SIMCO Disclosures

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

Importance of Plastic Desktop Enclosures

December 17th, 2014

Fabricators use different materials to make desktop covers. These materials include stainless steel, mild steel, fiberglass, and plastic. All these materials have their own pros and cons. For example, metal may be strong but it does not offer the kind of qualities offered by plastic.

People use plastic to cover many types of equipment both at home and in the office. If you are looking to cover your equipment, you will consider several factors. Cost, need for changes, look, weight and hotness or coldness will all determine which material you choose.

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Source: Simcobox

Why is plastic more important than other matter when it comes to cages? Plastic cages are better than metallic ones when you use them in different places. You can measure the value of plastic cages by returning to characteristics of plastic.

Plastic desktop enclosures can be both small and large in size. For the small types of covers that you would want to use outdoors, plastic is the best matter.

Plastics Have Different Traits

Please note that any plastic matter has its own rare traits. Like for other matter, you need to consider the following factors when choosing plastics for a desktop cover:

  1. How strong the material is to be
  2. The amount of effort needed to break the material
  3. Will the matter resist cracking?
  4. How easy is it to pull the element apart?
  5. How is the matter affected by an increase and decrease in the degree of hotness or cold?
  6. Does the material conduct heat? If yes, how much?

Good Qualities of Plastic

Plastic has many edges over other materials when used for desktop covers. Let us look at some traits that make plastic a better matter for desktop covers.

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Source: Simco

Plastic is Not Magnetic

First, plastic does not show magnetic abilities. In other words, a magnet does not affect plastic. A magnetic element is not good for a desktop cover. Matters that stick to the magnet include iron, cobalt, and nickel. It is not wise to use a desktop cover that can pull a metallic item. Such a cover may harm the computer.

A magnet creates a fuss to the computer because it affects the components. Therefore, you should consider using a plastic cover. Plastic covers are excellent for desktops because they prevent disorder from a magnet.

Plastic is Lighter

The weight of a desktop is already too much. Add to it a cover and it becomes tricky to move the computer from one place to another. Plastic weighs less than most matters used to make computer covers. Therefore, plastic is the best choice for your desktop cover.

Shaking

If you use most types of metal for your desktop case, shaking of the equipment can be a big problem. If the fan is attached directly to the case, the waves can be worse. If the shaking is too much, the units inside the case may start making noise.

If you ask a scientist, a thick material does not shake as much as a thin one does. Therefore, it is better to use a thick plastic than metal for your desktop case. Metal may be many times heavier and thicker than plastic. However, metal is also more costly than plastic. That is why a large number of makers are using plastic cases.

Stretching Ability

The ability to stretch is another good trait of plastic for desktop covers. Due to this characteristic, plastic is able to absorb the shaking effects of equipment. This is important because the computer needs protection from shaking. The ability to stretch of plastic is also good because the maker can fit the material in more spaces. There is no such chance if you are using metallic covers. Most metals are very hard, so they are not as easy to stretch as plastic.

Good Price

Everybody likes to look at the price of an item when considering buying it. Therefore, as a desktop buyer, you would choose one that is cheaper. You have an answer in plastic desktop covers. Plastic boxes are many times cheaper than metal and other materials. On one hand, metal is becoming harder to find everyday. On the other hand plastic is very easy to find. Plastic would be a better choice for you because it is cheaper than metal and other matters.

Works in Different Areas

Depending on what you do for a living, you may need to use your computer in harsh areas. For example, misty areas could harm the desktop. Even in the factory, some areas may be very cold due to water treatment and other activities. In such cases, most people prefer using plastic desktop covers instead of metal covers.

These points show that plastic desktop covers are very important. Plastic is the best material for a plastic computer cover. Choose from the many types of plastic and enjoy the benefits of the matter for your desktop shelter.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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.

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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.

Electronics Enclosures Make for a Wise Investment

March 28th, 2014

We hear it on the news every day – the economy seems to take one step back for every step forward. You made it through the toughest part of the recession and now you’re finally in the position to upgrade your employees’ computers, and you’re able to get your field team those handheld devices that you know will speed up receiving payments from customers as well as give your team a competitive advantage. You worked out the budget perfectly, but then you hear about electronics enclosures, and you start wondering two things – what are they exactly and why should you buy them?

 

Think about the following scenario. Your loyal office manager works hard, and he also loves to keep the plants in the office looking healthy. One day he’s watering the spider plant over Jane’s desk and he gets distracted by co-workers talking about how exciting that playoff game was. Suddenly he overfills the flower pot, and water trickles down onto Jane’s computer. He quickly moves the computer out of the way, and that prevents any water from getting inside. But what if that had happened over the ventilation slots?  Jane’s computer would have been toast, and so would her big presentation for the head office she was going to give on Friday. This is one place a plastic enclosure comes in handy – protecting precious computers from dust, dirt, and water so that your data is safe and your devices run better, for longer.

 

Here’s another reason you need electronics enclosures. In any office there are multiple electronic items, all of which emit a slight amount of radio frequency. Add all of those devices up, and you end up with the potential for those multiple radio frequency waves to interfere with your computers or field testing devices. False readings or the inability to read information correctly can be quite problematic. Computers that lose data can cost your company business and revenue. Enclosures can protect all of your electronics from these types of problems.

 

Electronics enclosures come in a number of shapes and sizes. From flat-bottomed enclosures perfect for wall mounting to pocket enclosures great for small devices, field equipment cases to large enclosures for computers, enclosures can protect your investment for a modest sum, and save you from having to buy expensive new equipment so often. Mounting brackets and static-proof Plastite® screws mean you can affix your device to a wall or shelf, keeping it safe from movement, or getting it up and out of the way in tight spaces.

Custom enclosures can also be manufactured just for you and your specific device. Send a prototype or an engineer’s concept drawing in and your enclosure can be modified, no matter the size or shape. No chance for your device to rattle around inside, it will fit perfectly, nestled into its home. Ask about expansion panels or access ports for easy battery changes.

 

Then again, if you need something right away, you can order some of the many pre-made units as described above. In less than a week, your devices will be sheltered from the elements and protected for years to come.

 

Companies like SIMCO also make sure their products adhere to REACH and RoHS regulations in the EU, and OSHA requirements in the US. This way you can be sure your electronics enclosures were made in such a way that they will not be harmful to the Earth, or to you.

 

What Accessories Can Be Fitted With Plastic Enclosures?

March 24th, 2014

SONY DSCPlastic enclosures come in a variety of models and designs and they can include a number of accessories, which they may require for proper closing, mounting or fitting the components they will be housing. A plastic enclosure can also be fitted with a number of additional accessories to match the requirement of the specific application it is meant for. Accessories play a vital role in some models of enclosures, as without some of them the boxes could not be held together. Different types of clips, screws, mounting brackets, panels, mounting bosses, etc. are available on the market and sold either as components of the kits that plastic enclosures are offered with or as spare parts for the cases when you may require replacement of a certain accessory or if you misplace one of the components and need a new one. Here are the more common options available.

RoHS Compliance – What Does That Mean and Why Is It Important?

March 19th, 2014

35-SeriesAll the companies that sell electronic and electrical goods within the European Union are bound by law to abide the EU legislation pertaining to electrical and electronic equipment, or EEE for short. This legislation includes two parts: the WEEE or Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment directive and the RoHS or the Restriction of Hazardous Substances directive. The first directive describes the responsibilities, both financial and other, of the producers of EEE with regards to waste collection and waste recycling, whereas the second one prohibits the use of a number of hazardous substances in EEE.

Plastic Electrical Enclosures for Keeping Outdoor Equipment Safe

March 14th, 2014

imagePlastic electrical enclosures have been gaining popularity in the electronics and manufacturing fields in the last years. Previously, metal enclosures were predominantly used, as they provided better protection than the plastics available at that time. However, new and more advanced types of plastics have been developed, which has widened the scope of application of enclosures made out of plastics in a broad range of industries.

Uses of Custom Plastic Electronic Enclosures

March 12th, 2014

imageManufacturing has proven to be quite a significant sector in the last century and it is still growing at fast pace. Nearly every sector requires undertaking production and development initiatives. As such, certain specialized companies manufacture specific products for making secondary products in turn. Once these products are created, they normally then require getting packaged for the final touch. For this purpose, custom plastic electronic enclosures are necessary.

SIMCO Disclosures

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