ENCLOSURES
Designing for Versatility: How Modern Sloping-Front
Enclosures Enhance Device Usability
Sloping-front enclosures have always made devices more comfortable to view and operate. There is inevitably a trade-off; the angled top means less space for components.
T
his can mean having to specify an enclosure with a larger plan size, but what if designers could have the best of both worlds? What if they could specify the sloping top and some extra space to help compensate for it?
Enclosures such as OKW’s PROTEC (IP 65) offer precisely that. Version III has a deep cover that creates extra space and can act as a stand. Meanwhile, Version I does the opposite; it makes a virtue of converting what was previously internal space into a deep recess that protects connectors and interfaces.
Design factors such as these make it important to specify a preferred enclosure before finalising component layout. This may sound counterintuitive, but it pays dividends. Specifying an enclosure after the layout has been decided could increase the size of a finished device by up to 30 percent. Arguably, that could be more likely if the enclosure were a triangular prism, rather than a convenient cuboid.
Then there is the important matter of how the enclosure will feel to end users. Sloping-front enclosures are usually specified for tactile applications: desktop/ tabletop devices in offices, hospitals and laboratories, or as wall-mounted keypads for applications such as security and access control. These housings get handled a lot, so soft modern curves are a must. Enclosures such as the contoured and bevelled EVOTEC (IP 65) epitomise this new breed of small sloping-front housings. It is moulded not from the usual ABS, but from an ASA+PC blend that offers greater UV stability and also higher flammability resistance (V-0).
There is also the question of whether the angled top should be recessed to accommodate a membrane keypad or non-recessed for other components. EVOTEC hedges its bets by offering both options and a matching flat-top version as standard.
With all sloping-front enclosures, the angle
OKW’s sloping-front enclosures can be fully customised to individual requirements
of inclination is ergonomically important; typically, it can be around 12° or 20°. What if the enclosure has two separate and distinct users? What if it is for an application such as point of sale, in which the buyer and seller sit or stand directly opposite each other? UNITEC has been designed specifically for this purpose and yet, being a standard enclosure, it remains versatile. Its sloping top is based on a right angle with a large 18° face dedicated to one user and the other 72° side reserved for the other. This makes it ideal for contactless card applications. Uniquely, the two sides feature one wraparound recess that is perfect for an all-over product label.
Yet, there are sloping-front enclosures that are even more specialised. The modular INTERFACE-TERMINAL range includes a ‘mobile with station’ configuration in which the flat operating section can be detached from the angled base unit and carried as a handheld housing. It matches other sloping- and flat-top units in the range so devices within the same operating environment can share a common design language.
Equally specialised is DATEC-TERMINAL, another modular enclosure, which offers
30 OCTOBER 2024 | ELECTRONICS FOR ENGINEERS
options including a separate terminal section, curved tops and transparent covers for applications including data collection, security, measurement, control, HVAC and point of sale.
All this increased specialisation reduces the amount of customisation required while still retaining the adaptability and discretion needed from a standard housing, a crucial balancing act for enclosure designers. OKW Enclosures marketing director Robert Cox said “Off-the-shelf enclosures look far from ‘standard’ these days. Often, all that is needed is the machining of apertures and the printing of legends, logos and graphics.”
Advanced CNC technology has sped up the machining process, while photo-quality digital printing has lower set-up costs than traditional methods, making customisation increasingly viable for low-volume orders. Other customisation services include lacquering, decor foils, laser marking, EMC shielding, special materials and assembly of accessories. The best option is to partner with a single-source supplier that can carry out all the work in-house. This ensures quality and accountability, saving time and money.
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