For more than 90 years, Wöhner, based in Rödental in Upper Franconia, has stood for pioneering technologies for the distribution and control of electrical energy and is established worldwide as a specialist in international fuse and busbar systems in the field of energy distribution, control technology and renewable energies. With twelve subsidiaries and a comprehensive network of representatives at home and abroad, Wöhner serves customers in over 80 countries.

Responding to the increased energy demand of data centers

With the CrossBoard 800 A, Wöhner now offers a versatile, easy-to-use and sustainable solution for the economic and ecological challenges of our time. The road to a climate-friendly and crisis-proof energy infrastructure for a successful energy transition is a long one. The energy industry not only has to manage its own transformation, but also respond to changing demands for energy supply from the economy as a whole. For example, the energy demand of data centers has increased by 70 percent between 2010 and 2022 due to digitalization and the boom in artificial intelligence. The real-time processing of data is also leading to an increasing number of decentralized data centers – locations that depend on a stable energy supply. However, the increasing shortage of skilled workers in the electrical industry is making it more difficult to cope with this growth. Panel building is also affected by this.

800 amps: Flexible solution for power distribution

Innovative and practical solutions are therefore needed in power engineering. This is where Wöhner's proven CrossBoard for demanding power distribution systems comes in. The Franconian global market leader in busbar technology and the distribution and control of electrical energy recently presented a significant upgrade to the modular, open CrossBoard basic system: Instead of 160 amperes of rated current, it is now also suitable for 800 amperes. The big advantage: with this expansion, almost the entire spectrum of applications can be covered, including the field of measurement technology, which is so important for energy efficiency, and scaling options can be easily implemented. The central element of the busbar system is a new hybrid bar with a total of three interfaces for electrical and mechanical contact: one for rear infeed of up to 800 amps, one for the patented plug-in contact of devices up to 160 amps, and one with the proven clamp contact for devices over 160 amps. This provides the user with a broad portfolio of add-on components. At 200 millimeters in height, the system also offers a particularly high level of short-circuit strength and is significantly more sustainable with 40 percent less copper consumption. The geometry of the current-carrying bar with its large surface area is designed so that heat can be safely dissipated.

Open platform as part of future-oriented power distribution systems

The new CrossBoard version has all the advantages and features of the previous solution. Thanks to the IP20/IP40 touch protection, it offers maximum safety during operation. It can also be easily mounted in the control cabinet – either by screw mounting or plug-and-play with a rear feed. The components are snapped onto the CrossBoard without the need for any tools, which saves time and effort. Another argument in its favor: as an out-of-the-box solution that is ready for immediate use after unpacking, the entire implementation of the CrossBoard, from planning to assembly, requires few resources. Last but not least, users benefit from the CrossBoard's design as an open platform with options for components from other manufacturers. The CrossBoard 800 A thus offers everything needed to integrate components for greater efficiency in power distribution into an application.

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