EEVblog #644 - How To Design Front Panels On Extruded Enclosures - µSupply Part

[Royce]

With a small amount of searching it's easy to find hundreds of small enclosures but can anybody suggest a source for large enclosures? I'm looking for some 330mm x 330mm x 110mm (13  inch x 13 inch x 4.33 inch) boxes and the only things that keep on coming up are rack mount units.

I'm also interested in this. I could use a 330mm x 225mm x 35mm(ish) enclosure for one of my products, and it's impossible to find non-custom.

Is plastic OK? Do the dimensions have to be exact?
http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.38.npKFrq&id=13412814144&ns=1#detail

This one is metal and a good bit more expensive. And while it seems to have rack pull handles, it also seems to have foldout desktop feet.
http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z10.5.w4002-68937905.14.Wyy0Gd&id=13421258272

[motocoder]

I should spend some time on AliExpress. I'll be curious to compare effective costs. AliExpress is certainly appears to be easier to use. And I get the impression from the video that one can grow into a direct relationship with the factory where customization becomes possible.

Yes, that's what I like about AliExpress, it works just like ebay, no mess, no fuss, price and postage options right there to see and buy right there. As the name suggests it's the express version of Alibaba where the same companies also list, but on there they generally either don't have prices, or some silly price guide that isn't accurate, you have to contact them to get quotes. Messy.
Almost all the companies you can then deal with direct for larger qty or custom stuff.

But unfortunately is not available for those of us in the US, Washington state. It is some sort of issue with their "escrow rules".

[Phaedrus]

With a small amount of searching it's easy to find hundreds of small enclosures but can anybody suggest a source for large enclosures? I'm looking for some 330mm x 330mm x 110mm (13  inch x 13 inch x 4.33 inch) boxes and the only things that keep on coming up are rack mount units.

I'm also interested in this. I could use a 330mm x 225mm x 35mm(ish) enclosure for one of my products, and it's impossible to find non-custom.

Is plastic OK? Do the dimensions have to be exact?
http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.38.npKFrq&id=13412814144&ns=1#detail

This one is metal and a good bit more expensive. And while it seems to have rack pull handles, it also seems to have foldout desktop feet.
http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z10.5.w4002-68937905.14.Wyy0Gd&id=13421258272

Ah, so close! The first one is pretty good on the dimensions, but it's plastic, and I need something fairly sturdy like metal. The second one looks great, but it's a bit out-size, it would be half empty and take up a ton of space. I'll look around, thanks for the links!

[mamalala]

BTW, totally worth it to get the EMS postage option every time, ...

Unfortunately, that is absolutely not true when Germany is the destination. EMS has a deal with some obscure courier service in Germany, instead of using the local Post/DHL like most others. That courier service does some really nasty stuff. They charge ridiculously high amounts of money for handling import related stuff. Thing is, in Germany they must give the recipient the option to chose: recipient does it, or they do it. Of course you get the notification about that _just_ before the time period in which it must be handled ends. Then, they charge quite some money for every day that package sits on their shelf. Also, their service is generally quite lousy.

That is to say, if you are in Germany try to avoid anything that uses EMS, since it ends up with a crap courier service here in Germany. The net is full of reports from people that fell prey to them.

Greetings,

Chris

[German_EE]

I agree with the comments about EMS. They use a courier here called Hermes and the last time I had a delivery handled by them the courier dumped the parcel in the flower bed and headed off back to his van. OK, I live on the second floor, but the parcel was only 3Kg

[FrankBuss]

I guess it depends on the employee, but Hermes works for me. Sometimes they deliver at unusual times, like 7 pm and it is not the fastest sevice. But once DHL needed 3 weeks for a packet within Germany, too. Maybe this will get better when they get paid fair with the new minimum wage law next year.

[mamalala]

I agree with the comments about EMS. They use a courier here called Hermes ...

I should have mentioned that it depends on the country of origin. EMS from China/Hong Kong usually ends up with the GdSK here in Germany, and that is what i was talking about. EMS from Japan, for example, usually ends up with DHL/Deutsche Post, so that  woudl be OK.

Just search the web for "EMS GdSK" to see what i mean. Complete bonkers.

Greetings,

Chris

[Chipguy]

I should have mentioned that it depends on the country of origin. EMS from China/Hong Kong usually ends up with the GdSK here in Germany, and that is what i was talking about. EMS from Japan, for example, usually ends up with DHL/Deutsche Post, so that  woudl be OK.

Just search the web for "EMS GdSK" to see what i mean. Complete bonkers.

Bonkers is a very polite name for what that is!

Yes I didn't even know that EMS works with Hermes. I actually don't think they do.
Everything from EMS I got was delivered by this GDSK.
It were "only" 2 packages in the last years because I either had no control about which carrier was choosen and the first time I just didn't even know what to expect. To make a long story short: I don't want any packages delivered by GDSK anymore. 

They are the worst ripoff and try to put 21,50 EUR (35 AUD) customs handling fee on an item that is worth 25 EUR itself.
They even want to charge a daily stocking fee, doubtful if that is even legal. They tried that with me when I ticked the box that I want to do the custom and then do it quick. I think it's even possible to do it via internet now.
It will need to be quick because they are also pretty slow in sending the notification letter so there is never much time to react.
If a package is delayed and arrives while one is away on holiday then you are pretty much screwed.

The day that carrier goes bust (I hope that day will come soon), many germans will be very happy.
If enough German victims complain direclty to EMS maybe they will cancel their contract with GDSK. Any other alternative will be better.

[Ross_ValuSoft]

Correct me if I am wrong.

1. Dave reveals, and discusses the relevant merits in great detail, a very attractive housing.
2. He states price, but no supply details.
3. This, now 4 pages of feedback/discussion, produces many requests to Dave for a link to the actual supplier/item.
4. Dave does not supply the requested link.

So I ask myself... why bother making the video blog?

[android]

I've seen plenty of these extruded aluminium boxes on AliExpress and I'm sure they're all very handy sizes, but I can't for the life of me find one that will fit neatly into a standard PC drive bay (5.25" or 3.5"). The actual aperture measurements are around 148 x 42 mm and 102 x 25 mm respectively.

My idea is to whack my project inside an aluminium box that will slip into a PC drive bay and use the PCB front panel technique described by Dave as the user interface. I don't want to order a 100 boxes just to make them produce a "standard" size 

[nitro2k01]

Correct me if I am wrong.

1. Dave reveals, and discusses the relevant merits in great detail, a very attractive housing.
2. He states price, but no supply details.
3. This, now 4 pages of feedback/discussion, produces many requests to Dave for a link to the actual supplier/item.
4. Dave does not supply the requested link.

So I ask myself... why bother making the video blog?

Probably because the market is volatile. Sellers come and go all the time and the link may not be valid in 6 months. Better go search for yourself on AliExpress.

[EEVblog]

1. Dave reveals, and discusses the relevant merits in great detail, a very attractive housing.
2. He states price, but no supply details.
3. This, now 4 pages of feedback/discussion, produces many requests to Dave for a link to the actual supplier/item.
4. Dave does not supply the requested link.
So I ask myself... why bother making the video blog?

a) Because the video contains IMO potentially useful design info. It's not just a "here is a nice cheap case, here is the link, go buy it" video.
b) The link to the box vanished after I bought it, perhaps they ran out of stock or something, I don't know, it has only just come back online it seems:
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/2014-new-Aluminum-project-box-for-electronic/1828456375.html

[Richard Crowley]

I'm a big fan of using aluminum "U-channel" for the short sides, and sheet metal (or plastic) for the top and bottom.
One of my favorite suppliers is Orange Aluminum: http://www.orangealuminum.com/bar-stock/channels.html
They one of their stock sizes is 1.75 inches which is exactly 1 rack unit.

I like sheet ABS for the top and bottom panels.  If shielding is required, I glue aluminum foil on the inside with spray adhesive.
http://www.tapplastics.com/product/plastics/cut_to_size_plastic/abs_sheets/524

[Ross_ValuSoft]

1. Dave reveals, and discusses the relevant merits in great detail, a very attractive housing.
2. He states price, but no supply details.
3. This, now 4 pages of feedback/discussion, produces many requests to Dave for a link to the actual supplier/item.
4. Dave does not supply the requested link.
So I ask myself... why bother making the video blog?

a) Because the video contains IMO potentially useful design info. It's not just a "here is a nice cheap case, here is the link, go buy it" video.
b) The link to the box vanished after I bought it, perhaps they ran out of stock or something, I don't know, it has only just come back online it seems:
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/2014-new-Aluminum-project-box-for-electronic/1828456375.html

Thanks Dave.

[Michael Rempel]

Anyone else have a good LCD mounting solution you use for making your homebrew cases look nice and professionally made??

Doing industrial stuff for keypads and displays we always print onto overhead transparency sheets and mount it behind some thin glass or plexi. Try reverse printing and showing the back side for a shiny clean finish. If you dont want to use plexi over it, then reverse print it so the ink wont wear off. That means buttons might need to be through hole on the plexi/plastic. Alignment is a pain then but epoxy before reflow will get it if your buttons and or plastic can stand the abuse. Most transparency plastic CAN stand the heat of laser transfer.

Another technique is to do some nice wood working. Make the usual plastic or steel and then create a veneer wood top. You need to account for wood's characteristic expansion/contraction though.

[Michael Rempel]

BTW, totally worth it to get the EMS postage option every time, ...

That is to say, if you are in Germany try to avoid anything that uses EMS, since it ends up with a crap courier service here in Germany. The net is full of reports from people that fell prey to them.

Same sad story for Canada. $15 ish to clear customs with Zero other fees. Regular postal mail works just fine with no extra charges most of the time. To quote Dave; UNBELIEVABLE!

[Porto]

Eventually saw this video from Dave this afternoon and recognized that black anodized split casing he bought from China;
I have the silver version in which I have build a project this summer!   
Cost me some 7 bucks a piece on Ebay from China.

It's a LCF/ESR meter and this case with its specific dimensions were just what I was looking for!
The PCB is a just fit. Was only afraid I couldn't place the 9v battery but with a bit of grinding work on the inside
to make a bit more space that wasn't a problem after all!

Some pics:






I'm in the progress to use another case for another project; these cases are certainly really well build!

Thumbs up!

[fenclu]

I think I found the exact one from Dave's video if somebody's interested:

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/88x38x110mm-3-46-x1-49-x4-33-wxhxl-electronic-project-boxes/949026965.html