Enclosures are an inherent component of any product, whether it is a small gadget, a portable product, desktop equipment, a wall-mounted control unit, a floor standing electrical panel, a panel mounted instrument, etc. Any product requires an aesthetically good looking enclosure. The enclosure can be in any material - metal, plastic, or any other composite material.

The importance of packaging the product with the right choice of enclosures enhances the aesthetics - better appeal to the buyer and makes the product world class, and eases the production because of easy availability

Selection Criteria

Various parameters are to be taken into consideration while choosing the appropriate enclosure for the product. Some of the parameters are:

1) Application; 2) Size; 3) Choice of materials; and 4) Cost.

Various manufacturers offer different types of enclosures depending on the material that is used for the manufacture of the enclosure:

1. Metal - depending on the requirement, the choice of metal is made. Initially, it was only made out of mild steel sheets of various thicknesses.

Then, materials like stainless steel and subsequently, composites like coated sheets are used. Aluminium in different thickness is used for fabrication of enclosures.

2. Plastics - offers an enormous variety to the customer. ABS, Polyester, Polycarbonate are some of the materials that are used.

The advantage of the material is that it offers scope for making the enclosure in different shapes depending on requirement. Once the tool is made, mass production can be achieved thereby a customer can get the benefit of repeatability and low cost.

Why Should You Choose the Proper Enclosures?

If the equipment or the product is encased in an appropriate enclosure, it gives the proper appeal to the end customer. The manufacturer gets the benefit of mass production of the product.

Advantages of choosing a standard ready-made enclosure:

• Ease of production - the product can be developed very easily with the minimum lead time
• Availability of the enclosures is ensured, so that additional quantities can be procured very easily. Because of a standard enclosure, the hassles of follow up for production units are reduced, and
• Large volume production can be made very easily - price advantage is also possible because of quantity production.

Readymade enclosures can be classified into the following types:

• Handheld
• Desk Top
• Wall Mounted
• Panel Mounted
• DIN Rail
• Floor Standing
• Indoor/Outdoor

Enclosures must have different levels of protection depending on the usage. Ingress Protection (IP) - The protection classification offered by an enclosure is shown by the letters IP (Ingress Protection) and two digits. The first digit indicates two factors (protection for persons and equipment), the second digit indicates only one factor (protection against water).

Example: IP 54 - the first digit 5 = protection against dust and wire contact with dangerous parts. The second digit 4 = protection against splashing water. Protection from ingress of dust, water etc., can be achieved depending on the design of the enclosure.

Plastic materials, aluminium, stainless steel are used with suitable sealing components like rubber gaskets to help achieve the different levels of protection. Terms like IP65/IP 66 are used for enclosures, which require protection from ingress of dust and water.

Aluminium boxes, which are die cast or gravity cost depending on the size of the enclosure is made by many manufacturers. Rubber gaskets are used to achieve appropriate sealing levels.

ABS/polyester/polycarbonate enclosures are available in different sizes. Here again different versions are available with and without suitable mounting arrangements. Appropriate gaskets offer the sealing. Handheld devices/portable equipment call for small enclosures in plastics. Depending on the application and on the technical requirement, e.g., with opening for display devices like LCDs, graphic displays are offered. Provisions for input controls like key switches, membrane keypads are made in these enclosures. Readymade enclosures for such portable products are available in a number of different sizes so that the product designer can choose from the range available. This greatly reduces the lead time for the development of the product. Handheld enclosures are now available with rubber co-moulding. This helps to give a better grip for the equipment. Apart from this the equipment is also protected from accident. If the equipment is dropped by accident, any damage to the equipment is avoided.

(Elmatronik Sales Corporation, Sundaralaya, 319, Bharathi Salai, Royapettah, Chennai 600 014. Tel: 044-28487346, 28486477, 28487212. Email:escorp@ vsnl.com, elmatronik @eth.net)