Generally our services fall into three categories: design, tool fabrication, and part production. If you need just one, two, or all three of these services we will be happy to help you.
Design
- We can Help: Design includes both the aesthetics of your product case and/or the mechanical and functional design. If you have a general idea of how you would like your enclosure to look, we can help you realize that look. If you have the electronic components, but are unsure of how to encase them, we can help. If you already have a completed design for your shell, we can look over the drawings and optimize the part for plastic injection molding. (This includes going from 2D to 3D)
Developing a CAD Model: What we will need to proceed to tooling fabrication is a 3D CAD image of your enclosure. We would be happy to help you develop one or if you already have one we can use that data to make the mold for your parts (we prefer IGES(.igs), ParaSolid(.x_t or .x_b), and STEP(.stp) files). You can also modify one of the template enclosures we have in our library if the shape is close to what you need (We can help you with this as well).- Design Process: We can also work with you to develop a 3D CAD model from scratch. Our CAD rate is $85/hour and it usually takes between 4 and 15 hours to complete most custom enclosures.
(Using a template enclosure from our library would significantly reduce the time spent on this phase.) We will need you to send us a sample or a picture of what you need, as well as a detailed drawing, prototype, or example of what we are encasing (the guts if you will). The picture can be as simple as a napkin sketch if that is all you have–anything will work so long as we are able to understand your idea. Once we finish making the CAD model we will send you a rotatable, zoomable, and printable eDrawing® for your approval. If you need a rapid prototype of your part we can either send you the STL data or get one made for you. Once you approve it the project goes to the next step: Tooling.
Tooling
- Cost & Schedule: Once the CAD model has been created to your specifications we use it to cut your mold on one of our CNC machines.
We usually make our molds out of aluminum to keep material and machine time costs down, but if you require a steel tool or steel components let us know. Tooling costs can run anywhere from $1,480 to $20,000+, depending on the size and complexity of your enclosure. Most small enclosures fall into the $2.400 to $3,200 price range.(See our pricing page for more information.) A deposit on half of the tooling is required to start making your mold, with the balance due when the mold is finished. - Approval and Ownership: When the mold for your custom enclosure is cut, we put it on one of our molding machines and make a few sample parts to send you for your approval. When you approve the sample parts we can move to the production phase of the process. Our terms indicate that you own and control the tooling, so you are free to collect your mold at any point whether we produce the plastic parts or you have someone else produce them.
Production
- Making the parts: Your aluminum mold will make as many or as little parts as you need.
Your enclosures will be priced on a per-part basis and range from a few cents to a few dollars per enclosure, depending on size, complexity, and quantity ordered. When your production run is finished we can either ship your mold with your enclosures or retain it for future orders.
