Hopefully someone on here can help with this. As usual, I'd much rather give the work to an LB'er of course.

I need some metal cases designed and fabricated for a custom electronic device. There is not really much to it, just a rectangular box, but it needs various cutouts in it and to be cut and folded to achieve a professional look. Either aluminium, in which case it can be bare metal, or steel in which case it will need to be powder coated or similar.

Size approx 300 x 200 x 100mm. Total requirement is 42 but depending on price I may have to order in small batches, say 7 at a time.

They will need some kind of fixings inside for a PCB and, as above, a few cutouts in the sides. For the prototypes we have used this type of enclosure...


Plastic box

...and just dremel'd out the cutouts and drilled the back plate for fixings like these to hold the PCB....


PCB fixings

However we are looking for something a bit more professional looking for the final product.

If anyone can help, drop me a u2u or reply here.

Cheers, Chris

We use a company called Hitec in Cambridgeshire (link) for our custom cases and never had a problem with them. Maybe worth a call?

Ed.

Rs components do a range of die cast alloy boxes. However I would think in your position you are aware of this and have already discounted them.

Are you needing these to be IP rated? In which case you will probably be alot cheaper to buy a standard off the shelf box and modify to suite your requirements.

There are plenty of sheet metal shops around that will be able to make enclosures if you dont require IP rating. I can point you in a few directions of people i come across in work if you struggle to find someone.

Chris
another cambridge area company is teversham engineering they make our brushed stainless boxes for us and were cheaper than buying an off the shelf box and moding it. The boxes they make for us come with stand off posts for PCBs and earth posts internally and also cut outs for environmental glands etc. We then add seals,etc to make it IP67.

Pete

Custom will Cost.... Better try and get an off the shelf

Hi all

Thanks for the suggestions.

I am aware that custom will cost. The main issue is the cut outs. It takes a lot of fiddling to do it and get it looking professional. In terms of man hours vs cost I suspect it would be much cheaper to have them punched (or laser cut) into the box before it is folded up.

Those cast alu boxes are ok for DIY if you are cutting and filing the cut outs but I suspect a bit limited when you start talking about quantity. I'm guessing that if you tried to punch cut a hole in the side of one it would just fold up?

I don't need anything custom shaped or sized, we can just pick the 'next size up' that fits all the parts.

No, it doesn't need to be IP rated.

Chris