Project Name
Amplifier
Customer
A medical company working on a device used for a patient with brain injury.
Customer Needs
This customer needs protection for an expensive component. He found Toolless through a Google search and became interested in seeing what we could do to help. He had grabbed a screen shot from our website for one of our standard enclosures and added a few white areas to depict the type of openings he would need added.
U Box Enclosure With Holes in Front And Real Panels
The customer provided a couple of initial requirements. The component is held in place with a threaded circular post protruding out of the front. There would need to be a relief for a component also on the front, and he needed at least 1” clearance on the back. He also provided the datasheet for a strain relief for the back of the enclosure.
Amplifier – Medical Plastic Enclosure Design
The Design Engineer quickly models this enclosure, but the overall size of the enclosure, as well as the location and size of the cutouts, were difficult to determine from the first information provided. There were no technical drawings or dimensioned datasheets to provide the necessary dimensions. The customer sent Toolless the component; from there the designer would model the component and then model the enclosure around it. All the necessary dimensions were manually taken upon receiving the components. This is the result:
Addressing the important items / geometry: the overall dimensions and location of two protrusions the customer needed access to.
The designer pointed out that the component would fit snug between the two side walls and be held horizontally once there was a nut added to the threaded component. However, there should be something to hold the component securely horizontally as well. After discussion with the customer, we added additional brackets (seen below) to the top portion of the enclosure.
We used the “L” design to make the brackets stronger, prevent bending, and ensure good contact with the inside component.
Two more requirements were then added by the customer. He needed to make it a little more difficult to open the enclosure and he also needed the user to be able to read the FCC information on the installed component.
First we added two tabs and researched security screws to use and then added an acrylic window on the bottom to provided visibility to the FCC information.
We manufactured the enclosure in 3mm thick black ABS upon approval of the final design.
Customer Feedback on Amplifier
The customer received the first prototype. They were happy with the fit of the component and the general design of the enclosure. In order to meet the end user’s specific needs (more robust, more medical look), the material of the enclosure changed to 1/8” Light Gray Boltaron. This material has less of a texture and is a little thicker than the original material.
Even though we only added ~.2mm to the thickness of the material it was a good idea to make a second prototype; adding .2 here and .2 there can quickly add up to an enclosure and make it more robust.
This case study is a good example of Toolless capability to modify a design quickly, and meet customer’s deadline, without affecting the general quality of an enclosure. It sometimes requires a couple of prototypes before a unit is ready for production. Changes like above are effortless, and sometimes free for the customer.