and corrosive environments, we’re here to help you build wireless connectivity and smarter operations. Our Ex wireless enclosures are able to house and shield wireless devices, enabling them to operate dependably and consistently in challenging settings. Contact us today to learn how we can support your journey towards safer, more efficient performance that keeps critical tasks running smoothly.