Specifying Plastic Enclosures For Touchscreen Electronics

Touchscreens are ubiquitous these days – but housing them can still be a challenge for electronics designers. Until recently there were few dedicated standard enclosures for touch displays. But OKW’s enclosure ranges suit a broad spectrum of touchscreen applications. And our enclosures can be customised quickly and cost-effectively – even in smaller volumes.

Key Features For Touchscreen Enclosures

Touchscreens are tactile so their enclosures must be ergonomic – whether handheld, wall-mounted or used on a desktop. That means lots of soft contours. Other desirable benefits include:

• good ingress protection (IP 65) and UV stability
• a wide choice of versions and sizes for each model
• tamperproof Torx assembly screws – especially for medical applications
• plenty of customisation options offered by an experienced single-source supplier.

Touchscreen Enclosures For Mobile Electronics

Users expect every handheld touchscreen device to be as good as their mobile phone. Sleek, comfortable cellphones have become the centre of their technological world – and consequently a benchmark for ergonomics, aesthetics and useability. That’s only to be expected – but what if your electronics won’t fit a mobile-sized case? At OKW, we solved this challenge by creating SLIM-CASE (IP 54/65), a cutting-edge mobile touchscreen enclosure that’s bigger than it first appears.

Viewed from above, SLIM-CASE looks like a mobile phone housing: low profile with a virtually frameless design. But closer inspection reveals a sculpted rear section that offers more space (and makes the enclosure more comfortable to hold).

Don’t misperceive SLIM-CASE’s compact form as small – it offers plenty of space for PCBs, plug connectors, interfaces and sensors. Perfect for measuring and control technology, wireless communications, IoT/IIoT, medical and laboratory electronics, offices, smart homes, safety engineering and environmental technology.

SLIM-CASE is available with a choice of operating panels:

• flat – for displays, buttons and LEDs
• 1.6 mm recess – for a touchscreen or membrane keypad
• 1.0 mm recess – for thinner product labels.

All three can be specified with or without a soft-touch TPE intermediate ring that makes SLIM-CASE even more comfortable to hold. This ring can also help to absorb impact should the user drop the device. Collectively, this combination of tops and rings gives you a choice of six different versions (I-VI).

View the SLIM-CASE range >>

Larger Handheld Touchscreen Enclosures

Need something bigger than SLIM-CASE? Try capacious CARRYTEC (IP 54 optional) – a small, medium or large ‘attaché case’ for monitoring, diagnostics, communications and data collection. It’s our largest handheld enclosure.

CARRYTEC can be carried, docked in a charging station, clipped to a hospital bedrail or bolted to a suspension arm. An outdoor version is available in UV-stable ASA+PC-FR for agriculture and forestry applications.

The integrated handle is very robust – but also comfortable because it features a soft-touch insert. This grip also serves a secondary purpose. It makes CARRYTEC easy to manoeuvre when the enclosure is inverted for mounting on a suspension arm. And there is also a dedicated version of CARRYTEC (M Slim) designed specifically for housing tablets.

It’s well worth checking out the wide range of CARRYTEC accessories too. Amid the various docking stations, holdings clamps and seals, you’ll find some very smart cases that fit on each side of the main enclosure. These side cases are intended to house any probes or other equipment used with your device. And best of all, they’re designed in such a way that the probe can stay connected to the main device even when stored away – so users don’t have to continually reconnect then disconnect the apparatus every time they use it.

View the CARRYTEC range >>

Wall-Mounted Touchscreen Enclosures For Building Control

Our SMART-PANEL enclosures take elegant understatement to the next level: they flush-fit into standard-sized cavity wall boxes – leaving just the top to frame a touchscreen. Screwless assembly means there are no visible fixings. They clip together, to be reopened using a pair of special plastic tools available as an accessory.

SMART-PANEL’s creator, Martin Nußberger, of polyform Industrie Design, said: “Only a narrow frame surrounds the user interface, and the base of the enclosure blends in. Nothing is revealed about how this enclosure is screwed on to the wall – no fixing points, no joints.”

These enclosures are the epitome of discreet; they look extremely smart, enhancing your technology and the environment that they occupy. But their subtle design language means your products will never be mistaken for those of a competitor. Especially not if you choose to print a logo on the rear of the glass screen (accessory).

SMART-PANEL is moulded from UV-stable ASA+PC-FR – even the flush-mounted areas destined not to see the light of day. That’s because these enclosures can also be specified for desktop electronics. Just add non-slip feet as an accessory.

View the SMART-PANEL range >>

Desktop Enclosures For Touchscreens

All desktop enclosures must be easy to view and operate but touchscreens even more so because they can be prone to glare. OKW’s PROTEC (IP 65 optional) square-plan enclosures have a 20° sloping front for easy viewing and operation. Three versions offer either:

• a large rear recess for connectors
• a flush-fit cover that hides the recess
• an extra-deep cover that doubles as a desk stand.

These modern desk and wall-mount enclosures offer plenty of space for components. The sealed electronics compartment has three board levels. None of the tamperproof Torx fixing screws is visible – they’re all concealed on the underside.

View the PROTEC range >>

But PROTEC isn’t the only desktop enclosure to offer a choice of versions. So too does EVOTEC (IP 65 optional) which is available with either a flat or sloping top. Soft-contoured EVOTEC’s large operating area is inclined by 12° for desktop applications and also for wall mounting. You can specify the sloping-top version of these ASA+PC-FR enclosures either with or without a recess.

View the EVOTEC range >>

Modular Multi-Role Touchscreen Enclosures

If you thought it was difficult finding a standard enclosure to suit just one touchscreen role, try specifying one that can handle them all. It’s challenging…but not impossible. Our modular INTERFACE-TERMINAL enables you to specify your ideal enclosure simply by selecting your preferred pieces.

Just choose your preferred bottom section and cover. Then add a front/glass panel (if required), a seal and an installation kit (for flush-mounting in walls). The range of possibilities is very large indeed. One enclosure model can house your electronics for mobile, portable, wall-mount, desktop and even flush-mount applications. By using the same model for different roles, you ensure design continuity – and create cost efficiencies by ordering larger numbers of the same enclosure sections.

The flush-mount configuration in particular is great for touchscreens. It’s very well suited for heritage properties and other sensitive locations where modern technology is required but must blend in as much as possible. For these applications, INTERFACE-TERMINAL can be very discreet indeed, especially if you opt for a custom colour or lacquered texture instead of the standard off-white (RAL 9002).

View the INTERFACE-TERMINAL range >>

Specify Customised Enclosures For Your Touchscreen Electronics

It’s very easy to specify touchscreen enclosures customised to your exact requirements. And new technology makes it viable even for small batches. Specify machined and branded enclosures that will arrive at your Goods In fully finished. You can send them straight to your production line.

We carry out all customisation work in-house – so you deal with one expert supplier that is fully accountable for the quality of your finished enclosures. Greater supply chain security, less administration, faster shipping.

As a specialist enclosures manufacturer, our full range of customisation services includes machining, finishing, digital printing and laser marking. And remember…today’s standard housings are highly specialised so doesn’t it take much customisation to make them truly unique.

View our full range of customisation services >>

Further Reading

• Your Guide To Specifying Enclosures. Read more…
• How To Specify Customised Enclosures For Your Electronics. Read more…

Find Out More, Request A Sample, Download 3D Models

Get expert technical advice on plastic enclosures for touchscreen electronics. Contact us as early as possible in the design process. We can help you to specify the best enclosure for your requirements. Ask us about getting a sample  and downloading drawings and 3D models of your preferred enclosures.