For successful solutions, manufacturers must strive to design products that stand out from the competition. However this is no easy task when the tradeoff between customisation and cost are so pertinent. Here Hitaltech highlights a winning formula that compliments both sides of the margin
As design engineers are pushed by marketing teams to design aesthetically pleasing products, which can be differentiated from the competition, they are increasingly facing a situation where a standard, off-the-shelf enclosure no longer meets their requirements.
In large volume products a custom enclosure will be realised through the design and production of a custom mould tool with a pay back of the cost being realised in a relatively short timescale. However in low to medium volume products the options to invest in the necessary mould tools for a custom enclosure is neither practical nor financially viable and as a result a degree of customisation of a standard off-the-shelf enclosure is often required through machining, drilling and/or printing.
This process is usually either carried out by a third party leading to a substantial hike in costs, longer lead times and is often associated with large minimum order quantities. The customisation process can be carried out internally through investment in machining and printing equipment however this can require substantial allocation of internal resources.
Solution specialists such as Hitaltech are currently supplying enclosures into the building automation market and within this sector both energy management technologies and light management are registering a high growth rate. As a result manufacturers within this industry are striving to design products, which can be differentiated from the competition on both a functional and aesthetic level.
In effect a trend has emerged over recent years where a growing number of existing customers within this market are finding themselves in a tradeoff situation between customisation costs and the need to set themselves apart from their competitors.
In order to meet this need the company and its manufacturing partner Italtronic have worked together to develop a range of DIN Rail enclosures which suit a variety of applications as standard, as well as offering the option to customise the product to meet customer specific demands.
A two option approach has been developed which gives design engineers the possibility to differentiate their product for both low and medium volumes with excellent value to cost ratio, and without the need to invest in expensive tooling and processes.
The first of these options is aimed at low volume projects with typical annual quantities from one to three thousand pieces. Using a combination of high tech multiple tools, multiple axis CNC machines as well as low cost high-quality laser and full colour digital printing processes, the company are able to offer customised enclosures at very good value for money.
The second option is aimed at medium volumes with typical annual quantities from three thousand pieces. Using a multiple slide, flexible tooling approach Hitaltech’s partner Italtronic have developed a range of mould tools that can be adapted by the inclusion of relatively low cost custom mould tool inserts to produce a finished custom enclosure. This custom enclosure is produced direct from the injection moulding process therefore eliminating the need for additional machining.
The company’s customisation options have recently been fully utilised by design engineers at Schneider Electric in the development of a new Remote Terminal Unit called the Talus T4e.
Used in water and waste water treatment sites, environmental monitoring systems, abstraction points and booster pumping stations, the solution is housed in the company’s standard 12M Modulbox DIN rail and wall mountable enclosure.
Whilst working with the engineers at Schneider Electric it became apparent that they required a DIN rail mounting enclosure to have large internal volume for components with openings for a large number of inputs and outputs as well as having both wall and DIN rail mounting capability.
The projected annual quantities fell into the small to medium volume category and therefore the customer did not want to invest in custom mould tools but ideally wanted to receive the enclosure already customised to their requirements allowing them to eliminate the need to sub contract out any machining or printing to a third party.
Based on these requirements a Modulbox ‘C’ version was proposed. This version features two high shoulders compared to the traditional two step design, resulting in the advantage of increased internal volume giving more room for components and airflow.
As well as requiring custom openings for components, the customer also required laser markings on the enclosure and a digitally printed transparent top panel.
The resulting finished product is housed in an enclosure which looks aesthetically pleasing and gives a distinct customised look meeting both functional and aesthetic requirements.
Hitaltech
