Thick Gauge ESD safe ABS Plastic Enclosures in 3 mm – Office Furniture Range

These ESD safe ABS plastic enclosures are thick gauge vacuum formed parts supplied to drawing for office furniture. They are formed from ESD safe ABS sheet at 3 mm, trimmed on 5-axis routers and inspected against the drawing before packing. Buyers choose this route where a metal fabrication is too heavy, or where injection moulding tooling cannot be justified for the volume.

Product specification

Key features

• One piece shell replaces a fabrication, so assembly hours drop
• ESD safe ABS keeps the weight down while stiffness is held through the formed shape
• Emi shielding coating finish as standard, further finishes on request
• Trimmed on 5-axis routers, so mounting holes and cut outs match the drawing
• Tooling stored against the part number for repeat and spare orders
• material certificates with every batch

Typical applications

• cable trays
• chair shells
• screen frames
• desk modesty panels
• plastic enclosures used across general office furniture builds

How it is made

1. Sheet is dried when the material needs it, then heated to forming temperature on the machine.
2. Tooling is cut: aluminium for production volumes, composite or printed moulds for samples and first articles.
3. The part cools on a jig so the shape is held while the material stabilises.
4. Drawings are reviewed and a manufacturability report is issued with wall thickness, draft and radii marked up.
5. The sheet is formed over the mould with vacuum and, where the draw is deep, with plug assist.

Material: ESD safe ABS

ESD safe ABS keeps surface resistivity in the dissipative range, used for electronics carriers, tray systems and equipment covers in assembly areas.

Design notes

• add ribs or returns instead of increasing sheet thickness to save weight and cycle time
• hold the draw ratio near 1:1 for deep parts, or specify plug assist
• plan the trim line on a flat face so the router can hold tolerance
• use corner radii of at least three times the sheet thickness to avoid thinning

Finishing and assembly options

• EMI shielding coating
• two coat polyurethane paint
• mould texture
• Threaded inserts, PEM fasteners and brackets fitted before dispatch
• Mating parts can be trial assembled before the first article ships

Quality

Batch releases carry a dimensional report, material certificate and, where agreed, PPAP or ISIR documentation. Sheet thickness is checked on the formed part at the points shown on the drawing, and the readings go into the report.

• REACH compliant sheet available
• UL94 V-0 grades available
• ISO 9001 quality system

Packing and delivery

Large panels are crated in made to measure wooden cases with corner protection. Standard lead time to first article is 7–15 working days, and repeat releases ship against stored tooling without a new proving run.

Frequently asked questions

What quantity can I order?

Sample quantities start at one piece off printed tooling. The process pays back from about 25 pieces a year and runs well into several thousand.

How fast is the first article?

Seven to fifteen working days from drawing release for sample tooling, with production tooling in three to four weeks.

Can you make it in another material?

Any grade in this family can be swapped in. Send the requirement and the material will be quoted with the price difference shown.

Request a quotation

Send the drawing or a photo of the current plastic enclosures with the quantity and the finish required. The reply covers material choice, wall thickness, tooling route and price, so the decision is made on a complete picture.