Professional looking instrument enclosures

[Aiy]

Hi Everyone,

I've been looking around for pro-level instrument enclosures in the desktop DMM half-rack size, preferably with some different depths and/or heights, optional handle and the rubber-baby-buggy-bumpers as Dave says.
I've had some success and found the METCASE Unimet range:
https://www.metcase.co.uk/en/Unimet/M5623125.htm

It's somewhat expensive at 200-300 EUR at RS. Anybody know of any alternatives?

Best regards,

[KE5FX]

For a one-off project, or for production?

[Uunoctium]

Camdenboss?
Unfortunately in same price range

https://www.camdenboss.com/camden-boss/enclosures/metal-enclosures/desktop-and-instrument-metal-enclosures/110-series-aluminium-instrumentation-enclosure/c-23/c-2219?page=1

[edpalmer42]

There's a sticky in the Manufacturing & Assembly section that lists many enclosure manufacturers.

[Aiy]

For a one-off project, or for production?

Maybe 1-5 a year?

There's a sticky in the Manufacturing & Assembly section that lists many enclosure manufacturers.

Oh nice, I didn't know that, thanks!

Best regards,

[rf-messkopf]

You can check Rose Systemtechnik, e.g., the wavetronic series, which can be fitted with a tilting handle. But the prices are no different.

If plastic is okay you can look at the offerings of Bopla Gehäusesysteme, for example the ULTRAMAS series (pdf brochure here). I'm not sure if there is a handle specifically for ULTRAMAS, but Bopla can definitely fit them with a handle, check the catalog. They are nice and professional enclosures, and are considerably cheaper, see Reichelt, for example. But no rubber bumpers.

I think Fischer Elektronik has a series with rubber bumpers, but I'm not sure. Also Schroff/nvent is worth a try, but they will be even more expensive.

[shabaz]

With respect, that particular case may have looked good in the 1980's but it makes a product look dated and I think it's possible to do far better.

Hammond have anodized extruded alu cases in a variety of sizes approaching the ballpark size of the enclosure you show (similar width and depth, but 19 mm shorter height, but they have others which are wider for a similar volume perhaps), and they are a fraction of the price; some around $50, see https://www.hammfg.com/electronics/small-case/extruded/1455  and they look nicer in my subjective opinion. The top still comes off, for ease of access, and the end panels can be custom, such as printed alu PCBs. The attached photo shows an example (not my photo so I cropped it for fair use). I have used these enclosures several times for personal projects, and they are a pleasure to use and affordable especially in the smaller sizes. Of course, AliExpress has even cheaper extruded enclosures, but it may be hard to guarantee availability unless you buy all you need at one time.

I think those Hammond enclosures look better still if you ditch the narrow black plastic surround that they supply, because the panels still screw on. Tilting legs could be purchased elsewhere and bolted on.

The rubber bumper on some instruments isn't all that fit for purpose, it's sometimes just a style thing, hardly all that rugged. If you wish to protect the front controls, personally I'd order a nylon surround to be 3D printed, specifically shaped with your controls in mind. Customers would probably appreciate that more when they see how hard it is to accidentally knock a control when there's custom shaped plastic around it.

As for carrying handle, how about paying a leather shop to cut and burnish you a strap, it might feel modern and not too retro if the leather was a light color. More stylish I feel, easy to DIY yourself too, and still practical and easy to assemble.

Anyway all this was just a very subjective opiniin, to throw some ideas out there.

[rf-messkopf]

With respect, that particular case may have looked good in the 1980's but it makes a product look dated and I think it's possible to do far better.

You mean these ones: https://www.bopla.de/fileadmin/product_data/00_the_red_book/ultramas_de.pdf?  True, they have been around for quite some time, but having them used a lot I don't think they look bad in person. Maybe I'm showing my age. 

I'm not sure if these extruded aluminum enclosures (Hammond, but Fischer Elektronik makes very similar ones) are a particularly good fit for a proper benchtop instrument like a DMM or similar that would use a tilting handle. They are okay for small and simple things, are straightforward to use and provide good shielding when used with a EMC gasket. I have used them for some projects, but I think they are not the right thing for a real benchtop instrument. I also had the issue with some extruded aluminum boxes from Hammond that they had huge manufacturing tolerances and didn't sit flat on the table

These are some more modern looking cases from the same manufacturer, plastic and aluminum:

https://www.bopla.de/fileadmin/product_data/00_the_red_book/botego_de.pdf
https://www.bopla.de/fileadmin/product_data/00_the_red_book/intertego_de.pdf

I haven't checked the prices in detail but they should be much less than 200 or 300 EUR, the Botego (plastic) is around EUR 75.

[shabaz]

Sorry, I was responding to the first post, I.e. referring to the enclosure in the photo in the thread starter's post, I should have made that clearer.

I've not noticed warp, although I do screw rubber feet to the underside that might be masking that observation. I do use them as desktop instruments, they don't slip back with the feet (I have not added a tilt stand however).

Just remembered I also used a similar-ish Fischer Electronics enclosure in the past too, (smaller), same ballpark price as Hammond. I had to mill off the anodized layer in the areas where I needed to add the shielding gasket (photo attached). To me it looks a bit more modern, but I realize that's not necessarily a top priority besides the subjectiveness.