Custom-made plastic housings for electronics and industrial applications using injection molding

Plastic housings for electronics and HMI applications

Development and manufacturing of custom plastic housings using injection molding

Custom-designed plastic enclosures are far more than just a protective cover for electronics: they influence not only function and ergonomics, but also the degree of integration, assembly effort and design – and thus make a crucial contribution to the long-term economic viability and competitiveness of a product.

We develop and manufacture custom plastic enclosures that are precisely tailored not only to your technical requirements, but also to the specific operating conditions and planned production volumes. We support your project from the initial design phase through targeted material selection to series production, ensuring that both technical and economic aspects are considered early on and sustainably optimized.

Depending on the requirements, we integrate suitable HMI components such as membrane keypads , silicone touch mats , or separate silicone protective covers into the housing concept. We also implement project-specific , multi-component solutions for the functional integration of operating elements, seals, or grip zones.

The result is functional, assembly-optimized housing solutions with clearly calculable costs, high series production readiness and long-term planning security.

Are you currently using a standard case?

Check in 2 minutes whether a custom enclosure concept could be economically worthwhile for your application.
Go to the case check >>

Plastic housings for medical technology and industrial applications

Custom-designed plastic enclosures for electronics and industrial applications

Plastic housing components for technical assemblies

Project examples for custom-designed enclosures

Our work is based on experience gained from various projects in the field of custom plastic enclosures. Applications range from simple enclosures for HMI applications to more complex assembly solutions – each tailored to the technical and economic requirements of our customers.

Robust plastic housings for handheld devices and industrial applications

Compact plastic housings for electronic modules and industrial components

Project references for enclosure projects

Handheld housing with circumferential seal

For a customer in the industrial metrology sector, we developed a custom handheld housing with an integrated circumferential seal. A key feature of this concept is that the seal is not a separate component, but rather an integral part of the housing design.

The seal functionally connects the upper and lower shells, ensuring a defined and reproducible joining situation during assembly. Separate inserts or additional assembly steps are eliminated, significantly increasing process reliability, sealing quality, and efficiency.

The plastic housing was ergonomically designed for mobile use and seamlessly integrates the display and controls into the overall design. The result is a robust, durable, and series-optimized solution with high assembly quality and clearly calculable cost-effectiveness.

Development of a custom plastic housing from sketch to product

3D CAD design of a custom plastic housing

Design of a plastic housing with a focus on design and function

Prototype of a customer-specific plastic housing before series production

Finished custom plastic enclosure for electronic applications

Custom handheld plastic housing in final design

Custom-designed housing with matching silicone protective cover

For a manufacturer of industrial measurement technology, we developed a custom-designed plastic housing with a precisely matched silicone protective cover. The goal was to create a robust, durable, and ergonomically optimized housing concept for mobile use.
The plastic housing was designed to integrate operating elements, interfaces, and internal electronics. Wall thicknesses, screw points, and sealing surfaces were optimized for manufacturing to ensure high series production readiness and stable assembly processes.

The precisely fitting silicone protective case functionally complements the housing and provides targeted protection against impacts, edge stress, and mechanical wear and tear during daily use. At the same time, it improves grip and feel.

The result is an assembly-optimized, economically scalable and system-integrated housing solution with high process reliability and long-term planning perspective.

Custom-designed injection-molded plastic housing for industrial measurement technology

Plastic housing with silicone protective cover for mobile measuring devices

Plastic housing with integrated silicone switching mat as sealing and operating element

For a customer in the building automation sector, we developed a custom plastic housing in which the silicone keypad is structurally integrated into the housing design, serving both as a keypad and a sealing element. The goal was to optimize the housing's functionality, reduce the number of components, and simplify the assembly process.

The silicone switching mat not only performs the defined switching function with precise tactile feedback, but also seals the transition between the upper and lower housing shells. Separate sealing elements are eliminated, thus reducing interfaces and increasing process reliability.

The plastic housing was designed for manufacturing and precisely tailored to the integration of the switching mat. This resulted in a robust, assembly-optimized, and economically scalable series solution with clearly defined functions in an integrated overall concept.

Plastic housing with silicone keypad for industrial operating devices

Ergonomic plastic housing with silicone switching mat for handheld devices

Plastic housing in multi-component injection molding with integrated silicone overmolding

For a manufacturer in the field of safety and signaling technology, we developed a round plastic housing using multi-component injection molding with a directly molded silicone protective structure. The goal was a compact, impact-resistant, and durable plastic housing that constructively combines mechanical protection, lighting function, and tactile feedback in a single component.

The transparent base of the impact-resistant thermoplastic housing was specifically designed for the integration of the LED unit and for circumferential light emission zones. Wall thicknesses, rib geometries, and mounting points were optimized for manufacturing to ensure dimensional accuracy, warpage resistance, and cost-effective series production.

In the second process step, a silicone component was directly injection-molded onto the plastic housing. This provides shock protection, a spacer function, and improved tactile feel simultaneously. The functional overmolding creates a protective contour that absorbs mechanical stresses and significantly increases the plastic housing's durability in daily use.

The result is an assembly-optimized, function-integrated plastic housing with high process reliability and clear scalability – ideal for industrial applications with increased demands on robustness and cost-effectiveness.

Plastic housing in multi-component injection molding with integrated silicone overmolding

Plastic housing with silicone overmolding for protection, sealing and shock absorption

When are custom enclosures the better solution?

Individual products deserve an individual case design.

Custom plastic housing from CAD design to series production

Standard enclosures are often a pragmatic starting point for early development phases. However, as production readiness increases, clear limitations become apparent: limited integration, compromises in ergonomics and design, and rising unit costs over the product lifecycle.

Fact Sheet: What factors determine the actual cost of enclosures? (.pdf)

Custom-designed plastic enclosures offer advantages when:

Functions, electronics or controls are to be integrated
Ergonomics and user acceptance play a role
Design and differentiation are important
medium to large production runs are planned
Long-term availability must be ensured
A defined target price should be achieved and kept stable throughout the project duration.

Even in the early stages of a project, we work with you to determine whether and from what quantity a custom-made plastic enclosure becomes economically viable. Even with medium production runs (around 1.000 units) , customized solutions can be more cost-effective in the long run than standard enclosures, despite initial tooling costs. The decisive factor is not the unit price at the start of the project, but rather the total cost of ownership over several years.

Standard enclosure or customized enclosure solution?

When developing new devices, using standard enclosures initially seems like the obvious choice – especially in the early project phases. However, even with medium-sized production runs, investing in a custom-designed enclosure pays off significantly: tooling costs are quickly recouped, production costs decrease, assembly effort is considerably reduced , and additional functions can be integrated directly into the assembly. This results in an economical, functional, and perfectly tailored solution that ensures the long-term success of your product.

Practical example from medical technology:
How switching from a standard solution to a customized enclosure reduces costs, assembly effort and the variety of options.

Go to article

Practical example from measurement technology:
From standard enclosures to customized solutions: When the switch makes economic sense.

Go to article

Custom plastic enclosures vs. standard enclosures

Comparison based on technical and economic criteria

Criterion	Custom plastic enclosures	Standard housing
Availability & Project Start	Initial development effort, but in return a clearly planned project start, coordinated processes and a safe series production ramp-up.	Available at short notice, ideal for prototypes, pilot projects and early project phases
Investment structure	A one-time tool investment that pays for itself through decreasing unit costs.	No traditional tooling costs, but permanently higher unit prices.
Unit costs & profitability	Decreasing unit costs with increasing quantity; often significantly lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)	Economical for small production runs or unclear sales volume
Design & Integration	The case, display, keyboard, cable entry and battery compartment are developed jointly from the very beginning.	Electronics, display and controls must be adapted to the housing.
Protection & Robustness	Mechanical protection, e.g., through precisely fitting silicone protective covers or integrated seals, specifically tailored to the application.	Defined IP protection classes are available; additional protection is often only possible via external components.
Design & Variant Capability	High degree of design freedom; creation of variations through different material colors, engravings, paint finishes, materials, etc.	Design, colors, and geometry are predetermined.
Supply chain & life cycle	Customer-owned tools ensure long-term supply security and stable prices.	Dependence on catalog availability, price changes or product discontinuations
System delivery & purchasing	System delivery from a single source reduces interfaces, coordination effort and administrative costs.	Multiple suppliers, increased coordination and administrative effort

Economic advantages through systems thinking

The cost-effectiveness of custom-designed enclosures is not solely determined by the price of the individual parts, but by considering the entire system:

Reduced number of individual parts
Reduced assembly and integration effort
Simplified logistics
Improved scalability across the product lifecycle
Long-term independence from catalog products and product discontinuations

This creates sustainable cost advantages over several years.

Graphics cost comparison: custom plastic enclosure vs. standard enclosure

Design Guide Plastic Moulded Parts

Design Guide for Plastic Molded Parts from N&H Technology – Design guide for injection molded parts and plastic development.

Advantages of custom-designed plastic enclosures

Precise dimensions – The housing is precisely tailored to the installation space, installation situation and application.
Integrated fixings Screw bosses, Snap hookGuides and mounting points can be integrated directly into the housing design.
Fewer individual parts Functions that require additional components in standard enclosures can be implemented directly in the plastic enclosure.
Easier assembly – A housing design that is easy to assemble can reduce work steps and simplify series production.
Application-appropriate material selection – The plastic is specifically selected according to the mechanical, thermal, chemical and environmental requirements.
Individual protection concepts – Housing design and Sealing areas can be specifically designed to meet the required protection rating and the respective operating conditions.
Optimized housing design wall thicknesses, ribs, Radii and other constructive elements can be specifically tailored to stability, manufacturability and material usage.
Economical series production – For corresponding production volumes, customer-specific plastic housings offer economic advantages over standard housings that have been subsequently modified or supplemented.
Individual surfaces – Colors, textures, finishes, printing and other embellishments can be implemented to suit the requirements of the housing.
Independent product design – The shape, color and surface of the plastic housing can be customized, instead of adapting the product to the specifications of a standard housing.

In short: The product does not have to fit a standard housing – the plastic housing is designed to fit the product.

Development of plastic housings

Design guide for economical and production-ready enclosure solutions

Developing a plastic housing involves far more than simply designing its external shape. Important decisions are made as early as the design phase, impacting tooling costs, component quality, protection rating, assembly effort, and the cost-effectiveness of subsequent series production. Therefore, a design optimized for manufacturability considers not only the aesthetics but also material properties, injection molding processes, and the housing's intended application.

Our design guide supports developers and designers in the design of customer-specific plastic enclosures. It provides practical knowledge on tool-friendly design and shows how typical errors can be avoided during the development phase. This results in robust, economical, and easy-to-assemble enclosure solutions that are optimally tailored to your application.

The guide contains detailed information on the following topics, among others:

Selection of suitable plastics for housing applications
Case wall thicknesses and production-ready wall thickness transitions
Screw bosses, ribs and reinforcement structures
Draft angles and Design for use with tools
Snap connections and integrated film hinges
tolerances, Surfaces and printing options
Typical design flaws and their avoidance
Checklist for development of plastic housings

Each chapter contains specific design guidelines, technical background information, and practical examples from the development of custom plastic housings. This makes the guide suitable both as a reference work for experienced designers and as support for new development projects.

Table of Contents Design Guidelines

Basics

Component design

Tooling & Manufacturing

Best practices

Individual solutions from a single source

A custom enclosure solution doesn't have to be a complex or risky project. We support you from the initial concept to series production, handling all technical and organizational coordination.

Even in the early stages of a project, we work with you to determine whether and from what quantity a customized solution is economically viable. Based on your requirements, we develop a manufacturable housing concept – including material selection, protection concept and input systems.

Through our experience in the development and manufacturing of Plastic molded parts,silicone protective cases, membrane keypads and Connection Technology the entsteh Tailor-made system solutions from a single sourceThis reduces interfaces, minimizes coordination efforts, and ensures fast, secure industrialization.

For you, this meansClear costs, predictable timelines, and manageable internal effort – combined with high technical and economic reliability. We would be happy to discuss with you whether a custom-designed plastic enclosure makes technical and economic sense for your project.
Based on your requirements, we will create a well-founded assessment – structured, transparent and non-binding.

Our services in the field of plastic housings

As a system supplier, we provide comprehensive support for your project:

Consulting & Concept Development
Analysis of requirements, operating environment and target costs
Construction & Design
Housing design, wall thicknesses, detents, sealing concepts, fastenings
Material selection & surfaces
ABS, PC, PC/ABS, other engineering plastics
Surface textures, colors, lettering
Prototypes & Pre-series
Functional prototype, design validation, assembly testing
Serial Production
Injection molding and 2K injection molding solutions for stable series production processes
Integration of additional components
Displays, membrane keypads, silicone parts, cables, connectors, assemblies

Engineers developing and sampling a plastic molded part for an HMI operating unit

Design guide
Plastic molded parts

The N&H Technology Design Guide for Plastic Molded Parts supports developers and designers in the design of injection-molded parts. The guide covers Design for Manufacturing (DFM), material selection, tooling technology, demolding, wall thicknesses, ribbing, snap connections, and other fundamental design principles for cost-effective plastic components.

Download

Request a free VDI/SPI sample card >>

Comprehensive enclosure solutions – from mechanics to connection technology

Plastic housing with integrated HMI components, electronics and connectors as an assembly — Integration of HMI, electronics and connection technology

We further develop and manufacture custom-made plastic molded parts with integrated magnetic connectors . High-performance spring contact pins and magnets are integrated directly into the housing design. This results in compact, robust, and intuitively operated connection solutions that are particularly suitable for industrial applications. The corresponding cable assemblies are also precisely designed and manufactured by us, creating a complete system solution.

magnetic connector

Keyboards

Covers

This is how we start your project

In order to make you an initial offer, we need the following information:

Technical drawing, sketch or an existing sample
If you do not yet have a technical drawing, we will be happy to create one for you.
Short product description with area of application
The more details you give us, the more precisely we can tailor the offer to your requirements.
Optional additional information
If available, please send us a specification sheet, technical specifications or special equipment details.
Planned quantity or estimated annual requirement
This helps us to optimally align production to your requirements.

To protect your data and ideas, we can conclude a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) in advance. If you do not have your own NDA, we will be happy to provide you with our template.

NDA template

We look forward to your inquiry.

+49 (0)2154-81250

info@nh-technology.de

Personal Meeting

A personal conversation is particularly important to us when it comes to getting to know each other for the first time and discussing complex or new projects. We want to ensure that we fully understand your requirements and needs and can provide you with the best possible solution.

Of course, we are also available via online meetings . We use various platforms and tools to ensure seamless and effective communication.

In our showroom, you have the opportunity to experience the quality and functionality of our products firsthand, receive personalized advice, and try out the various models. Our expert team is on hand to answer all your questions and work with you to find the perfect solution for your needs.

Simply contact us to arrange an appointment and get to know us. We look forward to hearing from you!

Technical FAQs on plastic housings – development, design and manufacturing

Our technical FAQs for custom plastic enclosures answer key questions about design, material selection, and manufacturing. We consider both technical requirements and economic aspects such as assembly effort, costs, and availability. This provides you with a solid foundation for your development and procurement decisions.

Do you have any further questions or a specific project? We would be happy to support you in the development and implementation of your plastic enclosures.
Contact us – we will advise you without obligation.

How can a custom-designed plastic enclosure reduce overall costs?

We design enclosures with integrated functions, including fasteners, seals, and guides. This reduces the number of individual parts and assembly steps, minimizing potential errors and rework. For you, this translates to lower assembly costs and more stable series production.

When does a standard enclosure make sense – and when is a customized solution worthwhile?

Standard enclosures are a quick and cost-effective solution, especially for simple requirements or small production runs. However, as soon as specific requirements arise regarding installation space, function, design, or integration, standard solutions quickly reach their limits.
We would be happy to assess whether a customized solution makes economic sense for you. We will compare your current standard solution with a custom enclosure design. Often, long-term cost reductions can be achieved through functional integration, reduced assembly effort, and optimized components.
The assessment is non-binding and focuses clearly on technical feasibility and economic viability. This provides you with a sound basis for making decisions about your project.

How can we support you if a standard enclosure is currently being used?

If you are already using a standard enclosure, you can show us your current solution and tell us about any desired changes or requirements. A completely new design is not necessary. Based on this information, we will examine the installation space, function, and assembly, as well as any previously necessary modifications such as milling, drilling, or additional mountings. This allows us to specifically identify weaknesses and optimization potential in your existing solution.

We then assess how a customized enclosure solution can be implemented technically and economically. In addition to the pure cost of the parts, we also consider assembly times, additional components, machining steps, and logistical costs. At the same time, we examine which functions can be integrated directly into the new enclosure – for example, fasteners, seals, cable glands, or mounts for circuit boards, displays, and other electronics.

Based on this, we can develop a plastic housing tailored to your specific application and estimate the minimum production volume required to make the customized solution economically viable compared to the existing standard housing. Integrating additional functions often allows us to reduce the number of components and assembly steps required.

Upon request, we will examine not only the housing, but the entire assembly. Components such as membrane keypads, silicone keymats, Displays, PCBs, Connectors or cable assemblies These factors can be taken into account and coordinated during the design phase. In this way, a customer-specific housing can be transformed into a ready-to-assemble HMI module, if required.

Considering the components together simultaneously opens up additional potential for savings. Parts and fasteners can be reduced, machining steps avoided, and assembly processes simplified. On the procurement side, bundling components also reduces the number of suppliers, ordering processes, and interfaces. Therefore, the decisive factor is not just the unit price of the housing, but rather the total cost of the assembly, encompassing procurement, assembly, and logistics.

How can the costs of plastic housings be reduced?

We start as early as the initial development phase and specifically analyze the cost-driving factors of your enclosure. These include geometry, material usage, Tool concept and assembly costs.
We constructively optimize components by uniform wall thicknessesReduced undercuts and tool-friendly design allow us to avoid complex tools and lower investment costs. At the same time, we examine which functions can be directly integrated. This reduces the number of individual parts and simplifies assembly.
The way food is material selection We tailor our solutions precisely to the requirements. This allows us to avoid oversizing and unnecessary material costs. Where appropriate, we use multi-component injection molding to directly integrate seals or functional elements. This reduces the number of additional components and assembly steps.
In addition, we consider the entire system. We analyze how design, manufacturing, and assembly can be optimally coordinated. For you, this means lower tooling costs, reduced unit costs, and economical series production.

How does the development of a plastic housing proceed?

We begin by jointly defining the technical requirements and constraints. These include installation space, function, environmental conditions, and economic objectives. Based on this, we develop an initial concept and coordinate design, materials, and manufacturing early on.

We then create the structural design. In doing so, we consider manufacturing aspects such as wall thicknesses, demolding, and tool-compatible geometries. At the same time, we ensure sensible functional integration to reduce component numbers and assembly effort.

In the next step, we create prototypes and validate them under realistic conditions. This allows us to identify potential adjustments early on and implement them effectively. After successful validation, we design the tooling for series production and transition to manufacturing.
This structured process ensures that your plastic housing functions reliably from a technical standpoint and can be implemented economically.

How quickly can a plastic housing go into mass production?

The project duration depends on complexity, component size, and requirements. In practice, the time until series production typically ranges between 8 and 16 weeks.

Simple enclosures with clearly defined requirements can often be implemented more quickly. More complex projects with high demands on design, sealing, or integration require correspondingly more time. A significant factor here is the time required for tooling and sampling.

Our structured development process and early coordination reduce iterations as early as the concept phase. Prototypes enable rapid validation, allowing for early adjustments. This shortens the time to series production and creates a high degree of planning certainty for your project.

How do we integrate electronics and HMI components into the housing?

When developing custom plastic enclosures, we consider the enclosure, electronics, and controls as a functional unit. Printed circuit boards can be securely positioned using integrated mounting elements, and HMI components such as... Displays, membrane keypads or silicone keymats They are integrated precisely into the housing construction.
Even during the design phase, we consider the necessary cutouts, mounting points, cable routing, and sealing areas, as well as – depending on the application – EMC and protection class requirements. Early coordination of the individual components results in a ready-to-install plastic housing where the electronics, HMI, and enclosure are optimally matched.

How is the tooling strategy for plastic parts planned?

The tool strategy for custom plastic parts We tailor the plastic housing to the component, planned production quantities, and product lifecycle. This includes considering factors such as tool design, production location, expected service life, and potential future modifications or variants.
Even during the design phase, we pay attention to component design that is suitable for the tooling, in order to avoid unnecessary tooling complexity and the associated costs. At the same time, we check whether the tooling can be designed in such a way that later modifications or product variants can be implemented economically.
An early agreement Tool strategy This creates the basis for predictable investment costs, reliable series production and economical use of the tool throughout the entire product life cycle.

How do we ensure the supply of series production for customer-specific plastic housings?

For custom-designed plastic enclosures, a reliable long-term supply is particularly important, as tooling, materials, surface finishes, and any other enclosure components are precisely tailored to the specific product. Therefore, we consider future series production supply as early as the project planning stage.
Through our international manufacturing network and our own site in Shanghai, we directly oversee production and quality assurance on-site. We ensure reproducible manufacturing conditions and consistent quality of the plastic housings throughout the entire production run.
For regularly required production runs, we can also agree on individual warehousing and call-off concepts. Defined buffer stocks enable short-notice call-offs and help to absorb fluctuations in demand.

For long-term projects, we also consider material availability, tool life, and potential changes in production requirements. This allows us to create a solid foundation for a reliable supply of customer-specific plastic housings – even over extended product lifecycles.