Custom enclosure without CAD: what to send for a quote

You can request a custom enclosure without CAD by sending a dimensioned sketch, component information and clear installation requirements. CAD is not the starting requirement; reliable measurements are. Separate measured dimensions from estimates, identify the surfaces that matter, and resolve missing information before approving the drawing. Do not send a physical sample until measurement responsibility, handling and return arrangements are agreed.

Define the package and environment

Start with what the enclosure must protect and where it will operate. A useful request describes the installation, not just the desired box shape.

• State whether the installation is indoors, outdoors, sheltered or exposed to direct sunlight.
• Describe dust, rain, hose-directed water, cleaning chemicals, salt air and possible standing water.
• Give minimum and maximum ambient temperatures, including nearby machinery or other heat sources.
• State the required enclosure type and any project-specific listing or inspection requirements.
• Identify the mounting arrangement: wall, machine frame, pole or another supporting structure.
• Give the initial quantity and explain whether later builds must use the same drawing revision.

We build custom enclosures from one piece, with customer-defined material, width, height, depth and cutouts. Our enclosure ratings are manufacturer ratings for the specified design; the enclosures are not UL listed.

For stainless construction, describe the exposure before choosing the grade. We offer 304 stainless for indoor washdown and most outdoor sites, and 316L for salt air, brine and chloride exposure. Chemical concentration, temperature and cleaning practices still need review; a grade name alone does not establish compatibility.

Record the component dimensions

Measure every component that sets the enclosure's size or opening locations. Use component drawings where available, but check that they match the exact configuration being installed.

• List each component's identifier, quantity and overall width, height and depth.
• Include terminal covers, handles, mounting feet, heatsinks and other projections.
• Record mounting-hole diameters and center locations separately from the component outline.
• Include connector dimensions both disconnected and fully mated.
• Mark dimensions as measured, taken from a component drawing or estimated.
• State the units on every sketch and use one consistent unit system throughout the package.

For example, a component envelope of 8 × 6 × 3 in [203 × 152 × 76 mm] is not an enclosure size. It excludes wiring, mounting hardware, service access and the enclosure's own internal obstructions.

Photographs help explain shape and orientation, but they do not establish reliable dimensions. Perspective can distort distances, even with a ruler in view. Write dimensions beside the feature they describe rather than asking for measurements to be scaled from photographs.

Use browser-based enclosure design if you prefer a visual layout. A dimensioned sketch remains useful when you do not want to create that layout yourself.

Show mounting and cable entries

Label each view as front, rear, left, right, top or bottom. Mark the door hinge side and show the intended installed orientation.

Choose a common reference corner or centerline for each face. Dimension hole centers from those references rather than chaining measurements between adjacent holes. This reduces ambiguity when one opening moves.

• Identify whether components mount on a backplate, internal bracket, enclosure wall or door.
• Show mounting-hole patterns, fastener sizes and access needed behind each fastener.
• Mark each cutout with an identifier matching its component information.
• Supply the component manufacturer's required cutout drawing, including corner radii and mounting holes.
• State cable quantities, outside diameters, entry directions and connector sizes.
• Identify any internal or external supports needed to keep cable loads off entry seals.
• Include bonding requirements for the body, door and conductive accessories.

Cable diameter alone does not define the complete entry. A preassembled connector may require a larger opening or a different entry arrangement. Follow the principles in cable strain relief for sealed enclosure entries when describing how cables will be supported.

For a stainless body with new openings, custom stainless enclosures and factory cutouts explains the available starting approaches. New openings do not automatically preserve the original enclosure rating; the complete arrangement needs review.

Reserve assembly and service clearance

The components fitting inside is only the first check. You must also be able to install, wire, inspect and replace them.

• Separate the maximum permitted external envelope from the minimum required usable internal space.
• Include component mounting height above the backplate and projections behind door-mounted devices.
• Reserve space for mated connectors, cable bends, terminal access and tool movement.
• Check the door's travel against nearby equipment and cables.
• Provide component heat losses, duty cycles and required installation clearances.
• Mark areas reserved for future terminals or other defined additions.

For example, if a mated connector and boot project 1.5 in [38 mm] behind a device, show that projection explicitly. Then add the cable bend allowance required for that cable. Do not treat the connector projection as the complete wiring clearance.

Keep thermal requirements separate from spare space. Extra volume does not necessarily solve a heat problem in a sealed enclosure. Use component layout inside a sealed enclosure to identify heat-sensitive areas and clearance conflicts before fixing the dimensions.

Agree on physical sample measurements

A sample can clarify an irregular assembly, but sending one does not automatically include a measurement service. Confirm acceptance and scope before arranging shipment.

• Agree whether sample measurement is available and exactly which features would be measured.
• Define whether the sample establishes geometry, mounting locations, connector positions or fit only.
• Identify which dimensions you must still provide and which measurements require your confirmation.
• State whether the sample may be opened or disassembled, and identify fragile or restricted areas.
• Record the sample's revision and any differences from the intended production assembly.
• Agree on packaging, handling, return arrangements and responsibility for transport damage.
• Require a written record of the dimensions used for the drawing.

If sample measurement is unavailable, provide your own measurements or arrange dimensional inspection separately. Keep the resulting dimension record with the quote package.

One sample also cannot establish production variation. If different units vary in size or hole position, provide the permitted dimensional range. Do not approve a close-fitting enclosure around one measured unit without considering those differences.

Review the approval drawing

The approval drawing turns the information package into a defined build. Review the drawing against the components and installation, not just the original sketch.

• Confirm external dimensions, usable internal space and mounting orientation.
• Check every cutout against the correct component drawing and revision.
• Verify hinge, latch, gasket and mounting clearances.
• Confirm material, finish, enclosure rating and any limitations associated with openings or accessories.
• Check which dimensions have tolerances and resolve every remaining estimate.
• Confirm that the approved drawing identifies the intended assembly revision.

A dimension described as approximate in the request must not become an unnoticed manufacturing requirement. Resolve uncertainty with another measurement, a revised layout or an explicitly agreed tolerance before approval.

If the enclosure will support repeat builds, follow prototype design for repeat builds for fit checks and revision control. A successful first assembly should produce a controlled drawing, not a collection of undocumented adjustments.

What to send with the quote request

Package the information so every dimension and attachment can be traced to the same design revision.

• Project brief: application, environment, quantity, required enclosure type and maximum installed envelope.
• Component schedule: identifiers, quantities, dimensions, heat losses and component drawings.
• Annotated views: overall sketch, labeled photographs, mounting patterns and cutout locations.
• Clearance requirements: connector projections, cable bends, service access, door travel and reserved space.
• Construction requirements: material, finish, mounting arrangement and entry components.
• Measurement record: measured values, unresolved dimensions and the agreed scope for any physical sample.
• Approval record: drawing revision and the requirements that must be confirmed before release.

Label attachments consistently and identify which document controls if two views disagree. Request clarification rather than leaving conflicting dimensions for interpretation.

For custom work, the build starts after you approve the drawing. Custom enclosures are delivered in 10 business days, counted from your approval of the drawing. Resolve measurement responsibility and fit requirements before that approval, not after fabrication starts.

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