Custom Electronic Enclosures Inquiry

[willysnowman]

Hi All,

I am a Mechanical Engineer with several years of electronic packaging. I have been getting a lot of jobs lately to wrap an enclosure around an ECAD file. These jobs consist of 3D printed, machined, and sheet metal enclosures.

I have set myself to accommodate these needs at a prototype level. I can do quick turn on iterations. I typically take a product through to production, but I am thinking of just specializing on the prototype design iterations. I think it will be good for the customer shorten the cycle time. It will be good for me since I will not have a lull between jobs (as is now).

The idea behind it is for the customer to send an ECAD file. We design an enclosure based on your needs or specifications. We can do fit and function (EMI, thermal, shock, water/dust ingress). I have someone who can do industrial design if you need a certain form.

Would you be interested in a service such as this? I have attached a flow chart to give you an idea on how this would work.

Thanks in advance for feedback.

 

[NorthGuy]

Sounds like a very expensive offering gathering to big reach companies.

If you would say: "Look, I can make custom enclosures in small quantities for you, for example 1000 high quality 150x120x40mm plastic enclosures for $8/piece!". Then you would get a demand.

Anyway, I don't think comercials are allowed on this forum, so it'll probably get deleted anyway.

 

[willysnowman]

Not sure what you mean?

If you create a new electronic product you need a design for the housing. You will also need prototypes. I want to focus my business on taking the ECAD files and creating the housing design and prototypes. It will be professional and it will cost money. I am not trying to sell it here. I am just asking input on this as a one stop service.

If someone wants to throw out some ideas how to market it, I am all ears. I don't have a clue?

 

[KMoffett]

Have you seen what some of your competition would look like? Google: rapid prototype service
Some examples:**broken link removed**
**broken link removed**
http://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=....com/promo/low-volume-prototypes.aspx&cad=rja
http://www.solidconcepts.com/
http://rapidps.com/
...And many, many more.
What would you offer that they can't?

Ken

 

[NorthGuy]

Not sure what you mean?

I mean there's not that much demand for such services if they don't include production. It is, of course, purely my opinion.

 

[willysnowman]

Have you seen what some of your competition would look like? Google: rapid prototype service
Some examples:
**broken link removed**
http://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=....com/promo/low-volume-prototypes.aspx&cad=rja
http://www.solidconcepts.com/
http://rapidps.com/
...And many, many more.
What would you offer that they can't?

Ken

Look at the first page of all those companies. They do not specialize in enclosures. Most of them you would need a MCAD model. Some will design it for you.

My strategy would be to take a ECAD file into Solidworks Circuitworks and specialize in enclosures. There becomes a lot of reuse/similar designs. I could do it faster.

I have worked directly with two of those companies. I can't say I was real impressed.

Here is the list I have of similar companies:

http://www.teko.it/
http://www.okwenclosures.com/
http://www.polycase.com/
http://www.elpac.de/
http://www.protocase.com/design/protocase_designer.php
http://rolec-enclosures.co.uk/
http://www.hammondmfg.com
http://www.bopla.de
http://www.lansing-enclosures.com
http://www.modushop.biz
http://www.contextengineering.com
http://www.serpac.com/
http://www.industrial-enclosures.com/
http://www.newageenclosures.com/services/design.php

 

[willysnowman]

I mean there's not that much demand for such services if they don't include production. It is, of course, purely my opinion.

10 years ago, I would have agreed. China can now work very well with prototypes/CAD (what we supply). They tweak the design to fit their mfg processes. There is not a lot of room for someone who does not know the particular manufacture's processes.

China, however, is like a big ship. It can carry a lot, but is not very maneuverable. I think it is far better do several iterations and get the bugs out before setting it to sail.

 

[Mosaic]

From the prototyping proof of concept POV, I tend to look for an enclosure before I design a PCB and I/O.

 

[willysnowman]

From the prototyping proof of concept POV, I tend to look for an enclosure before I design a PCB and I/O.

I worked from off the shelf box designs to create custom injection molded boxes. If looks are not an issue and you do not need a certain form, it is a pretty cost effective way to test a product.

I have some ideas on quickly converting a OTS box to a custom. I have not worked them out yet. It is hard to beat a good tech.

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

My comments would be unless you have a means or "partner" to convert to production, there isn't a point. The partner could be overseas. I'm also not sure if there is a demand for a "limited" production prototypes. e.g. some trinket that would be be made for a trade show etc.

I think Polycase did something interesting. They don't require a lot to "customize" an enclosure for say drilling and labeling. I may decide to sell something on ebay once I get it developed, but the absolute most I could sell would be around a 100 because of the availability of an obsolete part. I am using a Polycase enclosure. It's much bigger than I would like, but a custom case could make it much smaller. It is, in essence, a "remote control" for an obsolete, highly in demand product. The units sold on ebay without a remote goes for $100 less. One guy I talked to said he would be willing to pay $150 for a remote. That's a lot of dollars. It would not be a lot of profit.

Buttons are like $2.00 each x 13 ($26), Case is like $16, label is like $3.00 not including punching in printing. Tools to punch are expendable too. That's $45 right there and no supplier shipping.

Costs add up quickly without "economies of scale". I don't have the means of drilling the enclosure: about 14 holes all the same size, but one. Punched, non rectangular, labels are just as bad. I can make 3 labels at home for about $10 for 3. I did have a commercial label made for $20 each that were not as good as mine. The outline was hand cut and they didn't punch it either.

It would be a hobby and not a business.

 

[Mosaic]

Right now I am working on a product that uses two or three 4" x 2" PVC electrical 'cans' as module housings with two RJ45 punchouts and a clear 1/16" lexan faceplate with adhesive labeling. This is the proof of concept stage. Ideally I'd like to keep the same PCB form factor (3.5 x 2.0")but have more aesthetic housings that are shallower.

What would be tooling and production for perhaps 250 of those?