MANUFACTURING SOLUTION

Waterproof Enclosure Manufacturing

Protect your sensitive electronics from the elements. We help you design and manufacture robust enclosures with reliable sealing solutions to meet your product's IP rating requirements.

Build Your Sealed Enclosure

A rugged housing for a portable power station, an application requiring weather resistance

Common Sealing Methods

Achieving a reliable seal depends on choosing the right method for your application and designing the enclosure correctly to accommodate it.

Gaskets & O-Rings

This is the most common method. A groove is designed into one half of the plastic housing, and a soft elastomeric seal (a custom-die-cut gasket or a standard O-ring) is placed into the groove. When the two halves of the enclosure are screwed together, the seal is compressed, creating a watertight barrier.

Overmolding

For a more integrated solution, a seal can be created by overmolding a soft TPE or LSR material directly onto the rigid plastic housing. This creates a permanent, bonded seal that cannot be lost or installed incorrectly, making it ideal for high-volume production.

Ultrasonic Welding

For a permanent, hermetic seal on a device that is not meant to be opened, ultrasonic welding can be used. High-frequency vibrations are used to create friction and melt the two plastic halves together, forming a solid, welded seam that is completely waterproof.

Design Guide: O-Ring Grooves

Designing a Reliable O-Ring Seal

A successful O-ring seal depends on a correctly designed groove to hold the O-ring and control its compression.

Compression: The groove depth must be designed to be shallower than the O-ring's cross-sectional diameter. This creates a "squeeze" or compression (typically 20-30%) which is what creates the seal.
Volume: The volume of the groove must be larger than the volume of the O-ring (typically 15-25% larger). This gives the rubber material room to flow as it is compressed, preventing it from being damaged.
Draft & Radii: The walls of the groove should have a slight draft angle (e.g., 5 degrees) and the bottom corners should have radii to prevent stress and make it easier to mold.

Waterproof Design FAQ

What is an IP Rating?

IP (Ingress Protection) ratings are a standard used to define the level of sealing effectiveness of an enclosure against intrusion from foreign bodies (like dust) and moisture. An IP rating is written as "IP" followed by two digits. The first digit (0-6) indicates protection against solids, and the second digit (0-9) indicates protection against liquids. For example, a common "waterproof" rating is IP67.

What is the best material for a waterproof housing?

The choice depends on the environment. For outdoor products, a UV-resistant plastic like ASA or UV-stabilized Polycarbonate is best. For industrial or chemical environments, a material with good chemical resistance like Polypropylene (PP) may be needed. For a rugged, premium feel, CNC machined and anodized Aluminum is an excellent choice.

Can 3D printed parts be made waterproof?

It's challenging but possible. Most 3D printing processes create parts that are slightly porous. To make them waterproof, they require a secondary sealing process, such as applying an epoxy coating or using a vapor smoothing process to melt and seal the outer surface.