Designing For Environmental Conditions

When you’re designing and building custom electronic enclosures, it’s crucial to ensure the final manufactured product can withstand its environmental conditions. This approach prevents the need any reworks or replacements, thereby avoiding latencies and any additional cost.

At Protocase, we bring your parts, panels, and enclosures to life in just 2-3 days. We do so while upholding the highest quality standards.

However, building a durable custom electronic enclosure goes beyond just impeccable manufacturing. It’s also about the smart choices you make during the design process. Picking the right materials and finishes that better fit specific environments is very important.

So, let’s dive into why designing custom enclosures is a process that begins with a deep understanding of the environment that they will be operating in.

External Environmental Conditions

For enclosures exposed to moisture or completely submerged, prioritize waterproofing to prevent water from damaging internal components.

Similarly, in hot climates or applications where the enclosure will house heat-generating electronics, effective thermal management becomes crucial. This might involve integrating vents, fans, or even advanced cooling systems to dissipate heat and maintain optimal operating temperatures.

And in environments where dust or sand is prevalent, ensuring the enclosure is resistant to dust is essential. This involves designing seals and filters that prevent dust from accumulating inside the enclosure, thereby ensuring its longevity and reliability.

All of these factors are important for creating custom enclosures that work well and fit the specific needs of their environment.

Material Considerations

Aluminum alloys, especially 2024 and 6061, provide excellent corrosion resistance. This makes them ideal for marine or coastal applications, where they frequently face exposure to moisture and salt.

Stainless steel, on the other hand, has remarkable strength and durability. Hence, it’s an excellent choice for environments that are prone to harsh chemicals or extreme temperatures.

Then you have galvanneal, which exhibits superior resistance to moisture. This makes it an ideal option for outdoor enclosures that require protection against the elements. Powdercoated galvanneal is more durable in wet environments than cold-rolled steel, but it doesn’t match the durability of stainless steel or aluminum.

Moving on, copper is particularly favored for its superior thermal and electrical conductivity. These qualities make it the material of choice for enclosures that require efficient heat dissipation and electrical conductivity. This makes copper invaluable in industries where preventing overheating in devices is critical. Adding resicoat is a very popular choice for insulating copper parts too.

Meanwhile, plastics such as acrylic and acetal, provide excellent insulation properties. These materials are particularly suited for environments where electrical non-conductivity is crucial, offering a safeguard against electrical hazards and contributing to the overall safety of electrical applications.

Conclusion

Depending on the external environment for your custom enclosure, some materials and finishes are more recommended than others. Careful consideration of these factors will lead to a more durable and effective enclosure.

If you want any help on deciding what material and finish would best suit your projects, reach out to your Protocase Account Manager. They’ll make sure you get the support you need and help you feel confident in making those important design decisions.

Additionally, our internal Engineering and Design Services team to go that extra mile to deliver your custom enclosure precisely to your specifications and suited for its intended environment.