SIMCO Disclosures

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

What Makes a Good Plastic Enclosure?

May 31st, 2015

The reason why consumers purchase a plastic enclosure is to protect an electronic device from external elements like weather, dirt, and a lot more. Unfortunately not all plastic enclosures offered in the market right now are of good quality that is why it is important to know the different qualities that make a good plastic enclosure.

Kind of Plastic Used

There are a handful of plastics that can be used to produce plastic enclosures. There are plastics that emit highly toxic fumes while there are other kinds that are safer for the environment. Here are some of the plastic materials that you should look for your electronic device:

ABS Plastic

Short for acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, ABS is a combination of three plastic elements that produce highly durable yet less hazardous polymer. ABS is the plastic material that Simco uses to ensure durability and safety to users. This plastic can hold form even if exposed under extreme temperatures, which makes it a reliable enclosure.

SIMCO Deep Bottom Plastic Enclosures

April 13th, 2015

For a number of electronic devices that require more depth and space, Simco has a variety of deep bottom plastic enclosures to offer. The ranges vary according to depth, dimension, color, and other provisions. All of Simco’s deep bottom plastic enclosures are made from durable ABS plastic and are all ROHS compliant. Aside from these, Simco offers customized plastic enclosures where clients can have their company’s logo etched on the enclosure. In addition, clients can have the option to install PC board mounting bosses. Furthermore, the clients can also choose to secure their electronic devices by installing RFI/EMI shielding and/or choosing the flame retardant plastic. Lastly, these deep bottom plastic enclosures can easily be made handy with the installation of Simco’s BC-1 belt clip. All of these are offered by Simco.

Here is a detailed description for each variant of Simco’s deep bottom plastic enclosure.

The first deep bottom plastic enclosure variant is the 150×23. This model is good for electronic devices that require a small internal housing. It offers 8.5in³ of internal space that can fit your electronic device and wires. The dimensions of this variant measures 1.530 x 2.500 x 3.00”. The upper and lowers halves of this plastic enclosure can be securely fastened by 4 plastite screws.

The second deep bottom plastic enclosure variant is the 150×25. This model is slightly larger than the first variant. It is very light at 0.29lb. Similar to the previous variant, 4 plastite screws can securely fastened the two halves of the enclosure.

The third deep bottom plastic enclosure variant is the 190×23. This model offers 10.9in³ of internal space. The material used for this enclosure can be easily drilled to provide spaces for switches, screen panels, or cables.

The fourth deep bottom plastic enclosure variant is the 190×25. This is the second to the largest variant of Simco’s deep bottom plastic enclosures in terms of internal space available. This is slightly larger than the third variant. Its dimensions measure 1.88 x 2.53 x 5.05”. Similar to all previous variants, this enclosure is securely fastened by 4 plastite screws.

The fifth deep bottom plastic enclosure variant is the 250×23. It offers 14.8 in³ of internal space. Despite its hefty size, this enclosure only weighs 0.24lbs. This cube-like plastic enclosure measures 2.5 x 2.5 x 3”.

The last deep bottom plastic enclosure variant is the 250×25. This is the largest variant of Simco’s deep bottom plastic enclosures. It is good for electronic devices that require depth and provision for wiring. This plastic enclosure measures 2.47 x 2.53 x 5.05” which can offer around 30in³ of internal space.

All of the above mentioned deep bottom plastic enclosures go in three different colors – black, dark grey, and ivory. These plastic enclosures fit Simco’s BC-1 belt clip to give that portability option. Lastly, all of these deep bottom plastic enclosures have slightly textured external finish as protection from scratches.

Now clients have a variety of options to choose from the different deep bottom plastic enclosures made available by Simco. What’s really nice with Simco is the option to personalize these plastic enclosures. The company logo may be etched on the external covering. Simco also offers full custom-made plastic enclosure when none of the offered plastic enclosure can fit your electronic device. You simply send your design to Simco and Simco’s resident designers will coordinate with your regarding your design.

SIMCO makes plastic enclosures affordable to customers. The bulkier the order, the cheaper the price becomes. SIMCO can even send you a free sample if you want to check out the quality and size of the different plastic enclosures.

What You Need to Know When Choosing a Plastic Enclosure

February 15th, 2015

Choosing the best enclosure to protect electronic devices can really be confusing and taxing for some. There is such a wide range of enclosures available that makes it more confusing for consumers. From plastic to metal, from cheap to expensive, and from light materials to heavy duty, one just can’t decide which the right fit is. Before you head out and buy yourself a plastic enclosure, it is best to answer these essential questions to learn what you truly need.

075X22 ABS PLASTIC POTTING BOX

Where?

The first question to ask is where are you going to install your electronic device? Are you installing it outdoors or indoors? If you are installing your device indoors, then the best suited plastic enclosure for you maybe a polyester plastic or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic. These plastic materials are best suited indoors because of its weak resistance to heat and direct sunlight. Both also have good moisture resistance which make it a better choice for indoor installation. Lastly, both are cheaper options that other plastic enclosures mixed with fiber glass and stainless steel enclosures.

If your answer to this question is outdoors, then you must choose a plastic enclosure that can withstand different elements of weather like rain, wind, snow, sun, and the like. The best plastic enclosure for outdoor use is the poly carbonate one. Aside from its reasonable price, plastic made from poly carbonate can withstand extreme heat and extreme cold temperatures. It also can survive an acidic environment, which means it can withstand rain.

075X22 ABS Plastic Potting Box

There are also sub questions that you can ask yourself. For example if you are installing indoors, will it be mounted on the wall or on the ceiling? Or if you are installing outdoors, will it be installed on the roof or out on the garden? There are quite a number of available ready-made plastic enclosures for wall-mounted or roof-mounted devices; however there is also an option to have the plastic enclosure custom-made. The latter is of course more expensive than the former.

What?

The second question to ask is what is the function of your device? If your device is a meter, for example electric meters where frequent readings are done, then you need a transparent plastic enclosure or a plastic enclosure with a transparent lid. If the device is not a meter, then you can opt to get a fully opaque plastic enclosure. There are actually more choices with the fully opaque plastic enclosures. There are opaque enclosures that have shallow settings and some have deeper settings and both are available for indoor, wall-mounted devices. Again, if none of your desired plastic enclosure is readily available, you can have a custom-made one but expect it to be way more expensive that the ready-made ones.

How much?

The third question to ask is how much your budget is. People usually make their choices according to the budget available; however it is almost always proven that cheap does not really last and does not always do the job. This is the reason why this question is placed third on the list. Do not buy according to how much you can spend. You must know first the kind of quality you need. It is definitely cheaper to buy ready-made plastic enclosure as what has been mentioned previously. Plus, plastic enclosures are way cheaper than the old enclosures made from stainless steel or pure fiber glass. To give an idea, small plastic enclosures (0.5 inch x 1 in x 3 in) sold retail can be as cheap as $3.00 a piece.

35TBA Endeavor 35 Series Pocket Size Enclosures

Why?

The last question to ask is why buy plastic enclosures? There are a handful of reasons why consumers choose plastic enclosures and why experts also recommend it. The first and probably the most important for consumers is its cost. Plastic is cheaper than its competitors: metal, wood, fiber glass, stainless steel. Despite its cheaper costs, the new age plastic enclosures are durable and lightweight. Plastic enclosures can survive weather and time, plus it definitely does not rust unlike metal.

The second and probably the most important reason for the experts is its electrical resistance. This means that plastic is not a conductor of electricity which makes it safe for consumers. Aside from this, the new plastic enclosure does not spark electronic arcing which does not discharge current that can cause fire or ground.

Another reason is aesthetics. Since plastic is easily formed, it can have a variety of designs, shapes, and sizes. This gives the consumers a variety of options which can suit their budget and their taste.

In Closing

Now choosing the best plastic enclosure for your device is less confusing and more enjoyable. You can now head to your friendly neighbourhood hardware or go online and purchase the plastic enclosure that will fit your requirements and needs.

Benefits of Medical Plastic Enclosure

December 17th, 2014

The number of people who are looking for medical items is increasing. At the same time, people are looking for cheaper items that are safe. In addition, people are now using cleaner items in order to follow needs of safety, easy make, and comfortable use.

Some of the machines you find in the hospital are movable while others are not. All of the machines in hospitals work in different ways. Therefore, the person making them should be careful which item he or she uses.

Source: Armstrongmold

Luckily, the newest items in the market are able to work even in very difficult areas. Plastics are the most popular items for making cages. This essay looks at the traits of plastics. It also shows the good of plastics bring when used for cages in hospital.

Medical Plastic Enclosure

Apart from plastic, other common items for cages are fiber glass and steel. The item you use will depend on the value it brings to you and the specific use of the cage.

When looking at plastic, consider the chemicals in it. Plastic cages are composed of units called polymers. A polymer is a mixture of smaller units called monomers.

Some of the plastics that you will find in hospitals include PP, PC, PA (Nylon), and PPS. Each of these items has pros and cons.

Source: Envplastics

Several Benefits of Plastics

The first benefit of plastics is the ability to stay with living tissues without harming them. Since a cage in the hospital affects air, ability to stay without causing harm to the air is vital. Most types of plastic are able to do this.

Plastics are also good for cages because of their ability to clean easily. Research shows that plastics have good cleaning traits. This is a vital trait for medical device cages, which require regular cleaning. Most plastics are not affected by cleaning methods used in hospitals.

Plastic is also good for its ability to fight off damage from. The hospital staff exposes medical tools to many types of chemicals during the cleaning processes. Though all plastics are able to resist damage from chemicals, some are better than others are. If you will be cleaning the cage frequently, PC and ABS are the most suitable plastics to use.

Plastic is also popular for good mechanical qualities. Plastic mechanical qualities include resistance to fight off wear, hardness, and strength. Plastics that hospitals use have good mechanical traits. Such traits enable medical tool cages to perform well regardless of the coldness or hotness.

Plastic items in the hospital also have the ability to work well under heavy weight. Some medical tools operate in areas with heavy weights. Such places expose the cages to wear. One of the biggest benefits of plastic is that it has a lot of strength. Research shows that some plastics are four times stronger than fiber glass.

Have you seen how easy it is to cut plastic? This is because plastic has the ability to bend easily and does not break easily. This is vital because you may need to change medical devices often. Other items such as fiber glass and steel are not as easy to deal with since they are not as stiff as plastic.

Plastic is also cheaper than the other items used for cages. Steel is the most costly cage item. Fiber glass is more costly than plastic, although this is by a small margin.

Plastics with good look also come to mind when you consider the benefits of medical device plastic cage. As a user, I am sure you usually share medical devices. In addition, it is common for people to transport the items from one place to another. Therefore, you need to buy a plastic cage that is durable. A plastic cage in the hospital also needs to look good. This makes patients feel good.

Conclusion

You need to compare the working air with how suitable the selected plastic enclosure is. Nowadays, the goodness of plastics for the hospital has made work easier for those who plan and make the cages.

Some types of plastics are very popular because of their traits. Such items are suitable for cleaning, exposure to the sun, exposure to chemicals, among others.

Makers are trying to make hospital items that are good for the air in the hospital. These items should also be movable and good looking. This means that people are more careful when choosing the items they use for cages. Planners and users choose the available items depending on several factors. Examples of such factors are performance, look, and ability to last.

Taking the right item for medical device enclosure is a matter of looking at the hospital air. The air in the hospital exposes items to hotness, cold, chemicals, abrasiveness, and others.

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,

Expand Equipment Life Using an Electronic Enclosure

March 31st, 2014

An electronic enclosure is employed to protect electrical equipment from the surrounding negative effects. These boxes or cabinets are designed specifically for electrical wares. Indeed, it is prudent to spend some cash on acquiring an electronic enclosure as it not only enhances the lifespan of electronic goods, but also guarantees user safety as well.

Plastic enclosures keep the environment safe

February 22nd, 2014

The plastic enclosures are produced for sheltering medical, mechanical and electronic equipment. The custom made molding is designed to give maximum protection of the equipment that is inside whilst at the same time it offers high-quality packaging.

(photo credit: ada fruit – http://www.flickr.com/photos/adafruit/10827795576/)

There are many companies on the market nowadays that claim to produce the best housing for your products. However, in order to find out the best one out of them you will need to make sure that the producer is following all regulations and directives of the European Union and produces plastic enclosures not only safe for the customers but also for the environment.

The European Union wants to make sure that the plastic that is produced is made from approved materials that are not going to harm nature. That is why there are different regulations that every respected manufacturer of custom plastic enclosures needs to follow. One of them is the use of the ABS plastic.

ABS plastic is very resistant thermoplastic and it reaches its glass transition at 105 degrees. The different compounds like nitrile, styrene and butadiene make the plastic stronger than polystyrene, shiny and give it a rubbery surface that can provide extreme resistance even at very low temperatures. These good qualities of the ABS make it the preferred material used for custom plastic enclosures because even in the event of leakage of batteries or any other dangerous acids that are in the products that are being housed, the plastic is not going to leak thus keeping the people and environment save. As we know, there is nothing worse than a torch with old batteries that have leaked all over your clothes.

ABS is also resistant to different acids and alkalis, mineral and vegetable oils. Although the main use of the ABS plastic is in the mechanical sphere, it is also used with electronics because of its good electrical properties which are very constant and resist a range of different frequencies. The properties of the ABS can hardly be affected by atmospheric humidity or high temperature (here we mean the acceptable range of the temperatures). The ABS plastic is widely used for custom plastic enclosures because it is safe and durable. It will melt in case it is exposed to extreme temperatures like wood fire. However, the good thing about it is that it is biodegradable and will cause no harm to nature. This plastic can be placed in the recycle bins although in some places that might not be possible so you have to check with your local council.

If you have a company that is producing electronics and you want to custom make the housing for them then you need to find a company that works with ABS and can prove it. This will guarantee you a safe and stylish product that will cause no harm to the environment or people and can be recycled in most places. Move along with the eco trends of today and become the preferred supplier for your customers because you use quality custom plastic enclosures.