Custom, customised or ‘hybrid’? How to specify metal enclosures for my electronics

Custom enclosures are bespoke; they’re designed from the ground up. However customised enclosures are standard housings that have been modified to a customer’s specific requirements. The cost savings are significant – and you’ll get
your finished enclosures quicker than if you had opted for a fully bespoke housing.

That’s because it doesn’t take much customisation to transform an off-the-shelf enclosure into a machined and fully branded housing that can
go straight from your ‘Goods In’ to your production line – ready for the installation of components.

This is especially true of fabricated metal enclosures because most of the customisation work will be on the
front and rear panels, which are flat and easy to work on. For this reason, many of these aluminium enclosures are sold without front panels. They can then be specified as a customised accessory.

But
there’s more to all this than first meets the eye. Seemingly similar 19" rack cases and instrument enclosures can offer very different customisation opportunities. This can impact enclosure performance and price.

Read the full article in DPA's August 2024 issue