Thinking outside the enclosure

One of my favorite “light bulb” jokes is the one that goes:

Q: How many art directors does it take to change a light bulb?

A: Does it have to be a light bulb?

It seems to me that a lot of enclosure manufacturers have lately been taking this “Think outside the box” approach, asking themselves, “Does it have to look like an ordinary enclosure?”

The latest example of this is from Bud Industries, which just introduced enclosures for the Raspberry Pi microcomputer board. The Pi Sandwich ( www2.electronicproducts.com/i-article-inrc02_bud_sep2012-html.aspx) is a translucent raspberry-red case that snaps together easily. There’s also the Pi Plate (Fig. 1), which is also made of translucent red ABS, and looks like nothing else available today. Thanks to their mastery of translucent enclosure design, Bud has been able to come up with cases that are both fun and educational, which is quite apropos, considering the fact that Raspberry Pi was created so kids could learn about computers and programming.

Fig. 1: Bud Industries’ Pi Plate is a colorful, clear alternative to the usual square grey box.

Earlier this year, OKW Enclosures really pushed the envelope with its Blob series ( www2.electronicproducts.com/s-article-hlrc02_may2012-html.aspx). Not only do these cases break with common enclosure geometries (Fig. 2), but they take enclosure design to a much higher ergonomic level, with shapes that naturally tell users how they are to be handled.

Fig. 2: OKW Enclosures Blob series challenge the usual idea of how handheld electronics should look and feel.

But being creative with cases doesn’t necessarily mean going ultramodern. Hammond Manufacturing Company decided to go retro in the design of its HWCHAS and the 1444 / 1441CWW series desktop chassis ( www2.electronicproducts.com/k-article-inrc01_may2011-html.aspx), replicating the look of consumer electronics from the 1950s and ‘60s using fine woods and natural-finish aluminum or black powder-coat steel (Fig. 3).

Fig.3: The retro-design HWCHAS and the 1444 / 1441CWW series desktop chassis from Hammond Manufacturing Company help modern electronics fit in comfortably at home or in offices.

I think it would be advantageous for electronic design engineers to consider looking for alternatives to ordinary enclosures. If their electronics are going to break new ground, why shouldn’t the exterior appearance of the design do so too? It’s obvious that enclosure manufacturers are ready to support that effort.