The average consumer probably doesn’t think too much about the housing of most electronics. However, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) understand that what’s on the outside plays as crucial a role as what’s on the inside. In addition to holding everything together, finding the right electronics enclosure can provide strategic advantages, enhance a device’s performance, and help streamline production. As technology advances and product demands become more complex, the key feature that OEMs require from an electronics enclosure supplier is configurability.
What Makes an Enclosure Design Configurable
Traditionally, off-the-shelf electronics enclosures had fixed dimensions and standard features.
Configurable electronics enclosures are modular casings that offer OEMs and designers flexibility with features like:
- Cutouts and Mounting Options: Tailored openings for connectors, buttons, and sensors.
- Thermal and EMI Management: Integrated design features like vents, heat sinks, or shielding materials.
- Outer Designs: Including colors, graphics, and logos.
One of the biggest challenges in electronics enclosure design is balancing customization with efficiency. Fully custom enclosures are costly and time-consuming, while off-the-shelf options without customization may not meet specific needs. Configurable electronics enclosures provide many advantages over traditional off-the-shelf and fully customized options, such as:
- Cost savings: By modifying a base design instead of creating a design from scratch, companies can reduce the costs associated with design and production.
- Faster Time-to-Market: Quick modifications lead to shorter design cycles and a swifter manufacturing process.
- Design Flexibility: Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, configurable electronics enclosures always fit the application—whether a compact handheld device or a rugged industrial system.
- Enhanced Performance: The ability to easily add integrated thermal management and EMI shielding ensures that devices fit their environment, whether needing to remain cool, secure, properly shielded, or all of the above.
“At Lansing, our cost-effective, easy-to-adapt product lines ensure that we can fully meet the needs of our clients,” said Gary Simmons, Vice President of Lansing Instrument Corp. “Our MicroPak series is designed for small, handheld, or free-standing devices, whereas the GrayBox series is engineered for robust, rack-mounted, or free-standing systems, where durability and advanced functionality are critical. Both lines have configurable options that can make them unique to each client inside and out.”
MicroPak Electronic Enclosures
The MicroPak line is for small, free-standing, or handheld electronic devices. These products are designed for lightweight, portable instruments, such as consumer gadgets, specialized industrial tools, or applications where every inch counts.
MicroPak enclosures help keep production costs low and make it easy to get new products up and running. However, despite their straightforward design, MicroPak enclosures can be fully customized. Clients have the option to modify functional elements such as mounting points, ventilation openings, and integrated features, as well as aesthetic aspects like graphics and colors.
MicroPaks are often used for:
- Small, handheld electronic instruments (for example, devices used in the field for diagnostics and data collection).
- Compact control panels (such as lab instruments or consumer gadgets).
- Desktop instruments where space is limited.
GrayBox Electronic Enclosures
GrayBox is designed for applications that require either rack-mounted or free-standing systems. These enclosures are often used in industrial and other high-performance settings where devices must withstand physical stress, high temperatures, or electromagnetic interference.
Like the MicroPak line, GrayBox enclosures offer a range of customization options, such as functional requirements like specialized mounting options or enhanced cooling features, and visual customizations like branding and logos.
GrayBox enclosures are often used for:
- Rack-mounted systems like network equipment, server racks, or industrial control systems.
- Free-standing panels, such as telecommunications or networking enclosures that don’t require wall installation.
- Industrial electronics are utilized in harsh conditions.
“Lansing has decades of experience in the electronics OEM industry, and we believe that configurable electronics housings are the perfect option for most clients,” said Simmons. “For example, MicroPak and GrayBox are designed with a range of functional and aesthetic customizations making them reliable and highly adaptable. Our clients are guaranteed that their final products are technically sound and seamlessly aligned with their brand identity.”
Looking to the Future of Enclosure Designs
For any industry, including those that rely on electronic enclosures, the ability to adapt is crucial. Shifts in design requirements, regulatory standards, and performance expectations mean OEMs need the flexibility to meet these changes. Configurable electronics housings help businesses prepare for change because they’re designed for adaptability and customization.
“Lansing provides the benefits of customization without the drawbacks of long lead times or high costs associated with full customization,” said Simmons. “Our flat-pack, ready-to-assemble approach means OEMs can store standardized components and configure them as needed. This flexibility is particularly useful for companies operating in multiple markets or regions with varying product requirements.”
Whether your company is introducing a new model, upgrading an existing product, or expanding into a different sector, Lansing’s configurable enclosures make it easy. Please reach out to see how Lansing’s configurable product lines can help streamline your production and meet your electronics housing needs.
