Post by thread:[OT]: Plastic cases

I'm looking at having some plastic cases manufactured for a commercial project. Anyone care to share their experiences with the process of designing/manufacturing cases for your projects? Do you make them in-house, or out source? Setup costs? Gotchas? Are there case companies with vast pre-made selections that might save me setup/design costs? My requirements are fairly reasonable (at least I think so): 4"x2"x2" internal space required, holds a small circuit board, line transformer, a switch or two. Should be a bright color and maybe have a raised/sunken logo/brand (a decal would do in a pinch). Thanks. -- http://www.piclist.com#nomail Going offline? Don't AutoReply us! email spam_OUTlistservTakeThisOuTmitvma.mit.edu with SET PICList DIGEST in the body

injection moulding is pretty expensive for small runs - the tool for the job will be a few K dollars. per unit costs are obviously pretty cheap after that. check out these people for custom manufactured plastic boxes. have not dealt with them myself. apparently there are a few companies who do similar stuff: http://www.ttkbox.com/ these people make some nice standard boxes: http://www.pactecenclosures.com/ Regards, Simon -- http://www.piclist.com#nomail Going offline? Don't AutoReply us! email .....listservKILLspam@spam@mitvma.mit.edu with SET PICList DIGEST in the body

For off the shelf, check out Pac-Tec and Bopla. At IFCO, we did our own case designs. We used Solid Works for design and things went quite well. Tooling for a small complicated case (such as the R21 receiver) can run $40k to $60k to get the kinks out of it. After that it is clear sailing except for QC issues (witness lines, color, etc.) Currently at Capita we are using Pro Engineer which is a much more capable package at a much more uncapable price. The cheapest way to go is to have them custom molded for you if your quantity is high enough. For injection molding you will probably have to produce over 50K per year to be cost effective in a steel tool. For lesser quantities there are cheaper tools and methods. Aluminum and epoxy tools can be used for 10K to 50K runs. Vacuum and thermal forming can be used for low quantities (5k or less) if you design is not critical mechanically. SLA modeling can be used to get onesy twosies (don't ask me how to spell). If the model is cleaned up enough, it can be used to make a mold for low quantities. A word of advice.... choose a molder and tool house close to you. Use the tool house that the molder wants to deal with. We are all a little screwy (no offense to you non-screwy ones) and these guys will know how to deal with each other. Little things like how the gating is done, how the mold pulls apart, and how temperature variances occur in the tool itself mean alot. {Original Message removed}

On Tue, 21 Nov 2000 06:58:02 -0700, you wrote: >I'm looking at having some plastic cases manufactured for a commercial >project. Anyone care to share their experiences with the process of >designing/manufacturing cases for your projects? Do you make them in-house, >or out source? Setup costs? Gotchas? Are there case companies with vast >pre-made selections that might save me setup/design costs? > >My requirements are fairly reasonable (at least I think so): 4"x2"x2" >internal space required, holds a small circuit board, line transformer, a >switch or two. Should be a bright color and maybe have a raised/sunken >logo/brand (a decal would do in a pinch). If volumes are sufficient you can probably get a standard case made in a special colour without costing too much extra. -- http://www.piclist.com#nomail Going offline? Don't AutoReply us! email listservKILLspammitvma.mit.edu with SET PICList DIGEST in the body

We went the other way - took our design and made it fit an off the shelf PolyCase box. It seemed for the quantities that we were dealing with (<1K), it wasn't worth the effort. A polyester metalized label fit perfectly on the case and we are very happy! Howard At 06:58 AM 11/21/00 -0700, you wrote: {Quote hidden}>I'm looking at having some plastic cases manufactured for a commercial >project. Anyone care to share their experiences with the process of >designing/manufacturing cases for your projects? Do you make them in-house, >or out source? Setup costs? Gotchas? Are there case companies with vast >pre-made selections that might save me setup/design costs? > >My requirements are fairly reasonable (at least I think so): 4"x2"x2" >internal space required, holds a small circuit board, line transformer, a >switch or two. Should be a bright color and maybe have a raised/sunken >logo/brand (a decal would do in a pinch). > >Thanks. > >-- >http://www.piclist.com#nomail Going offline? Don't AutoReply us! >email .....listservKILLspam.....mitvma.mit.edu with SET PICList DIGEST in the body Howard McGinnis EraseMEhmcginnispam_OUTTakeThisOuTdigital.net http://ddi.digital.net/~hmcginni -- http://www.piclist.com#nomail Going offline? Don't AutoReply us! email listservspam_OUTmitvma.mit.edu with SET PICList DIGEST in the body

You could try Serpac ( http://www.serpac.com ), Hammond Manufacturing ( http://www.hammondmanufacturing.com ) or LANSING ( http://www.lansing-enclosures.com ). I would try to get an off the shelf enclosure unless you will be selling them in large quantity. Best regards, Steve Steven Kosmerchock Radio Frequency Systems Phoenix, Arizona USA (WORK) http://www.rfsamericas.com http://www.geocities.com/researchtriangle/lab/6584 "Great spirits have always encountered violent oppposition from mediocre minds."--A.Einstein -- http://www.piclist.com#nomail Going offline? Don't AutoReply us! email @spam@listservKILLspammitvma.mit.edu with SET PICList DIGEST in the body

You asked for plastic, but... I believe that custom sheet metal is significantly cheaper than custome plastic up through rather large numbers of units (or very odd shapes.) BillW -- http://www.piclist.com#nomail Going offline? Don't AutoReply us! email KILLspamlistservKILLspammitvma.mit.edu with SET PICList DIGEST in the body

Howard McGinnis wrote: > > We went the other way - took our design and made it fit an off the shelf > PolyCase box. It seemed for the quantities that we were dealing with (<1K), > it wasn't worth the effort. A polyester metalized label fit perfectly on > the case and we are very happy! > > Howard Also many screen-printing places can print logos and text on a plastic or metal case quite easily if it is fairly flat. Many places will happily do tiny quantities (10) with no problems but expect you to pay for screen making and then x per unit. The result looks very professional and even some big manufacturers use a similar system. -Roman -- http://www.piclist.com hint: To leave the PICList RemoveMEpiclist-unsubscribe-requestTakeThisOuTmitvma.mit.edu

SLA modeling can be used to get onesy twosies (don't ask me how to spell). If the model is cleaned up enough, it can be used to make a mold for low quantities. Beg pardon but what is SLA ? thanks, Peter -- http://www.piclist.com hint: PICList Posts must start with ONE topic: [PIC]:,[SX]:,[AVR]: ->uP ONLY! [EE]:,[OT]: ->Other [BUY]:,[AD]: ->Ads

SLA: Stereo Lithography - It's that 3D process of using UV resin and lasers to create a 3D model from a drawing. I think there are actually several methods and materials, but that's one of them. See: http://www.stereolithography.com/slainfo.html BTW, thanks to everyone for the numerous replies to my original question on this. That is some kind of an expensive process I guess, probably out of the realm of possibilities for me at this time. Looks like stock cases, modified to suit for this project. JB At 11:13 PM 11/22/00 +0200, you wrote: {Quote hidden}>SLA modeling can be used to get onesy twosies (don't ask me how to spell). >If the model is cleaned up enough, it can be used to make a mold for low >quantities. > >Beg pardon but what is SLA ? > >thanks, > >Peter > >-- >http://www.piclist.com hint: PICList Posts must start with ONE topic: >[PIC]:,[SX]:,[AVR]: ->uP ONLY! [EE]:,[OT]: ->Other [BUY]:,[AD]: ->Ads > -- http://www.piclist.com hint: PICList Posts must start with ONE topic: [PIC]:,[SX]:,[AVR]: ->uP ONLY! [EE]:,[OT]: ->Other [BUY]:,[AD]: ->Ads

>Beg pardon but what is SLA stereo lithography. See these links. http://www.bath.ac.uk/~en7rge/rmassn.htm www.agocg.ac.uk/train/hitch/layerman/report.htm http://www.designinsite.dk/htmsider/p0051.htm The first link gives a very good description of the methods. I do have a caveat about it though. I have not used it myself, and the only example of it I have seen seemed to be quite brittle. It is a great way to get a prototype shape to test everything fits, and you have done the drawing right, you may even be able to deliver a prototype or two so your end customer can do the same, but unless there are better plastics available than I have seen I would be wary of using it for even limited production. -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics

alan: >about it though. I have not used it myself, and the only example of it I have >seen seemed to be quite brittle. the SLAs themselves are also very expensive, so you really don't want to be making more than one. a common approach is to make a silicon mould from the SLA and then cast a number of copies from that with a low temperature resin. depending on how critical exact dimensions are, you only get around 20 copies off that mould before it starts deteriorating too much to be of any real use. these casts are not cheap either of course, and colours are pretty limited - pretty much 'beige or nothing' :) if the design is not too complicated or dimensionally critical then for small quantities you would be hard pressed to beat the cost of fabricated parts. fabricated metal parts would probably be cheaper than fabricated plastic, as there are an awful lot of metal bashers competing for trade. Regards, Simon -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics

>SLA explanations Thank you all for that, SLA is new to me. What about that other technology to make cardboard (?) models using a 3 axis router and a turntable ? (this I saw in a TV presentation). I don't remember the names involved. Peter -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

Try Hammond manufacturing. They have standard line and will do custom. http://www.hammonmfg.com/ (made in Canada) John Mullan - Proud to be Canadian ----Original Message----- >From: "Mike Harrison" <spamBeGonemikespamBeGonewhitewing.co.uk> >To: "TakeThisOuTPICLISTEraseMEspam_OUTMITVMA.MIT.EDU" <RemoveMEPICLISTTakeThisOuTMITVMA.MIT.EDU> >Cc: >Bcc: >Subject: Re: [OT]: Plastic cases >Type: IPM.Note >Date: Tuesday, November 21, 2000 1:30 PM > >On Tue, 21 Nov 2000 06:58:02 -0700, you wrote: > >>I'm looking at having some plastic cases manufactured for a commercial >>project. Anyone care to share their experiences with the process of >>designing/manufacturing cases for your projects? Do you make them in-house, >>or out source? Setup costs? Gotchas? Are there case companies with vast >>pre-made selections that might save me setup/design costs? >> >>My requirements are fairly reasonable (at least I think so): 4"x2"x2" >>internal space required, holds a small circuit board, line transformer, a >>switch or two. Should be a bright color and maybe have a raised/sunken >>logo/brand (a decal would do in a pinch). >If volumes are sufficient you can probably get a standard case made in >a special colour without costing too much extra. > >-- >http://www.piclist.com#nomail Going offline? Don't AutoReply us! >email listservEraseME.....mitvma.mit.edu with SET PICList DIGEST in the body > > -- http://www.piclist.com hint: PICList Posts must start with ONE topic: [PIC]:,[SX]:,[AVR]: ->uP ONLY! [EE]:,[OT]: ->Other [BUY]:,[AD]: ->Ads