In the field of electronic equipment, industrial equipment, consumer electronics, etc., custom enclosures are not only a barrier to protect the components of the equipment, but also directly affect the durability, stable operation, aesthetics, etc. There are various types of materials for custom electrical enclosures, and only by choosing the right type of material can we ensure that custom enclosures achieve the best performance and protection.
There are various types of materials for custom electrical enclosures, and only by choosing the right type of material can you ensure that your custom enclosures achieve optimal performance and protection, ensuring durability, heat dissipation, water resistance, and other safety factors. Let’s take a closer look at some of the common enclosure fabrication materials and compare them in multiple dimensions to analyze the strengths and limitations of different custom electrical enclosures materials to help you make a scientific and informed decision when it comes to custom enclosures!
custom enclosure material types
Choosing the right custom enclosure material for the equipment is very important, it will directly affect the equipment's structural strength, appearance and texture, protection ability, environmental adaptability. Different types of custom electrical enclosures have different characteristics and uses, which can be divided into the following types.
custom aluminum enclosure
First of all, custom aluminum enclosures have strong corrosion resistance and are lighter in weight than other custom sheet metal enclosures, which is very important for equipment that needs to be portable or is weight sensitive (e.g., drones, portable instruments, laptops).
Secondly, aluminum is a good conductor of heat, so custom aluminum enclosures have excellent heat dissipation performance, which can effectively absorb and conduct heat generated by device components (e.g., CPU, power chips) to the surface of the enclosure, and then emit it to the air through convection and radiation, reducing the need to rely on active heat dissipation components (e.g., cooling fans) and simplifying the design of custom enclosure structures. This reduces the need for active cooling components (such as cooling fans), simplifies the design of the custom enclosure structure, and improves reliability.
Finally, custom aluminum enclosures have excellent mechanical protection, electromagnetic shielding and strong machinability features, providing good impact, crush and crash protection for the equipment and shielding the surrounding area from electromagnetic interference, making them more robust and durable than custom plastic enclosures.
Supro can provide you with the highest quality custom aluminum enclosures with great durability, reliability and comprehensive safety protection.
custom stainless steel enclosures
Firstly, custom stainless steel enclosures have excellent corrosion and chemical resistance, able to resist the erosion of various corrosive media such as moisture, humid air, acid, alkali, salt, etc., and their service life far exceeds that of carbon steel and many other metals.
Secondly, custom stainless steel enclosures have excellent mechanical strength and hardness, which can provide top resistance to impact, pressure, deformation and prying, effectively resisting physical damage in harsh environments and protecting equipment components. Finally, custom stainless steel enclosures have a textured, hygienic, easy-to-clean appearance, and whether you want to use the enclosures anywhere from food processing, to the workplace, to a factory, to a medical facility, custom stainless steel enclosures look great.
However, there are some limitations. custom stainless steel enclosures are difficult to process and require high power and rigidity of the processing equipment; have poor thermal conductivity; and are more expensive compared to carbon steel and aluminum.
Custom galvanized steel enclosure
Custom galvanized steel enclosure is one of the most common and economical choices in the industrial field, its core advantage lies in the combination of the “high strength of steel” and “galvanized layer of corrosion resistance”, not only retains the structural support of steel, but also make up for the ordinary Steel plate is easy to corrosion of the short board, while taking into account the economy, become the mainstream choice for industrial, electric power, civil and other scenes.
But custom galvanized steel enclosures also have drawbacks, the high density of steel causes custom galvanized steel enclosures to be very heavy. This is one of its biggest drawbacks, it is not suitable for portable equipment, and brings some difficulties to transportation and installation; its appearance and aesthetics in general, usually showing silver gray or gray; its thermal conductivity is not as good as custom aluminum enclosure, it is not the best choice for heat dissipation, and when you need good heat dissipation, you have to additionally design the ventilation holes or install a fan.
Custom carbon steel enclosure
Custom carbon steel enclosure has excellent mechanical strength and rigidity, durable and can easily cope with harsh environments. It is widely used in heavy equipment, industrial structural components, large enclosures and other structural support has a strong demand for the scene.
However, customized carbon steel enclosure has poor corrosion resistance, and carbon steel is highly susceptible to oxidation and rust when exposed to air, especially in humid or salt/chemical containing environments. This greatly limits its application in outdoor, harsh environments. The high weight of a custom carbon steel enclosure makes it completely unsuitable for any equipment that needs to be mobile or portable, and increases the difficulty and cost of transportation and installation.
ABS custom plastic enclosures
ABS is one of the most commonly used and classic materials in engineering plastics, ABS custom plastic enclosures have a certain degree of strength and toughness, can withstand a certain degree of collision and fall, effectively protect the internal components of the device. Secondly, ABS is a good insulator, non-conductive, very suitable for electrical and electronic products enclosures, to protect the use of safety. And its density is much lower than custom metal enclosures, can significantly reduce the overall weight of the product, easy to carry and transportation.
However, ABS custom plastic enclosures also have limitations, its durability is poor, not as durable as polycarbonate enclosures. ABS custom plastic enclosures are not IP or NEMA certified and cannot be used in hazardous locations.
Customized PC electrical enclosure
First of all, custom PC electrical enclosure has excellent impact resistance, its impact strength is 5-10 times that of ABS enclosure, even better than die-cast aluminum enclosure.Secondly, PC material itself is flame retardant, and can easily reach UL94 V-0 standard by adding flame retardant. This is a mandatory safety requirement for custom electrical enclosures and can effectively prevent the spread of fire. Finally, as a non-metallic engineering plastic, PC has excellent electrical insulation properties, reducing the risk of electric shock to personnel.
However, the limitations of custom PC electrical enclosures are poor corrosion resistance, limited high temperature tolerance, the need to stay away from heat sources, and higher raw material costs than ABS.
In short, customized PC electrical enclosure is suitable for insulation, flame retardant, impact resistance requirements, and non-chemical/high-temperature environment scenarios, typical applications include: power adapter enclosure, router power enclosure, street light control box enclosure, etc.
Customized PVC electrical enclosure
Customized PVC shell is usually light weight, with strong corrosion resistance, good insulation, high flame retardant, low cost features, but its temperature resistance and weather resistance is poor, weak impact resistance, mainly for low voltage, indoor ambient temperature, no impact / no heat source, budget-sensitive base scenarios, the typical applications are: home socket enclosure, wall junction box enclosure, indoor lighting fixtures Typical applications are: household socket enclosures, wall junction box enclosures, indoor lighting fixtures; office buildings, residential low-voltage power distribution auxiliary accessories (such as wire distribution boxes), non-high-temperature area network junction boxes, etc.
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Comparison of custom enclosures materials
material | Advantages | Disadvantages |
Aluminum | High strength-to-weight ratio, excellent heat dissipation, good corrosion resistance, good EMI shielding, good texture, easy processing | Lower strength than steel, prone to dents |
Stainless Steel | Excellent corrosion resistance, high strength and hardness, hygienic and easy to clean, high and low temperature resistance, beautiful appearance. | Heavy weight, difficult to process, general thermal conductivity, easy to scratch the surface |
Galvanized steel | Good corrosion resistance, high strength, good EMI shielding, easy processing | Heavy, zinc layer rusts when damaged, average thermal conductivity, less durable than stainless steel |
Carbon Steel | Very high strength and hardness, good EMI shielding, easy to process and weld, flexible surface treatment. | Easily corroded, very heavy, average thermal conductivity |
ABS | Good mechanical properties, easy to injection molding (high degree of design freedom), good surface treatment effect, lightweight | Poor temperature resistance, poor weather resistance (easy to age), average chemical resistance, not as strong and heat dissipating as metal |
PC | Strong impact resistance, high transparency, excellent flame retardancy, good heat resistance, good electrical insulation, lightweighting | Poor chemical resistance, not resistant to high temperatures |
PVC | High flame resistance, good chemical resistance, good electrical insulation, waterproofing | Poor temperature resistance, poor impact resistance, average weather resistance, poor environmental friendliness |
How to choose the right material for custom enclosures
Choosing the right material for custom electrical enclosures requires more than just aesthetics and cost. Before choosing any material, we should do the same:
First, determine where the custom enclosures will be used. Indoor or outdoor? Outdoor needs to be considered for waterproofing, UV protection, and resistance to high and low temperatures. Are there any corrosive substances in the environment? Such as chemical workshops, coastal areas, medical sterilization environment, need to be resistant to chemical corrosion. Is there any physical shock risk in the environment? Is it easy to fall, collision?
Second, clear equipment needs. Heat dissipation needs: how much heat is generated by internal components? Does it need custom electrical enclosures to assist heat dissipation? Electromagnetic shielding needs: whether the equipment is sensitive to electromagnetic interference, or itself is a source of interference?
Insulation requirements: whether the need for high insulation to ensure safety? Transparency requirements: Is there a need to observe the internal status of the device or indicator lights? Weight requirement: Is there a strict limit on weight or is it sensitive to weight? Mechanical requirements: Is the device heavy outside of itself, and do custom enclosures need to withstand a lot of weight or pressure? Regulatory and safety needs: Are there flame retardant requirements such as UL94 V-0? Do they need to meet sanitary standards such as FDA, USP Class VI, etc.?
Third, determine the budget for custom enclosures.
Finally, consider the appearance requirements of the custom enclosures.
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Summary
Choosing the right material for custom electrical enclosures is very important. It determines the safety, quality standards, and durability of the equipment.
If you are struggling to choose the right custom electrical enclosures material for your equipment, contact us now.Supro is a professional custom electrical enclosures manufacturer, with the advantage of advanced equipment, rich manufacturing experience and professional engineering team, providing perfect electrical enclosures for more than 3000 companies all over the world.
With the advantage of advanced equipment, rich manufacturing experience and professional engineering team, Supro has provided more than 3000 companies with perfect custom electrical enclosures solutions and real manufacturer quotes.
As an industry leading custom electrical enclosures manufacturer, we can deliver a wide range of products efficiently and on time. From product design and rapid prototype fabrication to volume production, we provide expert technical support and superior quality. And we offer one-stop manufacturing solutions and cost-competitive product supply! Contact us now for a free consultation.
