ENCLOSURES
ENCLOSURE CUSTOMISATION REQUIRES THE RIGHT EXPERIENCE
If a standard enclosure cannot accommodate a component such as a touch screen, or if a cable requires a specific entry point, customisation might be required. Based on CNC milling and drilling, the structural integrity and ingress protection of the enclosure demands that customisation requires precision techniques and the right experience. The most effective way to achieve this is to involve an enclosure supplier that provides customisation services in-house. Chris Lloyd, Spelsberg UK’s managing director, discusses how to approach enclosure customisation.
W
hen a design engineer requires an enclosure to protect electronic components or electrical terminals, customisation
of the housing might be required. This process typically means adapting the enclosure using
precision tooling to integrate equipment that requires access to, or input from, the outside environment, such as keypads and HMI touch screens, sensors or cameras, or buttons and dials. Creating non-standard entry or exit points is also frequently required to accommodate cabling.
Before powering up our CNC machine, the first stage is to investigate whether a standard production enclosure can fulfil the criteria. A broad range of housings offering flexibility over dimensions, cable entry and exit points with knock-out holes, and internal fixing options, can all potentially achieve the aim without a cut being made. Meanwhile, for effective mounting and to achieve efficient cable routing, selecting the right location for the enclosure can also impact the scale of customisation required, if any. Research to specify the right enclosure might be possible by reviewing designs online, but a faster and surer way is to present design requirements to an enclosure specialist who can advise on the options available.
If customisation is required to achieve specific needs, it is vital to select an enclosure that can withstand the process while still maintaining its protective integrity. When this involves milling cut outs or drilling holes, it also usually means sourcing the right flange to meet the required IP rating. While the enclosure manufacturer should be able to advise on how far the housing can be customised, the extent of this knowledge
40 Winter 2025/2026 UKManufacturing
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