Snake Tray (www.snaketray.com) is branching out from its bendable cable tray production and is now manufacturing a power distribution system designed to allow for quick and easy installation.
Snake Bus is designed to quickly bring power to wherever it is needed in a computer access floor environment. Snake Tray is best known for its hand-bendable steel cable tray. President Roger Jette says the company decided to adapt the system to expand Snake Tray's product lines.
Snake Bus became available to the market in September.
"The power needs are linear, and Snake Bus' linear design compliments that," says Jette.
"We are saying to customers, 'We will help you manage your cable and your power,'" says Molly Hays, director of marketing for Snake Tray. "These are the two key elements in a raised-floor environment."
The system is designed to eliminate the need for traditional methods of hard-wiring equipment to deliver power through data centers and workstations. Snake Bus is fully functional, providing both the equipment and isolated ground in one system.
Jette says the system has preconfigured components that can quickly create a power distribution system. Snake Bus is flexible, making use of tap-offs or "Snake Whips" that can deliver power to individual devices anywhere along a track. Changes can be made quickly, Snake Tray says, making moves, adds or changes easier. To use the system, installers install the power track, tap-offs and feed unit.
"We bring the electrical construction costs down, and let you move the infrastructure incredibly fast," says Jette.
Snake Bus is made up of a simplified part system that includes 4- and 8-foot snap together lengths, which can be configured to any size power distribution system. The tracks come with snap-fit couplers and adjustable support brackets.
The system operates in less than 2.5-inch (height) space, or can be used in a cell floor. It is designed to accommodate data center equipment and workstation layouts. "So many things are fighting for space in a raised floor environment," says Hays. "This is a slim design that will be very helpful."
Snake Bus' preconfigured system delivers 50 A 3-phase 208 V, providing up to 15 kilowatts of power.
The system was originally designed by the United Kingdom-based Marshall-Tufflex LTD (www.marshall-tufflex.com). Paul Carter, new projects manager for Marshall-Tufflex, says his company began producing the Power Busbar System about 12 years ago, and sales in the United Kingdom took off in the commercial raised-floor environment. Snake Bus will represent the company's latest evolution for power distribution systems.
The company approached Snake Tray with hopes of using that company's bendable cable tray product, and Jette was impressed when learned about Marshall-Tufflex's Power Busbar System. The two companies agreed to form a strategic partnership.
"We approached them to take their system, and during our discussions we realized the like-mindedness of the companies," says Carter. "We had a long discussion, and saw that this was right for both companies."
The newly-engineered Snake Bus systems will be manufactured at Snake Tray's Bay Shore, NY facility. To manufacture the device, Snake Tray has already acquired a new assembly and testing technology package.
Though Snake Bus represents a change for Snake Tray, Jette says the move is a natural fit into the company's plans. "Snake Tray is serving that same group of customers," says Jette. "If I can make one aspect of their life easier, they will appreciate it."