ENCLOSURES THATPROTECT, COMPLY,AND MANUFACTURE
From first sketch to production tooling — enclosures designed for the process from day one.
Ankh designs enclosures for production from the first concept: wall thicknesses optimized for the selected resin, gate locations positioned to avoid weld lines on sealing surfaces, sheet metal bends specified with K-factor and minimum radius for the gauge, and IP seal grooves dimensioned for 25% o-ring compression at production worst-case. Every concept is built in SolidWorks with FEA validation, then confirmed through SLA, SLS, or FDM rapid prototypes before tooling is committed.
What We Design
Injection Molding DFM
Wall thickness specified for the selected resin — 1.2–2.5 mm PC/ABS, up to 3.5 mm glass-filled nylon — with uniform transitions, minimum 1° draft per 25 mm draw, and gate location steering weld lines away from sealing surfaces.
IP67 / IP68 Seal Design
ISO 3601 seal grooves targeting 20–25% o-ring compression at nominal, verified minimum 15% at production worst-case — Shore A 40–70 EPDM for water immersion, silicone for high-temperature or UV-exposed environments.
Sheet Metal Enclosure Design
Sheet metal in 1.0–2.0 mm mild steel, 304/316 stainless, or 5052/6061 aluminum — bend radius 1t (aluminum) or 0.5t (mild steel), K-factor 0.45/0.42 for flat patterns, laser cut ±0.15 mm, PEM nut/standoff insertion specified by type.
CNC Machined Enclosure Components
Surface finishes from Ra 0.8 µm (sealing) to Ra 3.2 µm (structural), anodizing class and thickness for aluminum, GD&T flatness ≤0.02 mm for optical housings, and o-ring groove tolerances ±0.05 mm for pressure-tight enclosures.
EMC Shielding Integration
Conductive gasket selection (beryllium copper strip, oriented wire, or form-in-place compound) based on mating surface finish, aperture-to-wavelength analysis for vents and display windows, and PCB-to-enclosure ground contact optimization.
Thermal Management via Enclosure Design
Aluminum heat-spreading plates with TIM specification (conductivity, thickness, compression force), fin arrays optimized for natural convection in the installed orientation, and thermal resistance budgeting across interface pad, spreading plate, and convective surface.
SolidWorks Parametric Design & FEA
Fully parametric SolidWorks assemblies with design tables, validated by FEA under IEC 60068-2-32 and MIL-STD-810G drop loading, cable pull-out forces, and thermal expansion differential stress.
Rapid Prototype Validation
SLA for dimensional fit, SLS nylon for structural and assembly validation, FDM for design reviews, and machined prototypes in production material for IP wet sealing tests before finalizing o-ring selection.
Tooling Cost Optimization
Side-action and lifter requirements identified early to eliminate where possible, tool steel specified by volume (P20 <200K shots, H13 for higher), and single- vs. multi-cavity economics evaluated to optimize tooling investment.
How We Work
Requirements Capture & Concept Definition
IP rating, EMC shielding, thermal budget, production volume, unit cost, and timeline are captured before any CAD begins. Two to three concepts are developed in SolidWorks, each with a different material or process combination, preliminary DFM assessment, and estimated tooling cost.
Detailed Design & DFM Analysis
Boss, rib, snap-fit, and hinge features are developed to resin-specific DFM rules; draft angles, wall thickness, and gate location are verified through SolidWorks Draft Analysis and Moldflow. Sheet metal flat patterns use accurate K-factor with bend radii verified per material and gauge.
IP Seal & EMC Design Validation
Seal groove geometry is dimensioned to ISO 3601 with worst-case compression verified at maximum groove width and minimum cross-section. EMC analysis flags apertures exceeding λ/20; where IP sealing and EMC shielding share a mating interface, conductive elastomer gaskets satisfy both simultaneously.
Rapid Prototype Build & Test
SLA or SLS prototypes produced in 5–7 business days verify PCB mounting, connector cutouts, snap-fit force, and display fit. For IP-rated designs, machined aluminum prototypes with production seal groove dimensions are wet-tested to IEC 60529 to finalize o-ring selection before tooling is released.
Production Drawing Release
Production drawings use ASME Y14.5-2018 GD&T with complete dimensioning, finish callouts, and material specs; injection-molded parts include a mold specification sheet covering tool steel grade, gate type, and parting line. Packages are reviewed with the tooling vendor before release to catch fabrication concerns.
First Article Inspection & Tooling Validation
FAI covers CMM measurement of critical dimensions, surface finish verification, and functional assembly against the released drawing. For IP-rated products, first article samples are wet-tested to IEC 60529 before tooling is approved; corrections are issued as a written tool correction order with explicit acceptance criteria.
The Engineering Precision That Keeps Products Sealed, Shielded, and Manufacturable
Injection Molding DFM: Wall Thickness, Sink Marks, and Weld Line Control
Differential shrinkage between thick and thin wall sections causes sink marks, warpage at seal interfaces, and residual stress. Wall thickness is held to resin-specific guidelines (1.5–2.5 mm PC/ABS, 2.0–3.0 mm nylon) with 3:1 taper ratios and Moldflow steering weld lines away from sealing and cosmetic surfaces.
Rapid PrototypingIP67/IP68 O-Ring Seal Engineering: Compression, Groove Tolerance, and Material Selection
IP67/IP68 sealing requires 15–30% o-ring compression at worst-case groove extremes, not just nominal. Designs target 20–25% at nominal, verify minimum compression at production worst-case, and select Shore A durometer (EPDM for −40°C to +120°C, silicone for UV or medical) with clamping force confirmed at rated depth.
Mechanical DesignEMC Shielding in Enclosure Design: Gaskets, Apertures, and Ground Contact
Any aperture exceeding λ/20 becomes a radiating slot — at 1 GHz that threshold is 15 mm, making ventilation slots, display windows, and parting seams EMC failure points. Gaskets are matched to mating surface (beryllium copper for anodized aluminum, oriented-fiber for painted steel, form-in-place for irregular seams); PCB-to-enclosure ground uses multiple low-inductance contacts.
Electronics Design
From first sketch to production tooling — enclosures designed for the process from day one.
Enclosure Design Across Ankh's Product Range
Ankh brings process-specific DFM discipline to enclosure design across every product category, from IP68 wearables to NEMA 4X industrial panels.
Wearable Electronics
IP68 PC/ABS enclosures with biometric sensor windows and biocompatible skin-contact sealing
View ProductMedical Devices
IEC 60601-1 creepage and clearance compliance with IP54 ingress protection for patient-area devices
View ProductCold Chain Monitoring
IP67 HDPE enclosures with EPDM seals rated for −40°C cold storage and condensation-resistant internal coating
View ProductStructural Monitoring
Stainless sheet metal with conductive EMI gaskets for vibration-intensive environments near AC motors
View ProductIndustrial Equipment Monitoring
NEMA 4X / IP66 fiberglass enclosures with captive hardware and conduit knockouts for industrial panel mounting
View ProductRuggedized Devices
MIL-STD-810G drop/vibration validated overmolded enclosures, IP68 sealing with integrated lanyard attachment bosses
View ProductAI Vision Systems
Die-cast aluminum with precision-machined optical window seats and thermal fins for fanless camera operation
View ProductPOS & Kiosk Hardware
Large-format injection-molded ABS kiosk enclosures with EMC-shielded display apertures and tamper-evident fasteners
View ProductData Loggers
IP67 polycarbonate enclosures with battery compartment sealing and external antenna pass-through glands
View ProductPower Monitoring
DIN rail sheet metal enclosures with 35 mm rail clip and IEC 60715 mounting compliance
View ProductWireless Communication
RF-transparent materials (ASA, PC, PETG) with precision-molded antenna windows and metallic trim exclusion zones
View ProductDFM Expertise Embedded From Concept
Material and process decisions without DFM discipline lock in the most expensive mistakes before CAD exists. Engineers with direct injection molding, sheet metal, and CNC experience are embedded from day one — wall thickness and side-action avoidance enforced from the first concept sketch.
Cross-Discipline PCB-to-Enclosure Integration
Connector cutouts, PCB standoffs, EMC ground contacts, and thermal interfaces require coordination that breaks down between vendors sharing only a dimensional envelope. Mechanical and electronics engineers in the same design environment catch IP seal conflicts, EMC path deficiencies, and thermal mismatches before tooling.
Prototype-Validated, Production-Ready Drawings
Unvalidated production drawings are the leading cause of costly first-article tooling corrections. Every enclosure goes through at least one prototype iteration — SLA/SLS for dimensional fit, machined for IP seal testing — so every critical dimension is physically confirmed before tooling is committed.
Deliverables
SolidWorks Parametric CAD Package
Parametric SolidWorks part and assembly files with design tables, material assignments, and STEP/IGES exports for tooling vendors.
Production Engineering Drawings
ASME Y14.5-2018 GD&T production drawings with full dimensioning, tolerancing, finish callouts, material specs, and assembly notes — vendor-reviewed before release.
DFM Analysis Report
Wall thickness, draft angles, weld line locations, gate rationale, side-action inventory, tooling cost estimate, and accepted deviations with justification.
IP Seal Engineering Package
O-ring groove calculations, nominal and worst-case compression analysis, part number selection, surface finish requirements, and IP test procedure per IEC 60529.
EMC Shielding Analysis
Aperture λ/20 inventory, conductive gasket selection with part numbers, PCB-to-enclosure ground contact design, and EMC finish requirements.
Thermal Analysis Report
Thermal resistance budget junction-to-ambient, TIM selection with conductivity and compression force, spreading plate geometry, and temperature margin at max ambient.
Prototype Build & Test Report
Dimensional inspection, assembly fit check, IP wet test pass/fail per IEC 60529, and list of incorporated design revisions.
Mold / Tooling Specification Sheet
Tool steel grade, cavity count, runner type, gate location, surface finish, ejector pattern, parting line, and estimated lead time and cost.
Ankh delivers complete, production-ready enclosure design packages including SolidWorks parametric CAD, manufacturing drawings, prototype reports, and tooling specifications — everything required to take a design from concept to first article approval.
Often Paired With Enclosure Design
Mechanical Design
Full mechanical engagement covering internal structure, PCB retention, cable management, and assembly process design.
ExploreElectronics Design
PCB connector placement, keep-out zones, and EMC ground contact locations co-designed with the enclosure from the start.
ExploreRapid Prototyping
SLA, SLS, and FDM prototypes validate fit, assembly, and structural behavior before tooling decisions are committed.
ExploreRegulatory Certification
Early coordination with the regulatory process prevents costly post-test changes driven by CE marking, UL listing, IP rating, and EMC compliance.
ExploreWork That Demonstrates the Standard
Industrial IoT Gateway: IP67 Aluminum Enclosure From Concept to First Article in 11 Weeks
Ankh designed a die-cast aluminum gateway with ISO 3601 EPDM face-seal (22% nominal/16% worst-case), conductive elastomer port gaskets, and external fin array at 45°C/W at 6W. First article passed IP67 and CMM inspection on first submission in 11 weeks.
Read the Case StudyWearable Health Monitor: IP68 Injection-Molded PC/ABS Enclosure at $4.20 Unit Cost
Ankh designed a two-shot PC/ABS enclosure with overmolded TPU bumper, IP68 face-seal o-ring and silicone grommet seals, and two side actions eliminated by redesigning snap-fit geometry. First article passed IP68 at 1.5 m/30 min; unit cost at 50K/year was $4.20 against a $5.00 target.
Read the Case StudyReady to Design an Enclosure That Survives Production and the Field?DFM-first enclosure design from concept to first article.
Ankh's DFM-first process and prototype-validated drawings eliminate tooling surprises before steel is ever ordered.