Injection Molding for Consumer Electronics
Consumer electronics housings live at the hard end of moulding: thin walls, tight fits, clean cosmetic faces and often EMI shielding built in. We mould ABS, PC, ABS PC and PMMA for enclosures, bezels and structural parts with the gate and parting line control that keeps a visible face clean.
Free Consultation24h
Rapid Quote
100 pcs
Molding MOQ
1.0 to 2.5 mm
Wall Thickness
plus or minus 0.05 mm
Fit Tolerance
Materials
| Grade | Properties | Typical Applications |
|---|---|---|
| ABS | Cost effective with excellent paint and texture acceptance, the workhorse for cosmetic housings, brackets and bezels where transparency is not required. | Housings, brackets, bezels, internal frames |
| PC | Transparent and impact resistant, used for lenses, covers and windows that must stay clear and survive handling. | Lenses, light covers, transparent windows, clear buttons |
| ABS PC Blend | Tough and heat resistant with good finish, the common choice for enclosures that are dropped or sit near heat. Covered in detail on our ABS PC blend page. | Enclosures, bezels, structural shells near heat |
| PMMA | Highest optical clarity with hard scratch resistant surface, used for light guides and display windows where PC is not clear enough. | Light guides, display windows, indicators, lenses |
| Flame Retardant PC or ABS (UL 94 V-0) | Listed to UL 94 V-0 at a defined wall thickness for enclosures around live conductors, selected per the electrical requirement. | Power adapters, connector housings, enclosures near live parts |
| Glass Filled Grades | Stiffer and more dimensionally stable for internal structural frames and load bearing posts where the cosmetic skin is separate. | Internal frames, post and boss structures, mounts |
Process Parameters
| Parameter | Standard Range |
|---|---|
| Melt Temperature Window | 210 to 300 degree C by resin, ABS at the low end, PC at the high end |
| Mould Temperature | 40 to 100 degree C, higher for PC and gloss cosmetic parts |
| Injection Pressure | 600 to 1,500 bar depending on flow length and wall |
| Recommended Wall Thickness | 1.0 to 2.5 mm for thin electronics enclosures, 1.5 to 3.0 mm for structural |
| Mould Shrinkage | 0.4 to 0.7 percent depending on grade and flow direction |
| Clamp Force Requirement | 2 to 5 tonnes per square centimetre of projected area |
| Cycle Time | 15 to 60 seconds per part depending on wall and size |
| Part Tolerance | plus or minus 0.05 mm standard, tighter by agreement |
| Draft Requirement | 1 to 2 degree on vertical faces, more on textured surfaces |
| Maximum Moulded Part Size | up to 800 x 600 x 400 mm |
Surface Finishes
Texture (VDI 3400)
Anti-glare matte or satin surface that hides fingerprints and flow lines, the default for handheld and visible electronic housings.
SPI Polish (A-1)
Glossy high-clarity surface for premium devices, requiring a steel cavity and excellent venting for defect free gloss.
Painting (Colour and UV)
Matte, satin or gloss coating in brand colour with ultraviolet resistance, the standard way to achieve a consistent colour across lots.
UV and Laser Marking
Logos, model numbers and serial codes marked permanently, used for branding and traceability on consumer devices.
In-mould Label (IML)
A pre-printed film becomes part of the surface in one shot, giving scratch resistant decoration on high volume consumer bodies.
Conductive Coating (EMI)
A conductive paint or plate layer providing electromagnetic shielding where the regulation or function requires it, applied in the same workflow.
Design for Manufacturing (DFM)
- Hold wall thickness 1.0 to 2.5 mm for thin electronics enclosures; thinner risks short shots on large gloss parts, thicker adds sink and cycle time
- Design snap fit features with calculated deflection limits rather than guessed ones, because electronics clips fail in assembly when over stressed
- Control gate and parting line location to keep cosmetic faces clean, since flow lines and flash show on a visible surface
- Plan EMI shielding early: conductive paint, foil or moulded-in inserts, because adding it after tooling limits the options
- Split cosmetic and structural requirements onto separate faces so the gloss cavity is not compromised by a functional boss or post
- Apply 1 to 2 degree draft, more on textured surfaces, for clean ejection without scuffing a polished face
- Use ribs at no more than 60 percent of wall to stiffen without sink on the opposite cosmetic face
- Control weld lines away from cosmetic and loaded sections, because they are visible on clear parts and weak on clips
- Select the material per zone: clear PC or PMMA for windows, ABS or ABS PC for the shell, flame retardant grade near live conductors
- Upload STEP, IGES or DXF and receive a free material and DFM review within 24 hours covering wall, gate, snap fit and shielding
Tooling & Capacity
| Type | Lead Time | Suitable For |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminium Soft Tooling | 2 to 3 weeks | 25 to 1,000 pieces, prototype and pre-launch enclosures where surface finish can be matte |
| Production Steel Tooling | 4 to 6 weeks | Annual volumes above roughly 10,000 pieces and any gloss or plated electronics cavity |
| Polished Steel Tooling | 4 to 6 weeks | Gloss and high appearance device housings where the cavity finish defines the part finish |
| Multi-Cavity Tooling | 5 to 7 weeks | High volume consumer bodies where cycle time and balanced fill dominate |
Quality Assurance
- Cosmetic inspection against the approved master sample under standardised lighting on every setup change
- First article inspection with a dimensional report precedes the balance of the electronics run
- Critical dimensions checked by CMM on first article and periodic samples, including fit to mating parts
- Colour is measured and recorded against the reference with delta E reported for each lot
- EMI shielding verified where specified, by surface resistance or attenuation test on samples
- Fit and function checked by assembly of a sample unit rather than by dimension alone
- Resin grade is confirmed against the supplier certificate, with the lot number recorded
- Melt temperature is measured at the nozzle, because a machine setting is not the true material temperature
- Electronics resin lot traceability is kept per run, with the supplier certificate filed against it
- Every electronics moulding lot ships with a dimensional report, material certificate and Certificate of Origin, and SGS, Bureau Veritas or TUV third-party inspection is arranged on request
Applications
- Smartphone and tablet housings and mid-frames
- Earphone and earbud cases and buds
- Smartwatch and wearable shells and straps
- Laptop and remote control bezels
- Router, set-top box and gateway enclosures
- Camera and sensor structural parts
- Speaker and audio gear bodies
- Charging docks, stands and cradles
- LED light guides and display windows
Why Choose FHY Precision
All four electronics resins moulded in house: ABS, PC, ABS PC and PMMA, with flame retardant grades for live-adjacent parts
Gate and parting line discipline that keeps a visible face clean, because cosmetic rejection is the main cost on consumer devices
EMI shielding designed in from the start, with conductive coating applied in the same workflow rather than outsourced
Free material and DFM review within 24 hours, including material per zone and snap fit calculation
Pilot electronics parts from 25 pieces in aluminium tooling precede production steel
Painting, printing and marking quoted with the moulding, so the finished device is one purchase order
We retain resin lot traceability, with SGS, Bureau Veritas or TUV third-party inspection on request
Electronics housings moulded in China at factory-direct pricing, no trading layer
FAQ
1. Which material should I choose for an electronics enclosure?
It depends on the zone. The visible shell is usually ABS for paint and cost or ABS PC for drop and heat resistance; windows and lenses are PC or PMMA for clarity; parts near live conductors use a flame retardant grade listed to UL 94 V-0. Send the environment and we will assign a material per zone rather than one material for the whole part.
2. How does ABS compare with PC for a device housing?
ABS is cheaper and paints better, PC is clearer, tougher at low temperature and more heat resistant. For a painted opaque shell ABS is usually right; for a clear or dropped shell PC or ABS PC is better. We compare both against your impact, temperature and finish targets at review and give numbers.
3. Can you mould thin wall electronics parts?
Yes, down to about 1.0 mm wall on suitable geometries with a steel tool and good venting. Below that, short shots and flash risk climb, so we review the wall and flow length at DFM stage and may suggest local thickening at bosses rather than a uniform thin wall everywhere.
4. How do you design snap fits that do not break?
With calculated deflection limits rather than guessed ones. ABS and ABS PC have different modulus, so the cantilever arm length and thickness are set from the material, not from a generic rule. We review snap fit geometry at DFM stage because this is where a part that looks fine on the drawing repeatedly fails in assembly.
5. Can you provide EMI shielding?
Yes. We design shielding in from the start: conductive paint, foil or moulded-in metal inserts, verified by surface resistance or attenuation test where the specification requires it. Because we mould and coat in one workflow, the shield responsibility is end to end rather than split between suppliers.
6. Should I use PMMA or PC for a light guide or window?
PMMA is clearer and harder, best for light guides and display windows where maximum transmission matters. PC is tougher and less brittle, better where the window can be dropped or bent. For a pure optic, PMMA; for a window that takes abuse, PC. We compare both against your clarity and impact needs.
7. What cosmetic finish can I get?
Texture VDI 3400 for anti-glare matte, SPI A-1 polish for gloss, painting in brand colour with ultraviolet resistance, and UV or laser marking for logos and serials. In-mould labelling gives scratch resistant decoration on high volume bodies. The finish is chosen per face at DFM review.
8. What tolerances can I hold on electronics parts?
Plus or minus 0.05 mm standard on critical features, tighter by agreement, and we verify fit by assembling a sample unit rather than by dimension alone. Snap fit and boss positions are the dimensions that decide assembly, so we mark them critical on your drawing during review.
9. How long does electronics tooling take?
Aluminium soft tooling takes 2 to 3 weeks and suits prototype and pre-launch enclosures. Production and polished steel tooling takes 4 to 6 weeks. Multi-cavity tools for high volume take 5 to 7 weeks. Trial moulding, first article and cosmetic master approval add about a week before release.
10. What is your minimum order quantity for electronics parts?
Standard moulding MOQ is 100 pieces. For prototypes and pre-launch we machine aluminium soft tooling and produce from 25 pieces, which is the fastest route to real moulded samples before committing to steel.
11. Can the parts be painted in my brand colour?
Yes, in matte, satin or gloss with ultraviolet resistance, and lot to lot colour consistency is considerably better than resin colour alone. Because we mould and paint in one workflow, a colour mismatch is our responsibility rather than a dispute between two suppliers.
12. Can you help with assembly of the enclosure?
We mould the shells, frames, buttons and inserts and can supply them as a kit, and we verify fit by assembling a sample unit during development. Where you want a finished device we can coordinate with your assembly partner, since we already control the moulding and finishing of every plastic part.
13. Can you design for water or dust resistance?
We design the sealing interfaces, gasket channels and boss layouts that make an IP rating achievable, and we hold the plastic dimensions that the seal depends on. The rating itself is verified by your test house, but the geometry and tolerance that make it pass are built in at DFM stage.
14. Do you prototype before production?
Yes. Aluminium soft tooling gives functional moulded parts in 2 to 3 weeks for fit, feel and cosmetic approval, and we can supply machined or printed prototypes ahead of tooling for very early validation. We recommend a moulded prototype over a printed one where snap fit and wall matter.
15. Should I use metal or plastic for my housing?
Plastic wins on weight, cost at volume and cosmetic freedom; metal wins on stiffness, heat and shielding. Many devices use a plastic shell with a metal insert or frame at the loaded points. Give us the load, heat and shielding requirement and we will show where plastic is enough and where metal must stay.
16. Do you arrange third-party inspection for electronics parts?
Yes. We arrange SGS, Bureau Veritas or TUV at any stage you specify, including incoming resin verification, dimensional checks, colour measurement and shielding verification. For branded and certified products this is often what your end customer needs, so we build the inspection point into the order.