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Cutting and placing floor panels

These guidelines specify how to make the necessary openings in the raised floor for installing your server.

Use the following procedure to cut and place floor panels in the raised floor. The x-y alphanumeric grid positions are used to identify relative positions of cutout floor panels that might be cut in advance.

Measure the panel size of the raised floor.
Verify the floor panel size. The floor panel size that is illustrated in the following figures is 600 mm (23.6 in.) and 610 mm (24 in.) panels.
Ensure that adequate floor space is available to place the frames over the floor panels exactly as shown in the following figures. For front-to-back and side-to-side clearances, see Considerations for multiple-system installations. Use the plan view, if necessary. Consider all obstructions above and below the floor.
Identify the panels that are needed, and list the total quantity of each panel that is required for the installation.
Important: Cut the required quantity of panels. When cutting the panels, you must adjust the size of the cut for the thickness of the edge molding you are using. The dimensions that are shown in the figures are finished dimensions. For ease of installation, number each panel as it is cut.

Note: For a multiple frame installation, two casters can produce loads as high as 2750 lb.

Notes:

The weight distribution bar is a requirement for a model 9119-FHB on a raised floor. It is needed to maintain the integrity of the floor that holds the weight of the frame.
A fully configured model 9119-FHB can weigh in excess of 1466 kg (3230 lbs). The raised floor on which the system is to be installed must be capable of supporting this weight. Contact the raised floor tile manufacturer, a structural engineer, or both to verify that the raised floor is safe to support a concentrated load equal to one third of the total weight of one rack on a single raised floor tile. Under certain circumstances, such as relocation, it is possible that the concentrated load on a single raised floor tile can be as high as one half of the total weight of one rack per caster. When you are installing two adjacent racks, it is possible that one caster from each rack can be on the same raised floor tile. The load on the raised floor tile can be as high as one third of the total weight of both racks.

Depending on the type of raised floor tile, additional supports, such as pedestals, might be necessary to maintain the structural integrity of an uncut tile or to restore the integrity of a tile that is cut for cable entry or air supply. Contact the raised floor tile manufacturer, a structural engineer, or both to ensure that the raised floor tiles and pedestals can support the concentrated loads.
This floor-tile arrangement is recommended so that the casters or leveling pads are placed on separate floor tiles to minimize the weight on a single floor tile. Load bearing tiles that have cutouts might require additional pedestals to keep their structural integrity. Additionally, the cutouts span two tiles. Raised floors that use a stringer system must leave the stringer intact.
The Raised floor with 610 mm (24 in.) floor panels figure and Raised floor with 600 mm (23.6 in.) floor panels figure are intended only to show relative positions and accurate dimensions of floor cutouts. The figures are not intended to be a machine template and is not drawn to scale.

Raised floor with 610 mm (24 in.) floor panels figure

Figure 1. Rack placement for 610 mm (24 in.) tiles

This image shows an overview perspective of the rack placement on floor tiles. The dashed lines represent the rack. The solid lines are used for dimensions.

The rear of the server is placed 75 mm (3.0 in.), measuring up from the bottom edge of the first row tile.
The front of the server is placed 20 mm (0.7 in.), measuring up from the bottom edge of the third row tile.

Figure 2. Cable cutout placement 610 mm (24 in.) tiles

This figure shows the floor cutouts for the cables. The solid rectangles indicate the cutouts, and the solid lines are used for dimensions.

The first cutout is 94 mm (3.7 in.) high, measuring up from the bottom edge of the first row tile. The width of the first cutout is 110 mm (4.3 in.), measuring left from the right edge of the first column tile. Continue cutting out an extra 545 mm (21.5 in.), measuring right from the left edge of the second column tile. The total width of the cutout is 655 mm (25.8 in.).
The second cutout is 94 mm (3.7 in.) high, measuring up from the bottom edge of the third row tile. The width of the second cutout is 110 (4.3 in.) mm measuring left from the right edge of the first column tile. Continue cutting out an extra 545 mm (21.5 in.), measuring right from the left edge of the second column tile. The total width of the cutout is 655 mm (25.8 in.).

Raised floor with 600 mm (23.6 in.) floor panels figure

Figure 3. Rack placement for 600 mm (23.6 in.) tiles

This image shows an overview perspective of the rack placement on the floor tiles. The dashed lines represent the rack. The solid lines are used for dimensions.

The rear of the server is placed 83 mm (3.3 in.), measuring up from the bottom edge of the first row tile.
The front of the server is placed 10 mm (0.4 in.), measuring up from the bottom edge of the third row tile.

Figure 4. Cable cutout placement 600 mm (23.6 in.) tiles

This figure shows the floor cutouts for the cables. The solid rectangles indicate the cutouts, and the solid lines are used for dimensions.

The first cutout is 94 mm (3.7 in.) high, measuring up from the bottom edge of the first row tile. The width of the first cutout is 110 mm (4.3 in.), measuring left from the right edge of the first column tile. Continue cutting out an extra 545 mm (21.5 in.), measuring right from the left edge of the second column tile. The total width of the cutout is 655 mm (25.8 in.).
The second cutout is 94 mm (3.7 in.) high, measuring up from the bottom edge of the third row tile. The width of the second cutout is 110 mm (4.3 in.), measuring left from the right edge of the first column tile. Continue cutting out an extra 545 mm (21.5 in.), measuring right from the left edge of the second column tile. The total width of the cutout is 655 mm (25.8 in.).

Additional pedestal placement

Placing large cutouts in the raised floor tiles, such as the cutouts needed for the 9119-FHB, can substantially change the structural integrity of each tile. Additional support pedestals might be needed. Pedestals might be placed approximately under each caster position to prevent tiles from sagging. Pedestals might also be used to support the cut corners of floor tiles. Pedestals might be needed for tiles where the equipment is moving across, even though they are not permanent load bearing tiles. All pedestals can be installed and adjusted to barely contact the underside of each floor panel, before the frames are rolled into place. All pedestal locations are recommendations. Each facility is unique and additional pedestal supports might be needed for certain floors. You are responsible for verifying all floor loading capacities and requirements to determine where any additional pedestals might be needed.

Note: Use the following figure as an example of where the floor pedestals need to be placed. It is only intended to show relative positions. This figure is not drawn to scale.

Figure 5. Additional pedestal placement

Important: Extra pedestals might be placed as shown.

Pedestals Ap1, Ap2, and might be used to support the cut corners of floor tiles. Although these floor tiles are not load-bearing after the machine is installed, the rolling loads that are put on these tiles during the installation of the machine can place high loads momentarily on these tiles.
Pedestals Bp1, Bp2, Cp1, and Cp2 might be placed under each caster position to prevent floor tiles from sagging.

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Last updated: Thu, March 15, 2018