Custom Stainless Steel Cabinets & Enclosures: Design Guidelines

Essential design considerations and manufacturing specifications to help you create accurate, production-ready enclosure designs.

1. Intended Use

Before starting the design, carefully consider the equipment that will be installed inside the enclosure.

Avoid overcrowding components in a small enclosure, which can:

Make installation and maintenance difficult
Restrict airflow
In some cases, cause overheating of electronic components

Key Takeaway: Allow adequate space for components, wiring, and service access.

2. Corner Bends

All sheet metal bends have a radius and cannot form perfectly sharp corners.

The press brake punch and die create a bend radius on both the inside and outside of the material
If required, the bend radius can be specified during the design stage
Designers must allow for this radius when determining internal clearances and component placement

3. Ventilation

Electronic equipment often generates heat during operation, making ventilation an important design consideration.

Cooling can be achieved using:

Forced ventilation – through fans
Natural ventilation – through vents allowing heat to escape by convection

Proper airflow helps maintain safe operating temperatures and improve equipment reliability.

4. Manufacturing Limitations & TolerancesManufacturing Limitations & Tolerances

Bend-to-Edge Distance

The distance from a bend or fold to the sheet metal edge should be at least:

Minimum: 20 mm (2 cm) — This prevents material distortion and ensures accurate forming.

Bending Angles

Straight-edge bends can be formed at almost any angle using standard press brake equipment.

Curved (Arc) Bending

Curved arc bending is possible but:

More complex
Requires additional processes
Typically increases manufacturing cost

Units of Measurement

Please provide all drawings in millimetres (mm).

Converting drawings from inches to millimetres may introduce dimensional errors.

Tolerances

If the design requires specific or critical tolerances, please clearly indicate them in the drawings.

Otherwise, standard manufacturing tolerances will be applied and confirmed during quotation

5. Finishing Options

Laser Engraving

Laser engraving can be used to permanently mark the enclosure surface with:

Company logos
Equipment names
Part numbers
Labels or instructions

This method provides durable and precise markings.

Powder Coating

Powder coating provides a durable, protective finish and is available in:

A wide range of colours and various surface textures and finishes

Specific colour and finish requirements can be specified during ordering.

Ready to submit your design?

Upload your drawings and receive a manufacturing quotation.