Protocase Resources

The information below is intended to be helpful for customers who wish to learn more about enclosure design. Also, please use our online support if you have questions for our expert design staff.

   

Frequently Asked Questions

Components

What is a self-clinching fastener?

To facilitate mounting your printed circuit boards, power supplies, or other devices, Protocase offers a variety of self-clinching threaded standoffs, threaded studs, or nuts. These come fully pressed into your enclosure or part, and are available in both metric and English/imperial sizes. Standard sizes include #4-40, #6-32, #8-32, #10-24, M3, M4, and M5. Please identify your desired fasteners in the enclosure drawing that you will provide to us when you place your order. Learn more about self-clinching fasteners.

Is it possible to use rivets in my design?

Yes, you can use rivets in your design. We stock a few different types of blind rivets. If you require a different rivet, we would be happy to order them for you as a non-stock request.

What studs do you stock?

Protocase stocks many studs in a variety of lengths and threads. View the full list of studs we stock here, as well as a list of non-stock studs that we can order for you in a minimum quantity (subject to vendor availability and may extend manufacturing lead times).

What if you don't stock the fastener I need?

We can order the fastener you need. Please note this may affect our 2-3 day turnaround. Contact us for more information.

What is the difference between flush head and concealed head fasteners?

Flush-head fasteners are mechanically pressed through a hole in sheet metal. They sit nearly flush with the sheet metal beyond a slight indentation, which is less noticeable after powdercoat is applied. Flush Heads can also be buffed down to make them even less noticeable, and are the faster, more cost effective option. Concealed-head fasteners are not inserted through the metal and are instead mechanically pressed into a CNC milled/machined pocket. Because concealed head fasteners use the CNC mill, they are more expensive than flush heads. They are completely undetectable on the exterior of the metal because concealed head aren’t passed through. To read more, check out our self-clinching fasteners page.

Can you sell gaskets with adhesive backing?

Yes we have the option for both adhesive and non-adhesive backing. Read more on our Gasket page.