Tool Free Custom Enclosures
Create high-quality custom enclosures without the cost and delay of traditional tooling.
Create high-quality custom enclosures without the cost and delay of traditional tooling.
Tool free enclosure manufacturing enables the production of fully customised enclosures without moulds, using CNC machining, cutting, heat bending and assembly techniques applied to flat plastic sheets.
This approach removes expensive tooling costs and significantly reduces lead times, making it ideal for prototyping, proof of concept work and low to medium volume production.
Key benefits
Tool free enclosures are best suited to projects where flexibility, speed and cost control are priorities.
They are typically the right choice when:
For higher volume production, injection moulding may become more cost effective. However, for many industrial and electronic applications, tool free manufacturing offers a more practical and efficient solution.
| Feature | Tool-Free Fabrication | Injection Moulding |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront Cost | £0 (No Moulds) | High (£2k – £20k+) |
| Lead Time | 3-4 Weeks | 8-12+ Weeks |
| Minimum Order |
Low (1+)
|
High (1,000+) |
| Design Flexibility | Infinite / Easy to change | Very Difficult / Expensive |
Tool free enclosures are produced using a structured fabrication and assembly process, allowing for precision, repeatability and flexibility.
Step 1 – Consultation
Discuss your design requirements with our team, including material selection, sizing and assembly needs.
Depending on complexity, CAD files may be required, but we can also work from simple sketches or create enclosures around assembled components such as PCBs.
Step 2 – Final Design
Before manufacturing begins, the design is finalised between Evatron and the customer.
For more complex projects, a sample may be provided for approval. Material specifications such as temperature resistance, flame retardancy and colour are also confirmed at this stage.
Step 3 – Production
Once approved, manufacturing begins.
Enclosure components are precision cut from flat plastic sheets using CNC routing, including apertures, vents and fixing points. Panels may also be prepared for bending using scoring techniques, allowing accurate forming during the next stage.
Artwork such as logos and labels can also be applied during production.
Step 4 – Assembly
All components are assembled by folding and bonding each segment to create the final enclosure structure.
This includes solvent bonding techniques to create strong, seamless joints, along with the installation of inserts or fixings where required.
Final finishing processes such as printing or surface treatments can also be applied. Your designs are securely stored for repeat orders, and thanks to the tool free approach, future modifications can be made quickly and easily.
Tool free custom enclosures are used across a wide range of industrial and commercial environments where standard enclosures are not suitable.
Typical end uses include:
Case Study
BMS Interface Housing
Challenge
A building automation specialist required a custom housing for a high-performance interface device used to monitor and control large-scale HVAC systems. As a plug-in replacement for a legacy product, the enclosure needed to accommodate modern hardware including a touch screen and web-browser interface while maintaining a form factor compatible with existing infrastructure and mounting points.
Solution
Using tool free manufacturing, a custom plastic enclosure was developed to house a specific PCB and touch-screen components without the limitations of a standard “off-the-shelf” enclosure. High-precision CNC machining ensured perfect apertures for the display and connectivity ports, while the internal architecture was optimised for rapid assembly as a direct replacement unit.
Outcome
The tool free approach allowed the client to bring their updated interface to market significantly faster, bypassing the high costs and long lead times associated with traditional injection moulding. The result is a high-spec, professional finish that reflects the advanced technology inside.
Furthermore, the process provides long-term design flexibility. As hardware specifications evolve, the enclosure design can be refined without the cost or delay of new tooling ensuring the client can consistently meet tight project deadlines and stay ahead of industry standards.
A range of materials can be used depending on the application and performance requirements. Common options include:
Enclosures can also be customised with:
It is a method of producing custom enclosures without moulds or tooling, using fabrication processes such as CNC machining, cutting, bending and bonding.
Yes, it is ideal for low to medium volume production where flexibility and reduced upfront cost are more important than mass production efficiency.
Tool free manufacturing eliminates tooling costs and reduces lead times, making it ideal for smaller runs and custom designs. Injection moulding is typically better suited to very high-volume production.
You can start with anything from a full CAD design to a simple sketch or even a physical component.
Evatron will work with you to define the requirements, refine the design and recommend suitable materials and manufacturing approaches.
Yes, Evatron can manage the entire process from initial concept through to design, production, assembly and finishing.
This ensures consistency, reduces risk and provides a single point of contact throughout the project.
Contact us – sales@evatron.com
Discuss your tool free enclosure project
If you need a custom enclosure without the cost and delay of tooling, our team can help.