Rack Flight Cases

Rack Flight Cases are used around the world for 19" standardised rack-mounted equipment

Steel Frame Shock Mount flight case

In this section we have broken down the different 19” rack styles that are available from our company. If you have any questions or queries, whether it's about 19" rack flight cases or any other case style, just contact our design and sales team and we'll be happy to assist you.

Make sure you check out the About Us page for information on the company's history and also visit the image gallery for some ideas on the best design that meets your needs.  The colour range section is also very useful for selecting the external finish of your flight case and don't forget, you can mix and match for that added visual impact.

The basic 19″ rack flight case, is used around the world for standardised rack mounted equipment.  One ‘Unit’ = 44.5mm (1.752″) in height and width of 482.6mm (19″). This standardisation has been in place for decades and is still used today for most industry’s equipment manufacturers.  When selecting a 19″ rack case, there are a few things to bare in mind.

How many ‘Units’ are to be mounted in the flight case?  This is not just the quantity of items but the total height in ‘Units’ of the equipment to be housed in the case. So, if you have 4 x 3u (3 RU) amplifiers to be housed, then you’ll need a minimum of 12u.  However, consideration for additional spacing for ventilation and connector panels should also be made.

Secondly, the overall depth of the rack should be considered.  This will be the deepest equipment (front to back), plus any additional space for connectors at the rear.  Whilst all rack flight cases have doors of varying internal depths, you will also need to consider the protrusion of any control knobs, handles, connectors and suchlike on the front panel of the equipment.  Usually this is most relevant to the front door but also the rear door too.  Rack rail (normally punched steel) will be fitted, both single and double types.  These rack rails accept quick-fit M6 ‘cage-nuts which are used to fix the equipment to and are supplied with each order.

2 door

Main features

  • – Rack Rail to front, rear and intermediate available 
  • – Removable front and back doors
  • – Handles all round 
  • – Wide range of hardware options including Casters, Vent Dishes, PAL Label Dishes
  • – Blank, Perforated, Connector and Fan panels available as option

 

Industry standard 19" rack mount flight cases in a wide variety of unit (u) sizes.  Options available include casters, tour label (PAL) dishes and a range of ten colour finishes. Our sales and design team will assist you on all of this, if it sounds confusing!

 

Rack Box

A simpler version of the default 19″ Rack flight case which features two doors, the Rack Box has just a single front door.  This type of 19″ rack is used for equipment where there are fewer cables and connectors that would normally require a two door layout.

Main features

  • – Single, removable front door
  • – Handles to sides
  • – Ideal for simple equipment configurations
  • – Optional Castors and Access Flaps

 

1 door rack case

Rack-in-a-Box

Rack in a box

A very popular version of the standard 19″ Rack.  An inner sleeve constructed from birch plywood is the basis of the Rack-in-a-Box system from 5 Star.  Rack mount rails are fitted to this texture-sprayed inner sleeve and can be supplied with front, front and rear and intermediate positions.  Intermediate rack mount rails are usually used for fixing shelf brackets, to support heavier rack equipment.  The inner sleeve can of course be removed from the outer flight case, to be positioned nearer the operator.

Main features

  • – Removable lid
  • – Handles to sides
  • – Inner Plywood Rack Sleeve
  • – Optional Castors to base
  • – Foam lined and blocked around sleeve

 

Shock-Mounted

One of the more complex of 19″ rack layouts…the Shock Mounted Rack. Again, a plywood inner sleeve forms the basis of this rack style, but unlike the Rack-in-a-Box version, this sleeve is fixed to the outer flight case.  These fixing points however, are by means of rubber shock-mounts, similar to those found in vehicle engine mounts.

Usually, 8 of these shock-mounts are fitted…4 to the top and 4 to the bottom of the 19″ rack inner sleeve.  Although frequently, on large systems we will fit further mounts to the sides and possibly additional one to the top and bottom. These mounts enable the inner sleeve to ‘float’ within the outer case and as such give the shock-mount characteristics of this style of 19″ rack.   The image shown below has been produced with transparent outer case sides, to show the inner sleeve more clearly.

Main features

  • – Removable front and rear doors
  • – Handles to sides/top/bottom (dependent on design) 
  • – Inner Plywood Rack Sleeve
  • – Optional Castors to base or rear door
  • – Rubber Shock-Mounts between inner sleeve and outer case
  • – Rack rail to front, rear and intermediate available
  • – Optional Steel Frame Rack Sleeve
  • – Industrial specification and higher
  • – Ideal for sensitive equipment

 

Shock mounted case
Penn Elcom Shock Mount

Optional steel-frame shock mount system from Penn Elcom

Foam-Suspended

Foam suspended rack case

Foam suspended 19″ racks are an alternative to the standard rack version.  An inner sleeve manufactured from 12mm or 18mm Polyurea texture-sprayed plywood is mounted inside a flight case which offers it protection and durability.  Around this inner sleeve, polyethylene foam strips are fitted, to offer a cushioning effect to the contents mounted in the 19″ rack.

The inner sleeve has the 19″ rack rails fitted, which can be single punched, double punched or a combination of both and fitted to the sleeve at the desired locations.  Other rack rail options are also available.

Main features

  • – Inner plywood sleeve
  • – Removable front and back doors
  • – Handles all round (when casters fitted)
  • – Ideal for sensitive or delicate rack equipment

Mixer Rack

Mixer Rack…one of the more complex of flight case styles. Based on the industry-standard 19″ rack mount system, they are available with a top lid and either a single front door or front and back doors. The most popular use for this style of case is DJ’s, Karaoke, Educational audio systems and Dance Schools to name but a few.  However, Mixer Racks also find uses in many other applications.

The key feature of all Mixer Rack flight cases is the pivoting top rack mount area, which is fitted with multi-position ratchet type stays, giving ten ‘stops’ for a desired working angle of the mixer.

Underneath this pivoting mixer section is a secondary 19″ rack mount area, available in a user-defined number of ‘Units’.  A ‘Unit’ is 44.5mm or 1.752″ in height.

With or without base casters and a wide range of hardware options including PAL label dishes, vents and blank 19″ panels.

Main features

  • – Removable lid and door options
  • – 19″ rack mount rails (sliding type as default)
  • – Wide range of hardware options
  • – Suitable from 6u to 21u in height

 

Mixer Rack case