SIMCO Disclosures

We discuss all things to do with plastic enclsoures and thier applications in the electronics industry.

Yeaster uses Machining and Printing Services from SIMCO

December 12th, 2014

Yeaster Uses SIMCO’s Value Added Services for Machining and Printing

SIMCO supplied the enclosures and provide the machining and printing we needed for our project. We couldn’t be happier with their service.

Without yeast, you can’t have beer. Without happy & healthy yeast, you can’t make great beer. Yeastir is an affordable, high quality magnetic stir plate that helps cultivate yeast cells to make better beer!

Stir plates use magnetic fields to stir fluids without introducing unwanted dirt, bacteria, or other organisms. Yeastir is special, because it uses a USB connection, which is convenient, low power, and available around the world. The same model of Yeastir is used by beer brewers across the United States, Canada, and Europe without modification.

A good stir plate must provide a stable, level surface to safely seat lab flasks 10 inches wide and weighing more than 10 pounds. Great products have unique “feel” to them and we wanted Yeastir to feel solidly constructed and durable. We use enclosures from SIMCO, because they offer us the same high quality products that we want offer our customers.

We, the creators of Yeastir, started with the desire build a beer brewing tool that we would be proud to sell. We decided to make a stir plate when we noticed that our brew friends were avoiding cultivating yeast, because they could not afford to buy and did not want to build their own stir plates.

For more information about Yeastir and how to order, check out Yeastir.com.

As always, best of luck with your next brew!

Design Guidelines and Tips for Plastic Enclosures

December 6th, 2014

Design is something that is always noticed at first sight. It should be elegant, and appealing enough to attract more and more consumers. The very first thing consumers notice is the design of the product. So, it is always good to give priority to this phase as much as possible.

If we discuss about plastic products then they should be designed with extra creativity and innovation since plastic products are more commonly used. Also, these products tend to change their shapes more often. Therefore, they need best designs.

What you need to proceed with a good design? Surely, you need to know the basics and that’s it. All you have to do is to brainstorm about the essentials and there you go. Make sure to think innovatively. Try to introduce something trendy, original and modern while proposing your design.

Today there are many ways to do everything. Similarly, there are some basics to create a good design for plastics as well. You just need to know and apply them in a right direction. Below are the design guidelines and tips for plastic enclosures:

Design: The very first thing that you should keep in mind is the overall quality of the product. Design is the key factor to be focused. It should be different and more appealing as compared to others.
Details: You should keep in mind all the details regarding the product. For example a medical product must have different design as compared to the kitchen product. So all the necessary details should be considered.
Speed: Time is one of the key factors to be managed as well. It all goes well if you jump in with the right thing and right timing. Continue with your product with normal speed. Neither rush to launch it without proper testing nor take too much time as well.

Let’s discuss further about the design guidelines. Following are some phases/processes that should be kept in mind while designing plastic enclosures:

1) Prototype: Once you are finished with the design part, you need to make a sample of the product. This is called the prototype of the product. When you build a prototype, it is then you can test the product for its pluses and minuses. Therefore, you need to design a product that is easy to build and test as well.

2) Mold Construction: Being a designer, you should know the complexities, limitations and boundaries of a molding process. This process is preferably used when a whole lot of plastic products are made.

3) Manufacture: It is the most cost effective phase. Your design should be easy to produce and easily malleable. Since manufacturing is the most costly process, therefore, your design should be fool proof to meet all the challenges of this phase.

4) Assemble and Decorate: Decoration is the phase that needs more attention in your design because in this process product is initially packed and aligned properly.

5) Inspection: It is the process that is done to find out all kinds of flaws and shortcomings of the product and to remove if any.

6) Packaging and Shipping: Packing and shipping is the phase that needs more attention in your design because seeing is believing. Good design and appealing packing attracts more consumers.

Keeping in view the steps involved in the development of enclosures, your design should be flexible enough to cater all the requirements of each phase accordingly. Designs are always important as consumers are attracted towards new designs even more.

Plastics should be designed with extra care in a way that they sustain their shapes in the extreme weather conditions even. At least, they should have the ability to retain their shapes as much as possible.

Besides all these basic guidelines there are few other things as well that should be focused. Like, you need to consider the color factor as well. Suppose you design a plastic enclosure that is looking fabulous in white color. When another color is applied to the same design then it looks not more than a mess.

Similarly, that goes with the size factor as well. One design is flexible enough for small size and completely a loss when it is applied to a larger size.

Along with color and size factor, you should also keep in mind that your design could be flexible enough to be successful, even when there is a slight mixing of any other material with plastic.

Suppose you come to know in the manufacturing phase that blending is essential. In this case, is your design flexible enough to accept this change? So, you have to think in that perspective as well while designing your plastic enclosure.

Conclusively, design is a base and you have to build your product image on it. Better the design, better would be the product image, in short.

Benefits of Electronic Instrument Plastic Enclosures

December 6th, 2014

What Is An Electronic Enclosure/Cage?

An electronic enclosure is an item used to protect a machine such as computer from damage. In addition, it protects you from electrical shock. The cage also protects the appliance from environmental elements such as dirt, chemicals, water, dust, or heat. Such things may affect how the machine works if you do not cover the machine well with a cage.

Source: Metromold

When you are using the computer or any other item, you often see the cage as the first thing. Therefore, it is important for the manufacturer to consider how the cage looks. Often, cages have holes that you can use to pass wires for connection to electricity.

People use plastics, steel, and other materials to make cages. Each of these items has its own pros and cons depending on where you use it.

Before buying a cage for any use, look at the pros and cons of each item that makes the cage. If you are not sure about the best item, look for an expert for help. You would rather use some more money for a skilled person, than having a bad enclosure for a long time. It is also necessary to check whether using such item is good for you or not. Like other items, plastic cages have advantages.

For more about plastic enclosures for electronics and instruments, continue reading this paper. You will learn more about benefits of plastic cages.

What are the Benefits of Electronic Instrument Plastic Enclosures or Plastic Cages?

You will come across plastic cages many times, if you are in a building. In fact, if you are in the office, the closest plastic electronic cage could be just 5 meters from you. For an office with internet and electronics, you will find plastic cages near you.

To know the advantages of plastic cages, imagine life without plastic cages. You may use cages for very expensive and dangerous appliance. If there were no cages, such appliance would bring all forms of dangers to people in the office or home. Fires and damage can cause loss of money. You can take care of your property and prevent damage by using simple plastic cages.

Source: Decomtech

When you look at cages in factories, you may think that items such as aluminum and steel are better than plastic. Even if this is true for some areas within the facility, new types of plastic emerge daily and present better qualities. Glass-filled plastic that is very stiff and durable is a good example of new type of plastic.

Even if you ignore the other advantages of plastics, you will find that plastics are also easier to use and repair. Looking at the characteristics of plastic as compared to other cage items is the best way to check the advantages of plastic cages.

First, plastic is popular because it does not conduct electricity as metals do. Thus, this makes it the best choice for places where using an appliance may cause one to get electrical shock.

People also prefer plastic cages for areas where they want to use lighter items. The reason for this is that plastic is lighter than metals. So it is better to use plastic where support for heavy electronic and instrument cages is not enough.

Plastics are cheaper than aluminum or any other item used for electronic cages. Plastics are also better if you consider all the work and cost it needs before it is ready for use. You will need more effort to make metallic cages look attractive.

As you choose the plastic cage, remember that there are two major types of plastics. The scientific names of these plastics are PC plastic and Phenolic plastic. Phenolic plastic is hard and lasts long. On the other hand, a PC plastic is strong and flexible, regardless of the temperature. Therefore, plastic type depends on how you are planning to use your appliance.

Conclusion

Plastic cages are growing in popularity with speed. More support for this idea is available in a study done by a company in 2011. The report says that the manufacture of plastics enclosures across the world will reach a worth of 10 billion pounds by the year 2017. It also predicts that in 2017, the world demand will have increased for both movable plastic cages and stationary plastic cages.

This report supports the idea that plastic brings many advantages for the people who use computers and similar items. Plastics solve the installation needs of most people because it is available in different types. When looking for appliance that uses enclosures, make a list of the needs from your item. If you fail to do that, you may choose a bad item that exposes the appliance or people to dangers.

Finally, you should ensure that you have all the necessary licenses from the government.

Plastic Enclosures vs Metal Enclosures

November 29th, 2014

There are many kinds of enclosures available in the market but the most prominent are those made of plastic and metal. In this post, we will differentiate what are plastic enclosures and what are metal enclosures.

Plastic Enclosures vs Metal Enclosures: The Difference

Source: SEPA

Metal enclosures have long been one of the most important parts in houses as well as office buildings. It is a purpose made cabinet for switches, knobs and for various electrical components that are wired in the house’s main supply. The only part of the equipment which is visible to the people in the building is the enclosure.

It is not only designed for easy use, but also for pleasing. It conceals look to the surrounding so that it does not reflect any mess. The matter of fact is that which type of part you want to install? And! What kind of material would it be made of? There are mainly two types of enclosures available in the market. One type is made of plastic which have several sub divisions and the other one is made of metal.

There are many advantages of installing metal enclosures. One big benefit of metal enclosures is that metal enclosures are a lot more resistant to weather. If you live in hard conditions where you experience a lot of rain or moisture then you must consider the material.

In wet conditions, metal enclosures are a good selection for you. This is because even with protected plastics, there is a lot of chance of the plastic swelling up. Plastic is not preferred because of deforming issues especially when that plastic is attached to metals. Rust is a big reason of loss and other huge drawbacks for the metal enclosures. But, if you use metal enclosures coated with aluminum, then you will not even have to deal with rust. Another plus point that you will have with a metal enclosure is that it blocks all sorts of interfaces.

If you reside on a hill top or near an area with higher levels of noise pollution than you must go for a heavy shielded metal enclosure. It blocks all sorts of interferences. If you reside on a hill top where antenna interferes is very high then you will need a metal enclosure. It will become a sort of an extra lifeline for your wiring systems. Moreover, you will have better grounding facilities if you opt for a metal enclosure. With this type of enclosure you will also have static protection. In case of radio switches, it is very effective. However, this form of enclosure has a few drawbacks. Mainly included drawbacks are: it is more expensive than its parts made of plastic. But the fact cannot be ignored that it lasts quite longer than plastic enclosures and is far more durable.

When dealing with plastic enclosures there are many advantages. Main considerable fact is the protection it brings along with it. The best advantage that you get from plastic enclosures is that they are very cost effective. You can get a plastic enclosure for a far lesser price than a metal one.

Furthermore, it is easy to install as well due to its lesser weight and easy handling. The metal enclosures are bulky and difficult to fix. Plastic also provides protection from UV radiations. This is particularly more useful in rough areas where the temperatures are high and hot. Due to these factors, plastic enclosures are used excessively for small junction circuits that usually handle in the premises of the house.

Cable holding is also a very positive thing because this material has greater elasticity. It increase protection for the wires inside the circuit.

Plastic enclosures are usually tough industrial protection and are far better option. This is because there are chances that it may even be submerged in chemicals or water than. This is because it does not react with the chemicals. It protects the inner wiring of your circuits very closely from any kind of contact with water or short circuiting. Though, this sort of enclosures also has drawbacks that can cause bad outcomes.

First of all, if you use an outdated plastic such as PVC then it can be harmful. It can come to contact with UV radiations and can cause high emissions. Such emissions into the environment can damage the ozone layer. Secondly, if you use low graded plastic then it can swell up at different temperatures. In moist environments, it can cause a lot of troubles for the circuiting as there will be increased chances of short circuits. Its life is also short which means at times plastic enclosures are termed as short lived.

In the end, it can be easily said that the choice of the right material of your enclosure depends upon the surroundings. If you live in in an unstable climate with high weather difference then metal enclosures suit you. However, in industrially bad environments with greater heat, plastic enclosures will be the best choice.

How To Cut A Square Hole In Enclosures

November 29th, 2014

The trend of DIY is increasing these days; people are more interested in getting things done on their own rather than paying for it. Many people do their craft work like making cabinets, a shelf for their home or installing the LCD themselves. For all these things you need to be well-knowledge about how different machines work and what purpose do they serve.

If you need to make or cut a square hole in enclosures, whether it’s metal, wood or aluminum you can easily make a square holes within a few minutes, keeping in mind that you the right tools with you. Here we have certain methods from which you can cut square holes in enclosures. So if you have these tools at home then all you need to do is get to your work bench.

First Method

This method is very easy, as you can make square holes in wood by using an ordinary chisel. Square holes are usually made as an alternative of tenon joints or the custom mortise, so if you want to make a project or turn an old fashioned wood furniture into something new and creative you can easily do it by using this method.

To cut a square properly in straight alignment, you need a drill press to drill the pilot hole after that you can carve the sides of the square with a chisel from hands. First you need to start by cutting a perfect square of ¾ by ¾ inches through a part of poplar.

Things You’ll Require

Drill press
¾ inch brad tipped drill bit
Poplar board, 4-by-12-by-3/4 inches
3/4-inch chisel
Tri-square
Mallet

Directions

First insert the ¾ inches brad tripped drill bit into the drill press, then place the poplar beneath the bit and switch the drill press on and then drill through the poplar.
Next you need to place the tri-square and then on one side of the hole, you need to draw perfect square lines with the help of tri-square.
Once the lines are drawn you need to place the chisel on top of them, align it with the lines and then tap at the end of the chisel with a mallet to make a line, follow this pattern on the all four sides.
Now you have to put the chisel on any one line and tap hard on it so that its presses down through the hole, as it penetrates the hole its cutting the sides of square hole, you can follow this on all the other sides as well.
Once your hole is made you can then trim and shave it with the chisel to make it smooth and clean.

Second Method

This second method is also very simple through which you can easily make square holes. Usually people like to do small project work or fixing or attaching some equipment at home themselves. Mostly people face difficulty in making square holes, but here is an easy way to make square holes simply by using a sabre-saw and drill bit.

Things You’ll Require

Sabre saw
1/2-inch drill bit
Drill
Sandpaper

Directions

1. First, you need to draw the square on the wood using a pencil and ruler be certain that you draw the square in proper alignment and connect the corners properly.

2. Next, you need to use your ½ inches drill bit to yield a pilot hole, remember you need to drill on one of the square corners and don’t drill on the line instead drill inside the line for a proper square.

3. Now you need the sabre saw, insert it in the hole you just yielded, switch on the saw and angle the blade towards the line which you draw for the perfect square. Keep the saw on the line and follow it on all four sides till you get a perfect square.

4. Now you will need you the sandpaper, to smooth the edges of the square, just remember this that you have to be very careful in sanding the edges so that they don’t turn round.

Wood and metal enclosures have always been in use, whether its home or for office buildings. The purpose of wood and metal enclosures is to cover electrical components, cabinets for knobs and switches which cover the wirings of the house or office. The only part which is visible in the house or office is the enclosure, but not what is inside it.

Sometimes when people need to fix or cut a square hole in enclosures, they don’t really know which method to use. Most of them have the appropriate equipment at home for creating square holes in enclosure but don’t know how to make them, through the above stated two methods; you can easily create square holes in enclosures without spending an extra dollar.

Images: popularmechanics, sparkfun.com,

Plastic Molding for Beginners

September 3rd, 2014

Plastic molding and more specifically plastic injection molding is becoming a more and more popular hobby for many enthusiasts. Plastic injection molding is the process of manufacturing plastic parts of all kinds and is actually the preferred way to do it. The process is used to produce parts like combs, bottle caps, containers, electronic housings and even automotive interiors as well as many other components.

Many people who like to produce their own things like plastic molding because it has numerous advantages such as the little effort needed to finish the parts after the molding process, minimal losses in terms of scrap, large selection of materials, repeatability and high tolerance precision.

The best polymers for plastic molding

When it comes to injection molding, the number of polymers which can be used is quite large. This includes some elastomers, some thermosets and all thermoplastics. There are literally thousands of materials enthusiasts can chose from.

Materials can also be mixed with various blends or alloys for an even larger selection and this is what some people do in order to ensure they have the material with the properties they need. Ideally, materials should be chosen based on the function and strength desired for the part that is going to be produced. However, each material’s individual parameters for molding should also be considered.

Injection molding equipment

Image Source: Wikipedia.org

If you are serious about plastic molding, you will need the right equipment.

Machine

The plastic molding machines are also referred to as presses and they consist of a heating unit, a screw-type or injection ram plunger and a material hopper. The machines work on a very simple principle. First, plastic is inserted in the form of grains, which are then heated and injected into a mold.

There are various machines people can choose from and they all have their tonnage. Tonnage refers to the clamping force of each machine. Some machines have a tonnage of 5 tons or less while others can reach 6,000 tons. The right tonnage is very important and it should be chosen based on the projected area of the part you’d like to create.

Mold

In order to be able to create your part, you will need a mold. Molds can be constructed from various materials including a beryllium-copper alloy, aluminum, pre-hardened steel and hardened steel. The choice mainly depends on the amount of parts that are going to be produced and their type.

Steel molds are usually expensive but can last a long time and therefore allow for a larger number of parts to be produced. One of the best materials for molds is aluminum. Aluminum molds are less expensive than steel ones and depending on the grade of the aluminum, can be used for the production of thousands of parts. They also offer faster cycles and a quicker turnaround due to the better heat dissipation that they offer.

Plastic injection molding is a great way to produce various useful parts affordably, especially when such parts cannot be bought elsewhere. The process is really simple once you understand it and the wide range of materials and molds can help anybody produce what they need.

Common Benefits of Plastic Enclosures

August 27th, 2014

Plastic enclosures are the most popular way to protect electronic devices from any harmful effects. Often electronics manufacturers choose aluminum and steel for their enclosures, but the recently introduced more durable types of plastic are about to change this

Image Source: Wikipedia.org

Although, choosing the best material for your electronic device’s enclosure requires understand the exact requirements of the particular project, for most of the items you can save a lot of money by using plastic. Furthermore, used in the right conditions, plastic enclosures tend to last longer than these created from other materials.

Most Important Plastic’s Features

The main difference between the plastic and other materials used to create electronics’ enclosures is that it doesn’t conduct electricity. This feature is especially important if there are concerns about electrical shortage or the device will be used near water.

Another feature where plastic comes superior is its weight. If you plan to outsource the assembly of electronic devices or for your particular project – enclosure’s weight plays vital role, definitely plastic is the best material for your needs.

Costs play important role for every electrical device project and plastic is reasonably cheaper than aluminum, steel and other metals used to create electronics’ devices enclosures.

Finally, metal enclosures require finishing, while plastic doesn’t. This alone eliminates one step from the production process without risking the durability of the plastic enclosure.

Polycarbonate vs. Phenolic Plastics

There are 2 main types of plastic used during the creation of plastic electronics enclosures – polycarbonate and phenolic. While both provide extensive durability, they are manufactured using different processes and understanding these could help you make the best choice for your project.

Polycarbonate is synthesized from wide range of different materials. Polycarbonate is one very strong, flexible across all temperatures and for that reason it has high impact rating.

Phenolic plastic is synthesized from coal. It’s turned into usable plastic, by heating the coal until it melts and pouring the resin into a mold. The phenolic plastic is very hard and extremely durable, with very high tolerance to arcing.

Plastic Certifications

The best way to choose safe plastic for your project is to make sure it comes with safety certification – the UL certificate is the most popular in the industry. To meet the certification requirements electronic plastic enclosures need to be create from material approved by the UL and also there are certain thickness requirements to conform with.

Assessing Your Needs for Plastic Enclosures

To choose the best materials for your electronics’ enclosures you need to assess your project requirements right. This is the best way to ensure that your device will work properly under the given conditions.

Although, plastic offers lots of options and flexibility, in some cases you just can’t use plastic enclosure for your electronic device. Choose the enclosure material carefully if you don’t want to reduce its durability.

Introduction to Plastic Injection Molding

August 20th, 2014

Plastic injection molding is the most commonly used process for converting raw material plastics to actual plastic parts today. It is a quick and very reliable method that has many advantages over other similar practices. The most common material used for this type of plastic molding is thermoplastic which can be easily melted, shaped and cooled. Plastic injection molding allows for a quick fully automated production of simple or complex high quality components which can be anything from bottle caps to food packaging and even various automotive products.

Source: Wikipedia

The plastic injection molding cycle

Nowadays, plastic injection molding is mostly automated and even though technology has evolved a lot during the years, the process itself has remained relatively simple. This type of plastic molding requires polymeric material in granule or powder form to be inserted in the machine where it is melted and injected into a mold. The mold itself is usually made of steel, hardened-steel, aluminum or another metal and is held shut under pressure while the molten plastic is being injected. The plastic solidifies very quickly once it enters the mold and is then ejected after a certain period of cooling time which in most cases is very short.

The machines

Different factories use different machines for their plastic molding operations. The type of the machine heavily depends on the type of the parts that are going to be produced. One of the most important qualities for a machine is tonnage. The tonnage of machines usually varies between 5 or less tons to 6,000 tons. However, machines with such a large tonnage are not frequently used.

Quality of the mold

This type of plastic molding is preferred by individuals and businesses around the world because of the high level of precision and quality of final parts that it offers. However, incorrect control of the molding process and bad mold design are usually the two main reasons why thermoplastic moldings are sometimes defective. The most common defects include:

1. Shrinkage

This happens when the thermoplastic cools in the mold. This usually happens with the use of highly crystalline plastics. Plastic usually shrinks more with the increase of the mold temperature because of its increased molecular energy. This may be compensated by higher packing pressure.

2. Splash marks

These defects usually look like silver streaks on the surface of the mold. It usually happens when there is moisture in the material. In this case moisture is heated and enters the mold cavity. Moisture then volatilizes off and causes the so-called splash effect because of the sudden decompression when the material actually enters the cavity. This defect usually occurs when using thermoplastics which attract moisture better than other materials. Such thermoplastics include polyacetal and nylon.

Plastic molding has been taken to a whole new level with the invention of injection molding. The process allows for hundreds of thousands of parts to be produced with a single mold which also makes it extremely cost effective. Other benefits of plastic injection molding include the wide range of available materials and high level of precision.

External Hard Drive Enclosures 101

August 14th, 2014

External hard drives make it incredibly easy for users to transfer large amounts of data from their computer to other sources. It’s incredibly easy to transform internal hard drive into external by installing the right enclosure on it.

The external hard drive makes it easy for users to back up their data and prevent data loses. By installing a good enclosure on your internal hard drives you improve their durability and you can install them on any device you have.

What are some of the features of external hard drive enclosures?

Materials used

External hard drive enclosures are created using 3 main materials – metal, aluminum and plastic. Sometimes, manufacturers use a combination of all three materials to make the enclosure even more durable and efficient.

Connection Type

Most of the external hard drives can be connected to your computer system using standard USB 2.0 and 1.1 ports. The choice for the most suitable type of connection needed for your external hard drive depends on the free ports you have in your system.

USB 2.0 offers a lot higher file transfer speed than USB 1.1 and if you have such port on your system its best to take advantage of this connection type.

Hard Drive Interface

Most of the internal hard drives used in Desktop computers come with two main types of interfaces – SATA and IDE. The hard drives using the SATA interface are largely popular and offer better performance than those using IDE. There are special enclosures for SATA hard drives, which will enable you to take advantage not only of USB 2.0, but also Firewire connection type.

Size

Depending on the machine they are used for, hard drives come in two main sizes – 3.5 and 2.5 inch. The first ones are widely used for desktop configurations, while the second one for netbooks and laptops. Typically, the 3.5 inch hard drives are more reliable and offer faster transfer speeds, but the size really depends on the machine you are looking to upgrade with an external hard drive.

Bays Available

Hard drive enclosures are available with single and dual bays. Depending on the amount of external hard drives you want to use, you can choose between the two types of enclosures. You can always buy new single bay hard drive enclosure if you need some extra storage space in the future.

How to use an external hard drive enclosure?

You just learned the main features of external hard drive enclosures, so if you don’t know where to start from, here are some simple steps to prepare the right hard drive enclosure for your needs:

The most important thing to consider when choosing external hard drive enclosure is the connection type supported by your computer. USB interfaces are incredibly popular and they are the most preferred choice for users.
Place the internal hard drives in the enclosure and connect all necessary cables. Once you have the hard drive connected to the enclosure you simply need to plug it in your computer.
You are done! External hard drive enclosures make it incredibly easy and fast to transform internal hard drives into external ones without almost no technical knowledge.

Handheld Enclosures and Desktop Enclosures for your Electronics.

July 23rd, 2014

Handheld Enclosures and Desktop Enclosures

SIMCO’s handheld enclosures can be great for practically any handheld electronic gadget. These Handheld Series enclosures are generally as affordable as they are beautiful. When they had been designed, handheld Series enclosures were SIMCO’s smallest enclosures to date. Handheld Series enclosures tend to be built exclusively to be used for any form of handheld gadget like controllers, keypads, or additional convenient functions. The DISCOVERY Series handheld enclosures can be specially made to offer the operator a better quantity of versatility. There are four different mixtures of tops and bottoms. These different tops and bottoms tend to be exchangeable, producing four specific variations that can then be further customized with the custom tooling inserts for a sole pattern. The unique tooling inserts supply an inexpensive choice for personalizing these handheld enclosures, saving time and decreasing costs while giving the product distinctive functionality and looks. Openings for custom led screens and controls, cut-outs for buttons and connectors, bezels, and speaker grills tend to be all features that can be molded in this method for additional customization. Handheld enclosures covers, there are two top covers to decide from. One is a sloped style with a high-tech, smooth profile with sleek, flowing lines meant for products with a high visibility. The other is a standard cover that is great for usual functions. The design is simplistic, yet not unattractive, and very functional. Two bottom cover models tend to be also on hand. One of the bottom covers is basic, as the other comprises a battery area. The battery compartment is tension loaded and contains a detachable door and a positive lock. Both of the bottom covers contain screw mount bosses and recessed locations for adhesive rubber feet needed to make the product skid resistant.

SIMCO uses only high impact ABS plastic for the DISCOVERY Series. ABS is scratch resistant with a velvety soft texture. The standard available colors are black, PC bone grey, and dark grey. SIMCO offers other options including EMI/RFI shielding, UL approved materials, and custom colors.

SIMCO also has another size of off-the-shelf enclosure that was developed according to customer requests – the Desktop Series 150×75. The top and bottom of the 150×75 enclosure textured to resist scratching and scuffing at the same time giving it an attractive appearance. As with all SIMCO’s Desktop Series enclosures, it has a recessed area. Inside, this new off-the-shelf enclosure will include card guides and mounting bosses. These will aid in assembly. SIMCO has also made obtainable front and rear panels for the 150×75. The panels can be molded to minimize customization costs including vent slots and other cut-outs. Just like the other Desk Top Series and Handhelds Series SIMCO enclosures, the 150×75 are molded from high impact ABS plastic materials. ABS gives the enclosures a comfortable, if not ergonomic feel and is scratch resistant an important feature for handheld enclosures. The 150×75 is an important part of the SIMCO Desktop Series of off-the-shelf plastic enclosures.