Very cheap molded enclosures?

Hello Newsgroup,

Again I came upon the usual hardcore enclosure challenge: Initial quantities will be low, 10k to 20k/year, but the whole device would be doomed if production cost would be greater than $7-8. Sales just wouldn't happen.

Question: Is there a company that offers "shuttle runs" for enclosures? Just as they are offered for chips where you 'ride along' on a corner of someone else's wafer? Or a company that would do the whole production based on one of their standard enclosures?

I checked with the usual plastic enclosure makers and it just won't fly. At that qty a regular run-of-the-mills enclosure of 1.5" by 3" would cost well over $5. While the raw case would drop to around $2 (still too high) they charge an arm and a leg for drilling and I need at least a dozen holes for LED and stuff. Heck, often they even charge extra for a battery holder so I wonder whether they anticipate that the usual design will be a perpetuum mobile that doesn't need any power.

I my case I need a cheap 'snap together' enclosure that can accomodate 2-3 AA cells or AAA cells, has a dozen LED holes and maybe a small power switch. The circuit board would then be adapted to whatever it needs to be for that enclosure.

Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Very cheap molded enclosures?
    ... Again I came upon the usual hardcore enclosure challenge: Initial quantities will be low, 10k to 20k/year, but the whole device would be doomed if production cost would be greater than $7-8. ... If you place your LEDs in one or two rows you may be able to get away with one or two slots, which may be less than a bunch of holes. ...
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    ... data backup and not to be left on all the time so heat is really a ... USB 2.0, 7,200 RPM, 3.5") contains a power switch, on its enclosure. ... port, 5,400 RPM, 3.5") was a different story, however. ...
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  • Re: Very cheap molded enclosures?
    ... > I my case I need a cheap 'snap together' enclosure that can accomodate ... > 2-3 AA cells or AAA cells, has a dozen LED holes and maybe a small power ...
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