The myriad of design requirements and time pressures that exist in modern electrical engineering makes it impossible for enclosure manufacturers to meet all customers’ needs with a list of standard products. However, the costs of tooling a completely new enclosure can also be uneconomic. Here, Spelsberg’s Chris Lloyd offers a possible solution
There are a variety of standard enclosure solutions currently on the market and as such, many design engineers will try to fit their latest design around an ‘off the shelf’ component rather than specifying a bespoke product. This can lead to lower unit costs and reduced lead times to receive the empty, unmodified enclosures. However, it’s quite possible that this method of specification could end up costing more in the long run.
Fitting a design around an existing component means that the end result will always be compromised by the restrictions of the component e.g. the dimensions of the enclosure, the type of entry solutions, the internal mounting options etc. These restrictions can result in a finished product which doesn’t quite meet the design brief and is less attractive to end customers, or even increase production costs which could make the product uncompetitive. These increased costs often arise from installation issues such as entry points being located in an inconvenient position for the design or lids not offering the access required.
Customisation
Clearly customising an enclosure to fit with the design is the preferable solution, and one that guarantees that there will be no compromise in the finished product. However, many OEMs and designers may shy away from this option believing that the costs will be prohibitive.
Traditionally, customising an enclosure to a bespoke design could be extremely expensive due to the tooling requirements and cost of labour. However, now technological advances mean that customised enclosures may cost just a few pence more per unit. The options for customisation are varied and can result in drastically lower installation costs and a more pleasing result.
The most obvious, and common, request for customisation is the quantity and layout of the entry points. While a standard enclosure will typically offer a uniform number of ‘knockout’ points in a single size, customisation allows the designer to specify the exact quantity of entries and dictate the size, shape and positioning of them. This not only improves the aesthetics of the product, as there are no redundant ‘knockouts’ visible, but this will also improve the overall protection that it offers as there are no weak points in the wall.
By specifying the design of the entry points into the enclosure the designer is also able to maximise the efficiency of the wiring which will reduce installation time during the building or installation process. This reduced time will often lead to cost savings which more than justify the higher cost of procurement. Thanks to new CNC machining capabilities and Spelsberg’s interchangeable side wall technology during the moulding process, it’s relatively cheap to customise most enclosure products, allowing the machining and moulding to be completed accurately in short time periods, meaning that even large orders can be delivered promptly with reliable results.
Modular
Another way that enclosure manufacturers can offer customised solutions is through modular designs within their product range to allow end users greater flexibility in terms of dimensions. The GTi range from Spelsberg, for example, is a modular enclosure range which is available with a selection of interchangeable sidewalls and connector parts. With five different sizes to build a solution from, there are many possibilities. Very often popular product ranges will also offer a selection of lid depths which can provide additional installation space.
Taking customisation one step further, it may be possible to specify enclosures which are pre-assembled prior to delivery. Many manufacturers are now moving beyond the role of product provider and offering design services to complement their product. From the installation of a simple DIN-rail, terminal or PCB mount through to complete population, by ordering a pre-assembled product it is possible to further reduce, or even eliminate, on-site assembly costs and improve the efficiency of your product.
By specifying an enclosure which matches the requirements of the design it’s possible to improve the end result of a product while also reducing costs. Depending on the scope of a project the potential for customisation really is limitless. In order to find out what customisation options are open to your design, Spelsberg can provide information on what’s possible and help to determine what the most efficient options are.
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