Data center racks & cabinets: standard sizes, load ratings, earthing, airflow

Most data-center racks are 19-inch EIA-310 frames in 42U–52U height, 600–800 mm width, 1000–1200 mm depth, rated 1000–1500 kg static with front-to-back airflow, bonded to a site earthing bar via a dedicated M8/M10 earth stud; performance depends on correct cable management, blanking, and aisle containment.

What buyers care about (at a glance)

Fit: 19″ EIA-310 hole pattern, U-height, and depth clearance for today’s deep servers (1100–1200 mm).
Strength: Tested load rating with safety factor (static, dynamic, seismic if required).
Grounding: Low-resistance bonding (≤0.1 Ω typical) across doors, side panels, and accessories.
Cooling: Unobstructed front-to-back path, high-open-area doors, blanking and brush kits to stop recirculation.
Delivery: Factory-installed rails, PDUs, and cable managers to cut deployment time.

Standard sizes (what actually ships and fits)

Parameter	Typical Options	Notes
Width	600 mm (network), 800 mm (server/common)	800 mm gives side cable space + vertical PDUs
Depth	1000 mm, 1100 mm, 1200 mm	Choose 1100–1200 mm for modern servers & rear cable slack
Height (U)	42U, 45U, 47U, 48U, 52U	Taller = more density; check room height & transport
Mounting	19″ EIA-310 (most common), 21″ OCP, 23″ Telecom	Confirm rail spacing & hole pattern
Rails	Square 9.5 mm holes (cage nuts) or tapped 10-32/M6	Square + cage nuts = flexible accessories
Doors	70–80% open perforated (front), high-open rear	Solid doors only for special filtration use

Tip: If you’re mixing OEM servers, specify rail adjustability (e.g., 500–900 mm between uprights) and clear U labeling front & rear.

Load ratings (and what the numbers really mean)

Static load: Max weight when the rack is fixed on the floor. For enterprise racks: 1000–1500 kg.
Dynamic load: Max weight while moving on casters during installation. Typically 60–70% of static.
Seismic/NEBS: For quake-prone sites or telco, request GR-63-CORE tested configurations, anchor kits, and bracing.

Manufacturer note:
We publish witnessed test data (deflection, tip, and caster tests). For heavy builds (battery cabinets, dense storage), we add reinforced bases, heavier rails, spreader bars, and through-bolt anchoring.

Parts we manufacture: