molded plastic case for a wall wart design

Hi all, Can anyone give me an idea where to look to purchase cases for a AC plugin module (i.e. wall wart design). Other than the AC blades coming out of the back of the package the only feature I might add would be a couple of light pipes for 1 or two LED's to be visible on the front, although I could probably do without if I had to. Thanks in advance, Joe

Reply to
jcdestiny
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You need to specify whether you're looking for something for a home project or for development into a consumer product. If you just a single piece then why not go out and just buy a wall-wart utility of some kind whose box appeals to you? Rip out the insides and use it for whatever you want.

Mark 'Sporky' Staplet>

Reply to
Sporkman

This is for a design at work, ~5k quantities next year. I work for a startup and we're always looking to save money, so I need to see if I can find something off the shelf before I make a custom design.

Reply to
jcdestiny

I see. Well, a reply to your same post in sci.engr.manufacturing suggested Jameco.com and Polycase. I'll also mention Hammond.

However, there are even other options for CUSTOM design that perhaps you may want to consider despite your company's need to scrimp. For marketing impact a custom design is often more important that you might imagine. I personally tend to be quite skeptical of marketing hype because of my background in engineering, and I always tend to put function above form. But I've had enough "initiation" into the (not-so) wonderful world of marketing to temper my tendency to be cynical about the importance of perceived value. You may be well advised to weigh other options carefully.

Rapid prototyping can produce high-quality models which can be used as masters for rubber molds to make either urethane or epoxy molded parts for low volumes. It's pretty cost-effective. For slightly greater volumes you can actually have a low volume mold made directly from a 3D model. See

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for the latter. See
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and
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for the former.

To DEVELOP a moldable design that these services can use, however, you've got to have something better than 2D drawings -- a 3D model, in other words. A lot of people can do that for you . . . including me. Do some Web searching and you'll find such services all over. However, I recommend that in order to bypass some of the hype and bunk that some industrial design firms can foist on you go with a person who has some good background in aesthetics, but who is first and foremost a mechanical type and with experience in creation of complex geometry via

3D CAD (especially using Surfacing techniques, when necessary) and molding, and who can take your ideas and quickly turn around something nice for you. It shouldn't be that hard to pinpoint the likeliest sources for such services if you look around. The right person can actually help make your company a lot of money while costing very little.

Mark 'Sporky' Stapleton WaterMark Design, LLC

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NC

Reply to
Sporkman

I see. Well, a reply to your same post in sci.engr.manufacturing suggested Jameco.com and Polycase. I'll also mention Hammond.

However, there are even other options for CUSTOM design that perhaps you may want to consider despite your company's need to scrimp. For marketing impact a custom design is often more important that you might imagine. I personally tend to be quite skeptical of marketing hype because of my background in engineering, and I always tend to put function above form. But I've had enough "initiation" into the (not-so) wonderful world of marketing to temper my tendency to be cynical about the importance of perceived value. You may be well advised to weigh other options carefully.

Rapid prototyping can produce high-quality models which can be used as masters for rubber molds to make either urethane or epoxy molded parts for low volumes. It's pretty cost-effective. For slightly greater volumes you can actually have a low volume mold made directly from a 3D model. See

formatting link
for the latter. See
formatting link
and
formatting link
for the former.

To DEVELOP a moldable design that these services can use, however, you've got to have something better than 2D drawings -- a 3D model, in other words. A lot of people can do that for you . . . including me. Do some Web searching and you'll find such services all over. However, I recommend that in order to bypass some of the hype and bunk that some industrial design firms can foist on you go with a person who has some good background in aesthetics, but who is first and foremost a mechanical type and with experience in creation of complex geometry via

3D CAD (especially using Surfacing techniques, when necessary) and molding, and who can take your ideas and quickly turn around something nice for you. It shouldn't be that hard to pinpoint the likeliest sources for such services if you look around. The right person can actually help make your company a lot of money while costing very little.

Mark 'Sporky' Stapleton WaterMark Design, LLC

formatting link
NC

Reply to
Sporkman

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