The production of metal enclosures generally involves five major process stages: stamping and forming, die casting, machining, surface treatment, and inspection and packaging. Different process routes require different types of specialized equipment.
1. Stamping and Forming Equipment for Sheet Metal Enclosures
Precision CNC punch presses and turret punch presses are used for hole punching and contour cutting in batch production of sheet metal enclosures. They support multi-station simultaneous machining and can handle various hole diameters and irregular hole patterns.
Hydraulic press brakes, including CNC press brakes, are used for bending and forming sheet metal enclosure edges. CNC models can preset bending parameters to maintain consistent bending accuracy across large batches, such as the frame processing of industrial control chassis and distribution cabinet enclosures.
Shearing machines are available in hydraulic and mechanical types. They cut full coils or sheets of steel into blank sizes required for subsequent enclosure processing.
Deep-drawing hydraulic presses are used for curved-surface metal enclosures, such as small appliance housings and waterproof junction boxes. They can perform single-stage or multi-stage deep drawing.
Roll forming machines are used for continuous production of long metal enclosures, such as wire ducts and rail-type housings. Multiple roller stations gradually form flat strip into the specified cross-sectional profile.
2. Die Casting Equipment for Alloy Metal Enclosures
Hot chamber die casting machines are mostly used for batch production of zinc alloy and lead alloy enclosures. They offer high productivity and are suitable for small, thin-walled housings.
Cold chamber die casting machines are used for aluminum alloy, magnesium alloy, and other alloys with higher melting points. They can produce medium-sized metal enclosures with higher strength, such as new energy vehicle component housings and industrial sensor bodies.
3. Machining Equipment
CNC milling machines and vertical machining centers are used for high-precision metal enclosures with complex mounting grooves and curved surfaces. They can perform milling, drilling, boring, and other operations in a single setup.
Multi-spindle drilling machines are used for batch drilling of screw clearance holes and positioning holes, significantly improving drilling efficiency.
Dedicated tapping machines automatically produce threaded holes in enclosures, ensuring thread accuracy and consistency for batch threading requirements.
4. Surface Treatment Equipment
Electrostatic powder coating equipment includes electrostatic spray guns, powder recovery systems, and curing ovens. It is used for anti-corrosion and decorative powder coating of enclosures, with good adhesion and lower environmental impact.
Electroplating lines are divided into rack plating and barrel plating. They are used for batch anti-rust and brightening treatment of metal enclosures, including nickel plating, chrome plating, and zinc plating.
Automatic polishing machines include brushing machines and mirror polishing machines. They remove burrs and scratches from enclosure surfaces and produce brushed or mirror finishes.
Sandblasting equipment uses compressed air to propel abrasive media onto the enclosure surface. It removes burrs and rust and improves the adhesion of subsequent coatings.
5. Inspection and Packaging Equipment
2D and 3D video measuring machines inspect dimensional accuracy, hole position deviation, and profile tolerance to verify whether enclosures meet design requirements.
Salt spray test chambers simulate humid and salt-laden environments to evaluate the anti-rust and corrosion resistance of enclosures.
Air tightness testers are used for waterproof metal enclosures to check whether sealing performance meets standards.
Automatic packaging machines include shrink wrapping machines and blister packaging machines. They provide moisture-proof and dust-proof packaging for finished enclosures and improve logistics efficiency.
Across these process stages, many machines rely on precision non-standard parts such as forming dies, bending punches, fixture plates, and guide rails. Hansheng Automation can provide custom machining services for these critical components based on customer-supplied drawings or samples, helping equipment maintain stable operation in enclosure production lines.
