For many electronic system designers, choosing an enclosure for their product is often one of the last things they do, around the same time they start thinking about what power supply they’ll need. One can rationally argue that that’s a mistake, but it may be too late in the game to make the argument. So a designer who is looking for a cabinet in the final stages of design will find her- or himself faced with an incredible number of options; just for enclosure materials, there’s a common choice of carbon steel, galvannealed steel, stainless steel, aluminum, ABS, polycarbonate, ABS/PC blend, PC/PBT blend, or fiberglass, each of which has its own pros and cons.
I recently came across a little booklet that can be a godsend in this situation. Called Enclosure Design Tips Handbook and published by the well-known enclosure manufacturer Bud Industries, it packs an incredible amount of information into just 28 pages. In separate chapters it covers enclosure types, accessories, materials and finishes, basics of cooling, typical rack dimensions and tolerances, commonly used standards, and even a listing of the major associations that set enclosure standards. It’s just the sort of quick reference you’ll want to have on hand when you need an enclosure, and it may even start you thinking about your enclosure requirements earlier in the design process.
You can download a pdf or order a hard copy of the handbook by visiting www.budind.com/request_designtips.php and providing Bud with basic contact information. It seems like a worthwhile investment of five minutes to me; let me know whether or not you think so too.
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