ASA Light Housings Vacuum Formed in 12 mm for Printing And Packaging Machinery

These ASA light housings are thick gauge vacuum formed parts supplied to drawing for printing and packaging machinery. They are formed from ASA sheet at 12 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
• ASA keeps the weight down while stiffness is held through the formed shape
• Two coat polyurethane paint 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
• ISO 9001 quality system

Typical applications

• ink tray liners
• waste bins
• control panels
• feeder covers
• light housings used across general printing and packaging machinery builds

How it is made

1. Trimming is done on 5-axis routers or with a dedicated trim fixture to meet the drawing.
2. Parts are inspected, fitted with inserts or hardware if required, packed and shipped.
3. The part cools on a jig so the shape is held while the material stabilises.
4. Tooling is cut: aluminium for production volumes, composite or printed moulds for samples and first articles.
5. Sheet is dried when the material needs it, then heated to forming temperature on the machine.

Material: ASA

ASA keeps its colour and surface under UV better than ABS, which suits outdoor covers that are not painted.

Design notes

• keep a draft angle of at least 3 degrees on vertical walls so the part releases cleanly
• avoid sharp steps in the mould, which show as chill marks on the finished surface
• call out the finish on the drawing: mould texture, paint, or as-formed gloss
• add ribs or returns instead of increasing sheet thickness to save weight and cycle time

Finishing and assembly options

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

Quality

Moulds, trim fixtures and programmes are stored against the part number, so a repeat order matches the first batch. Batch releases carry a dimensional report, material certificate and, where agreed, PPAP or ISIR documentation.

• UL94 V-0 grades available
• material certificates with every batch
• RoHS compliant grades available

Packing and delivery

Each part is bagged, edges protected with foam, then cartonised for container loading. Standard lead time to first article is 2–3 weeks, 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.

Are spare parts available later?

Tooling is stored against the part number for the life of the programme, so replacements or spare panels can be released at any time.

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.

Request a quotation

Send the drawing or a photo of the current light housings 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.