Metcase – Bespoke metal enclosures span desktop types to 19-inch rack-mount cases

Based on its extensive range of metal enclosures, Metcase now offers a bespoke metal enclosure service. Many different types of enclosures can be manufactured to order – including desktop, portable, wall mount and 19inch rack mount cases. The service is designed to help design engineers develop their own ‘unique’ housing which exactly matches their requirements as cost-effectively as possible.

By utilising standard extrusion profiles and die-castings, and manufacturing special fabricated sheet metal parts, the company also offer small batch sizes. The typical minimum order quantity is just 10 enclosures. This can be very useful for high-value, low-volume electronics equipment, or evaluation batches during new product development.

Working with Metcase, the design engineer can specify all the mounting parameters for their electronic components, assemblies and PCBs. It will then manufacture the enclosures to the exact external dimensions required, and CNC punch or drill all the external panels with holes and cut outs to suit the connectors, PCBs, switches, displays etc.

The company can also supply special internal chassis and mounting plates for the PCB assemblies, power supplies, keyboard units etc. These special parts can be manufactured in steel or aluminium. A range of standard finishes includes powder polyester and wet paints, natural or coloured anodising, and special conductive coatings such as ‘Interlox 338′. The enclosures can be painted in standard RAL colours or non-standard colours matched to a sample.

Front panels can be machined with all the necessary cut outs for the displays and controls. They can also be anodised or painted, and silk screen printed or engraved with the control legends and logos, says the company.