Enclosure with infra-red window

[perdrix]

I'm looking for an enclosure.  It needs to be about 180-250mm long, at least 110mm wide (need to accommodate 100mm x100mm PCB) and have sufficient depth for Speakon panel mount sockets and some 4mm binding posts.   Sockets and binding posts can be at the left and right ends or on the rear (if the width is increased to at least 150mm).

The catch is I want to have a window to allow IR control signals in.

The Hammond 1591ETRD would work I guess as it is 191 mm x 110 mm x 61 mm, but it's not the aesthetic I'm looking for.  I'd much prefer a black metal or plastic enclosure with a small IR window.

Does anyone have recommendations that won't involve costly machining work?

Thanks
David

[jpanhalt]

All plexiglass i(acrylic) transmits IR at the wavelength you will likely be using.  Some boxes may come with a window made of that; otherwise, you will have to DIY.  Other plastics may also work.

As for the box, there are lots of suppliers besides Hammond.  Which ones have you already searched?

Here's a link to the transmittance curves for various clear plastics: https://www.gsoptics.com/transmission-curves/

[Terry Bites]

Regular LED light pipes transmit IR. You can get flush mount types. With no light from inside the box the pipe will appear to be black.

[CosteC]

https://www.tme.eu/gb/details/z-112ajf/enclosures-with-panel/kradex/z112ajf/
https://www.tme.eu/gb/katalog/enclosures-with-panel_100623/?params=339:1511539,1629217_panel-colour:red,semi-transparent-red
There is whole category of enclosures with windows. Sometimes red sometimes almost black.

[perdrix]

Thanks - In the end I just went with a Hammond die-cast and drilled a 4.5mm hole for the IR sensor lens (TSOP4838).

Cheers
David

[tooki]

Thanks - In the end I just went with a Hammond die-cast and drilled a 4.5mm hole for the IR sensor lens (TSOP4838).

For good performance, make sure to follow Vishay’s recommendations on window size and placement. Here are the ones for the package type (its name is “Mold”) you selected:
https://www.vishay.com/en/optoelectronics/opto-window-area-calculator/mold/
https://www.vishay.com/docs/82758/windowsizemold.pdf