YOUR GUIDE TO OKW’S SLOPING-FRONT ENCLOSURES FOR ELECTRONIC TERMINALS

FOR DESKTOPS, WALLS, MACHINES AND MORE…

It’s tempting to assume that sloping-front enclosures always lead cosseted lives on office desks, never to venture beyond them. And that they’re untroubled by the hard knocks endured by their industrial counterparts.

But that’s far from the truth. Nowadays, these desktop enclosures can find themselves in much more challenging locations. Many sloping-front enclosures can end up in light industrial workplaces or in healthcare settings.

On the face of it, healthcare may not sound too demanding an environment for electronic enclosures…but the reality is very different. Hospitals operate 24/7 and this relentlessness can be quite punishing when it comes to electronics. The medical sector also requires enclosures to be assembled with tamperproof Torx screws. It’s a world away from the average nine-to-five office where the biggest threat is a coffee spillage.

So today’s modern sloping-front enclosures have moved on significantly from their predecessors (though many of those remain popular today). Not least because the average desktop enclosure may not end up on a desk at all. That’s because its inclined top makes it ideal for wall-mounted keypads for applications such as security and access control. It could also be mounted vertically on a machine. So it’s preferable if the desk and wall units share a common design language.

There’s a lot to think about when specifying the best sloping-front enclosure for your electronics: size/capacity, ergonomics, aesthetics, materials, robustness, ingress protection, flammability resistance, choice of versions/variants and the range of standard sizes and colours. Then there are accessories, customisation, price and delivery time to consider.

Discover which customisable sloping-front enclosure is best for your electronics…

EVOTEC DESIGNER SLOPING-FRONT ENCLOSURES

Elegant EVOTEC exemplifies the new breed of enclosure that is transforming the world of sloping-front desktop electronics. Its 12° inclined top, contoured corners and smooth bevelling attract the eye and make devices comfortable to operate.

EVOTEC can be specified either with or without a lid recess for a membrane keypad. And there’s also another version with a flat unrecessed top. That’s handy if you need your sloping-top device to match other electronics products in your range.

These enclosures are designed very much with the medical sector in mind (though they suit many other applications too). EVOTEC is moulded from a tough and UV-stable ASA+PC blend (UL 94 V-0). IP 65 ingress protection is optional, and the housings are assembled using Torx screws to deter tampering. The standard colour is off-white (RAL 9002).

Choose from three sloping-front plan sizes (150 x 93 mm to 250 x 155 mm) and six flat-top plan sizes (80 x 50 mm to 250 x 155 mm). Accessories include wall suspension and DIN rail fastening elements.

View the EVOTEC range >>

TAKE CONTROL WITH PROTEC DESKTOP ENCLOSURES

PROTEC is another modern design that’s available in multiple versions – and it’s perfect for touch screens. Like EVOTEC, it’s also moulded from off-white ASA+PC (UL 94 V-0) for UV stability. There is also optional IP 65 ingress protection. Assembly is with Torx screws.

But unlike EVOTEC, all versions of PROTEC come with a recessed top and a sloping front – this time inclined to 20°. Instead, the variations occur at the back of the housing:

• Version I features a deep recess to protect connectors and interfaces.
• Version II covers this recess with a flush-fitting panel – offering more space for components.
• Version III extends the panel cover, providing even more space (and a handy stand should you wish to use the enclosure vertically rather than horizontally).

PROTEC features robust construction and a high IP rating for IoT/IIoT, Smart Factory and medical electronics. These enclosures are also a sound choice for surveillance, security, access control, data systems engineering, measurement and control. Wall suspension elements are available for all three sizes (140 x 140/160 x 76 mm, 180 x 180/201 x 92 mm and 220 x 220/243 x 108 mm).

View the PROTEC range >>

SMART-CONTROL WEDGE-SHAPED ENCLOSURES

Originally developed for wall mounting in corners, SMART-CONTROL has carved out quite a niche in the desktop market too: the accessory range includes a stand set which enables these attractive enclosures to take pride of place on tabletops – mounted at a 45° angle for easy viewing and operation.

Take a closer look at SMART-CONTROL and you’ll notice some subtle contouring. The front has a flat recessed area for mounting a membrane keypad – but the frame that surrounds it has a pleasing curve to it. And the narrow rear is also gracefully curved but still flat enough to add a desk stand or wall suspension element.

Again, SMART-CONTROL has lots of modern technical features: multiple versions (recessed or convex front), ASA+PC plastic, Torx assembly screws, and an optional seal – though this time it’s IP 55, rather than IP 65. There are two sizes 142 x 81 x 46 mm and 173 x 101 x 59 mm, both in off-white as standard.

View the SMART-CONTROL range >>

ART-CASE DESKTOP ENCLOSURES IN MULTIPLE SHAPES

ART-CASE gives you so much choice. There are four shapes (round, square, obloid, rectangular) with different bases that change the enclosure capacity and angle of inclination (0°, 30°, 55°). These ABS (UL 94 HB) enclosures are also available in two standard colours – either off-white (RAL 9002) and black (ISO 9005). All this reduces the amount of customisation needed.

All four shapes can be specified with a recessed top. The round and obloid versions also offer the choice of smooth, curved tops. ART-CASE suits either cable-connected or battery-powered (2 x AA/AAA) electronics. Choose from the following plan sizes: ø 110 mm, 110 x 110 mm and 160 x 110 mm (obloid and rectangular).

Accessories include a wall mounting set. This opens up lots of possibilities for ART-CASE because the set fits bases with all three angles of inclination – so the units can be mounted flat or at an angle on a wall, machine or ceiling. The wall mounting sets are available in off-white or black.

View the ART-CASE range >>

COMTEC ERGONOMIC SLOPING-FRONT ENCLOSURES

With a large flat recessed top, COMTEC offers plenty of space for a membrane keypad or display. That recess is framed by ergonomic bevelling which gives these enclosures a stylish, modern look. The top is inclined by 10°, while rounded styling hints at COMTEC’s ease of use. There is a large area for interfaces (notably D-Sub plug connectors) at the top. A choice of either flat or raised bottom sections offers more capacity for components.

COMTEC is available in two versions, enabling it to be specified either with or without a battery compartment lid. Screw-in battery cradles (4 x AA, 1 x 9 V or 2 x 9 V) are available as accessories for Version II. These ABS enclosures can be specified in off-white or black, and in eight sizes from 120 x 150 x 43 mm to 290 x 200 x 75 mm. Accessories include wall suspension elements.

View the COMTEC range >>

CLASSIC DESK CASES

DESK CASES are timeless OKW classics that continue to be very popular for data collection, communications, access control, medical/wellness, industrial control and point-of-sale. There are five versions in the range.

Versions 138 and 190 are both fully enclosed with recessed lids, while the 220, Combi F and Combi H all have an open top (and screw fixings) for a front panel with a prefabricated electronics assembly.

Two-part Combi H has dual front openings for the installation of two separate assemblies at inclined and upright angles. This creates two distinct areas for a display and controls – perfect for digital readouts, measuring equipment and encoders.

DESK CASES 138 and 190 are available in off-white and black. The other three versions come in a combination of off-white and pebble grey (RAL 7032). Sizes range from 138 x 190 x 54 mm to 228 x 216 x 126 mm. Wall suspension elements (accessories) enable vertical mounting of the units.

View the DESK CASES range >>

UNITEC DUAL-FACE SLOPING-FRONT ENCLOSURES

UNITEC is a great example of a standard plastic enclosure that has been designed for a specific purpose – and yet remains very versatile. It has two recessed operating areas for use in face-to-face applications, such as point-of-sale. One user can input data on one face while another reads a display or printout on the other.

The operating areas are inclined at two different angles (72° and 18°). Together they create a 90° angle – enabling the electronics and interfaces to be installed as complete packages. This speeds up device manufacture and assembly times.

UNITEC can be specified in different versions with/without a battery compartment (3 x AA, 5 x AA). These housings are moulded from off-white ABS (UL 94 HB) in two sizes: 125 x 177 x 69 mm and 148 x 210 x 80 mm. Accessories include wall suspension elements.

View the UNITEC range >>

DATEC-TERMINAL MODULAR SLOPING-FRONT ENCLOSURES

Modular design enables DATEC-TERMINAL to be even more specialised than UNITEC if required. Options include a rear interface area, a lid with card slot, flat or convex covers (opaque or transparent), and aluminium front panels.

Simply configure the DATEC-TERMINAL that best suits your requirements. There are two versions – offering the choice of an enclosure with or without a separate terminal section. Each version has two plan sizes. Collectively, these four plan sizes range from 130 x 180 mm to 302 x 272 mm. All the housings are moulded from off-white ABS (UL 94 HB). IP 54 ingress protection is optional.

Like many other OKW models, DATEC-TERMINAL offers wall suspension elements in the accessory range – but this time they’re manufactured from galvanized steel for added strength.

View the DATEC-TERMINAL range >>

INTERFACE-TERMINAL MULTIFUNCTION ENCLOSURES

Modular INTERFACE-TERMINAL offers even more options than DATEC-TERMINAL – making it one of our most versatile enclosures. Its various versions include two sloping-front variants for desktop electronics. One has screw-fix assembly, the other snaps together.

Both these desktop versions feature a sloped operating area with a large recess. The ergonomically inclined base offers lots of space for connectors and cable glands. System components include bases, bottom sections, covers, glass panels and aluminium front panels. INTERFACE-TERMINAL is moulded from off-white ABS (UL 94 HB) as standard.

If you want to mount INTERFACE-TERMINAL vertically, there are various options. You could specify the:

• Snap-together desktop/wall-mount version – which allows enclosures to be fitted at an angle.
• Mobile/wall-mount version – this is best for handheld devices that need charging because the bottom panels and wall suspension elements include knockouts for male and female battery contacts.
• Installation’ (flush-mount) version – subtle and discreet for wiring modern electronics into historic buildings and other architecturally sensitive locations.

View the INTERFACE-TERMINAL range >>

SPECIFY CUSTOMISED SLOPING-FRONT ENCLOSURES

You can specify all OKW enclosures fully customised to your exact requirements – ready for the installation of your electronics. It’s quick and easy to specify the customisation you need. And all the work is carried out in-house – ensuring high quality at every stage of the process.

It doesn’t take much work to transform a standard housing into one that’s unique to your product – showcasing the high quality of your electronics. OKW’s customisation services include machining, lacquering, printing, laser marking, decor foils, special materials, EMC shielding and installation/assembly of accessories.

Learn more about customised enclosures >>

GET EXPERT TECHNICAL ADVICE

Contact OKW for expert advice on specifying standard or customised enclosures for your electronics. Request a sample to see OKW’s high quality for yourself.