ETIM class EC000047 covers channel cable trays, the solid-bottomed trays used to route and protect cables in commercial and industrial buildings. It does not cover wire mesh trays, cable ladders, or cable trunking, which each have their own ETIM classes.
Product scope
Channel cable trays are the enclosed, U-shaped sections you see running across ceilings in data centers, office buildings, and production facilities. They come in steel (galvanized, stainless, or painted), aluminum, and FRP. The "channel" designation means a solid bottom with side rails, as opposed to wire mesh or perforated ladder-style trays.
EC000047 is specifically for the tray sections themselves. Covers, couplers, bends, tees, reducers, and mounting brackets have their own classes. If you're classifying a complete cable tray system, the straight sections go in EC000047 and every accessory gets its own EC code.
Key features
The feature set for EC000047 is heavily dimensional, with load ratings per IEC 61537 support spacing.
| EF Code | Feature | Type | Example value |
|---|---|---|---|
| EF000008 | Width | Numeric (mm) | 200 |
| EF000040 | Height | Numeric (mm) | 60 |
| EF001438 | Length | Numeric (mm) | 3000 |
| EF000386 | Material thickness | Numeric (mm) | 1.0 |
| EF002169 | Material | Alphanumeric | Steel |
| EF000139 | Surface protection | Alphanumeric | Hot-dip galvanized |
| EF000167 | Weight | Numeric (kg/m) | 2.8 |
The class also includes logical features for cover inclusion (EF007965), side rail perforation (EF001122), and bottom perforation (EF004545). Load ratings appear as a series of numeric features for safe working load at various support spacings from 0.5m to 12.0m, all per IEC 61537.
Worked example
Classifying a 200x60mm galvanized steel channel tray, 3m length
| Feature | EF Code | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Width | EF000008 | 200 mm |
| Height | EF000040 | 60 mm |
| Length | EF001438 | 3000 mm |
| Material thickness | EF000386 | 1.0 mm |
| Material | EF002169 | Steel |
| Surface protection | EF000139 | Hot-dip galvanized |
| Side rail perforation | EF001122 | true |
| With cover | EF007965 | false |
Common classification mistakes
Mixing up cable tray types is the most frequent error. ETIM has separate classes for channel trays (EC000047), wire cable trays/baskets (EC000853), and cable ladders. If the tray has a mesh or grid bottom instead of a solid base, it's not EC000047.
A perforated-bottom channel tray is still EC000047. A wire mesh basket is EC000853. The distinction is construction method (formed sheet metal vs welded wire), not whether there are holes in the bottom.
Omitting load ratings is another common gap. Specifiers filter cable trays by safe working load at their planned support spacing. A product record without load data at common spacings (1.5m, 2.0m, 3.0m) is invisible to those searches. The IEC 61537 load test type (EF015362) should also be populated: uniformly distributed load is the standard test, but some products are also tested for concentrated point loads.
Getting the surface protection wrong matters too. "Galvanized" is not specific enough. ETIM's surface protection values distinguish between hot-dip galvanized, electro-galvanized, pre-galvanized (Sendzimir), and powder-coated. Each has different corrosion resistance. A specifier choosing trays for a coastal or chemical environment needs the specific method, not a generic label.
Validate your ETIM data with the ETIM classification checker. For how ETIM fits inside BMEcat XML, see What is ETIM in BMEcat. If a trading partner just asked for classified data, Your Distributor Just Asked for ETIM Data covers what to do first.