NMR (No Molds Required) is our proprietary plastic sheet fabrication process that produces custom enclosures without the tooling costs of injection molding or thermoforming. It is not 3D printing; our parts are fabricated from plastic sheet material and are identical in appearance to final production components, making the prototype-to-production transition straightforward. We have no mold setup fees, which significantly reduces per-project cost at lower volumes. NMR is ideally suited for quantities ranging from a 5-piece prototype build-up to 5,000-piece blanket orders.
We fabricate every enclosure to order using our NMR technology. We do not stock, sell, or resell pre-made enclosures or plastic sheet material. All designs are built to your specific application requirements.
No. Each design shown on our site is custom-built for a specific customer's application and may be proprietary. However, we can develop custom variations of some enclosure concepts shown. See our Enclosure Concepts page for more information.
No. Our 3-axis CNC routers are not configured for secondary machining on existing enclosures. For modifications to existing plastic housings, we recommend contacting a local machine shop with 5-axis CNC capability.
We can fabricate custom plastic housings that are dust and moisture-resistant. Using specific construction methods and gaskets, we can achieve performance comparable to NEMA and IP enclosure specifications. We are not a certification body, so it is up to you to test and certify the enclosure if a formal rating is required. Please discuss your ingress protection requirements with us when requesting a quote.
Our CNC milling beds can accommodate sheet sizes up to 5'x10', 4'x8', and 36"x40". Larger assemblies can be pieced together using fasteners or other joining methods. There is no hard upper limit for assembled enclosure size.
Yes. We work with coating vendors that apply a thin layer of copper, nickel, or silver to the interior surfaces of the enclosure. There are two methods: the first is to spray the plastic sheet before fabrication, which eliminates the need to mask the part afterward. The second is to apply the coating after the enclosure is built, which requires more masking and is more expensive.
Corner edges must overlap slightly to the inside or outside of the enclosure and are secured to the main wall structure using rivets or self-tapping screws. We cannot weld ACM like sheet metal or solvent-weld it like plastics, so sealing corners against moisture requires RTV or caulk sealant.
Yes. We offer digital printing to add branding, part numbers, connector labels, instructions, and component cutout descriptions directly to the enclosure surface. A logo can also be applied via silk-screening, or we can machine a pocket recess into the part to accept a decal. Digital printing is ACM's primary value-add for graphics boards and architectural signage applications.
Yes. It is common for customers to send us their circuit board and components and have our team start the design from there. We will streamline the part for NMR fabrication and work alongside your designer throughout the process. An upfront non-recurring engineering charge starting at $300 applies, depending on the complexity and depth of the project.
We design in SolidWorks and prefer native SolidWorks files or .stp format. We can also import .igs, .dxf, .dwg, .prt, and .xmt files. For manufacturing, we use Woodwop, Mastercam, and TTK. If you do not have CAD files, our team can assist with design for an engineering charge starting at $300.
There are limitations to the bend radii we can achieve with NMR technology. The outside bend radius is approximately equal to the material thickness. Larger radii can be achieved by cold forming, where the material is flexed to a target radius and held in place by ribbing and endcaps.
Yes. Using our NMR fabrication process, we can incorporate a snap-on DIN rail feature custom to each enclosure. A laminated block is solvent welded to the rear of the housing and fitted with threaded inserts to accept a metal DIN rail snap-on clip, resulting in a robust and removable mounting solution.
Yes. We primarily use blind standoffs from PEM, specifically models CSS-632-4 and CSS-632-8. Most standard PEM hardware is designed for sheet metal or plastic and may not be compatible with ACM, so hardware selection should be confirmed during the design phase.
Our core materials include HIPS, ABS, FR-PC/ABS, acrylic, polycarbonate, and PETG, available in varying UL fire ratings. We also work with ACM (Aluminum Composite Material) for applicable projects. See envplastics.com/materials for full specifications and options.
We can CNC route these engineering materials but cannot bend or weld them using our NMR technology. They are suitable for wear strips, custom panels, and similar flat-fabricated components but not for formed enclosure walls.
We stock HIPS and FR-HIPS in multiple gauges, plus off-white and gray in ABS. Custom color extrusions are available with a minimum run of 500 pounds or greater. Painting is also an option for lower volumes that do not justify a custom extrusion. All of our stocked materials are UL listed.
These are flame ratings for plastic assigned by Underwriters Laboratories. UL94-HB is the horizontal burn rating and UL94-V0 means the material meets the vertical 0-burn test. We stock materials that meet both ratings. Please specify your flame rating requirement when requesting a quote.
Yes, all of our stock materials are RoHS compliant. Please specify your RoHS requirement when requesting a quote to ensure the selected material meets your product's compliance documentation needs.
Our minimum wall thickness is 3mm (.118"). This is due to the tongue and groove construction used in our NMR technology. We can bend walls up to .250" thick. Thicker materials can be incorporated as ribs, standoffs, or stiffeners, though consistent bending of thicker material is not possible.
Yes. We fabricate panels, enclosures, and other designs from ACM. ACM enclosures have a minimum thickness of .118" with .012" facers. Corner edges must overlap and be fastened with rivets or self-tapping screws. Corners cannot be welded and require RTV or caulk sealant for water resistance.
ACM is available in a variety of thicknesses. The sizes we use most commonly are .118", .157", and .236", though availability varies by brand and color. Panels intended for signage typically come in .062" thickness with .008" facers.
NMR competes well against sheet metal when the metal equivalent would require welding, grinding, and painting. Many people find that plastic offers an aesthetically cleaner result and improved corrosion resistance compared to painted sheet metal. We can also incorporate sheet metal inserts into the design where added strength or component mounting requires it. Compared to off-the-shelf enclosures, NMR is the better choice when the molded box requires additional milling or custom mounting features. If you need only a few enclosures and are willing to handle your own cutout solution, an off-the-shelf box may be more economical.
If you are certain that your product is going direct to injection molding and have no need for pre-production, then making a SLA rapid prototype is going to be your best solution. Envision Plastics does not consider itself a prototype shop. We are able to produce your prototypes if it is going to lead to pre-production or production work.
If you are certain your product is going directly to high-volume injection molding with no need for pre-production, an SLA rapid prototype may be the more economical starting point. However, if your prototype needs to lead to pre-production or production work, we can produce prototypes that are identical representations of what your final production parts will look like. Compared to injection molding, we compete strongly at lower volumes because we have no tooling costs. Mold changes can be expensive and cost-prohibitive as product designs evolve, whereas NMR gives you the flexibility to make design changes without retooling.
Our typical prototype lead time is approximately four weeks. Production order lead times depend on part complexity and our current engineering workload. Please contact us directly for a project-specific estimate based on your production quantity.
The best starting point is to request a quote through our website. Provide as much detail as possible including size, material preferences, quantity, and any special requirements such as gaskets, EMI shielding, or DIN rail mounting. If you do not have CAD files, our team can assist with design.
