Plastic sheet metal technology, or mouldless plastics processing, is our company’s area of expertise. This process enables us to design bespoke plastic parts for our customers in small and medium-sized production runs. In particular, it meets the requirements of a company based in Paris, which has been manufacturing digital leak detection systems for water, acids and hydrocarbons in France for over 30 years. Its solutions are designed for commercial and industrial applications (data centres, technical premises, public buildings, laboratories and in the oil industry, for example). They include alarm control units, sensing cables, point sensors and accessories. Used in over 60 countries, including Europe, the Middle East and Asia, the company’s systems are renowned for their reliability, durability and compliance with numerous international safety standards.
Recently, the company needed a new plastic enclosure to house the electronics for a new addition to their range of water leak detectors. The first production run had to be designed and manufactured in a very short timeframe of 4 weeks, followed by series production. The specialist in detection solutions therefore chose the Tôlerie Plastique process, a technology developed by our company, which corresponded to its technical requirements, its budget in relation to the selling price of the final device and the aesthetic finish.
A bespoke enclosure for electronic components
When it comes to bespoke design, a clear understanding of the technical, budgetary and aesthetic requirements is essential. The request from this Paris-based company, which is the European leader in liquid leak detection systems, concerned the design of a made-to-measure enclosure. And more specifically, a new version of an existing solution that is used indoors, mainly in computer rooms and data centres. Connected by a satellite box to a central unit via an Ethernet network, it transmits an alert when a water leak is detected. It therefore needed a bespoke enclosure capable of housing electronic components, such as an electronic board, network and electricity connectors, as well as a man-machine interface (HMI). As this part had to be produced quickly and in insufficient quantity to design a mould, Plastic Sheet Metal Work proved to be the best solution. After receiving her request, our design office came up with a customised housing based on her specifications. A ready-to-use prototype was then developed. Once it had been validated by our customer, we were able to launch series production at our Normandy-based company.
The specifics of the project entrusted to our team
To manufacture this plastic electronics box for a water leak detection system, we had to meet several criteria. Firstly, there was a time constraint, as production had to be fast. Secondly, we had to design a Faraday Cage solution (impervious to electric or electromagnetic fields) using copper shielding. This enclosure also had to be able to integrate electronic components and create a range effect.
Similarly, our customer wanted a UL94 V-0 certified ABS enclosure with a special finish: the integration of his logo. He also needed to ensure the traceability of this solution in relation to the material, which is fire-rated. Our team took these different criteria into account, and within a month we were able to respond favourably to this Paris-based company’s request. As a result, we were able to produce a plastic case with a machined cut-out in the shape of the company’s logo, in compliance with current standards. A made-to-measure Faraday Cage that matched their requirements in every respect.
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