How To Measure Equipment For A Case
Measure the equipment as it will actually be packed, not as it is on the bench. Record the maximum extent in each of the three axes including anything that stays attached, weigh the complete packed kit, measure the accessory set separately, and add 20 mm of clearance per axis before you look at a catalogue.
Key points
- Anything that stays attached counts: antennas, handles, knobs, feet, connectors.
- Weigh the packed kit, not the instrument. Accessories routinely add 30-50 percent.
- Photograph the kit laid out as it will be packed; it resolves more than a drawing does.
- Mark the centre of mass on the photograph if the item is awkward.
The measurement sheet
| Item | How |
|---|---|
| Packed length | Maximum extent along the longest axis, in transport configuration |
| Packed width | Maximum extent across, including any protrusion |
| Packed height | From the resting surface to the highest point |
| Packed mass | Complete kit on a scale, including batteries and cable |
| Accessory volume | A separate L x W x H for the accessory set |
| No-load zones | Which surfaces must not carry load |
| Clearance | Add 20 mm minimum per axis; 25 mm at each end for long items |
Applications
This matters most where the case is part of a movement chain rather than shelf packaging. In electronics & instruments and medical & laboratory the same shell is specified differently because the handling, the environment and the verification requirement differ.
- Electronics & Instruments — Electronic assemblies rarely fail from a single large impact. They fail from repeated small shoc…
- Medical & Laboratory — Medical cases are audited. Whatever goes inside has to be verifiable at a glance, cleanable, and…
Customisation
Everything described above is configurable on a standard shell: interior layout (pick-and-pluck, die-cut or CNC-cut), foam grade and thickness, colour, logo method, latch and lock count, pressure-equalisation valve, cable ports, document holder and identification plate. A bespoke exterior geometry requires a new mould — 125 days, from 3,000 units per moulded component.
Procurement considerations
| Question | What to send us |
|---|---|
| Which shell fits? | Equipment L × W × H as packed, plus required clearance per axis |
| What does it cost? | Order quantity and estimated annual quantity — the two drive different answers |
| Is tooling needed? | Whether an existing shell clears the envelope with usable foam depth |
| Lead time? | Your required delivery date, not just the order date |
| Certification? | The exact standard your tender names — we will say whether we can test to it |
| Freight? | Destination and preferred terms; carton and pallet data supplied with the quotation |
Comparison and selection guide
The tables on this page exist because a protective case is chosen by comparing three things: the envelope, the environment and the handling chain. Where no table applies, the rule below is.
| Situation | What To Do |
|---|---|
| Fastest | Standard shell plus CNC foam — typically 45 days from approved drawing. |
| Branded | Standard shell plus custom colour and logo — MOQ applies to the resin colour. |
| Bespoke geometry | New mould — 125 days, MOQ from 3,000 units per component. |
- Size on internal dimensions plus clearance, never on a product name.
- Choose the carrying method before the shell: it changes the series, not just the price.
- Specify the interior last, and decide up front whether the end user will reconfigure it.
How To Measure Equipment For A Case relates to Logistics & Packing Guide. Related families: Custom Protective Cases. Related sectors: Electronics & Instruments / Medical & Laboratory. Continue in the Logistics & Packing Guide cluster.
This page is written from our own production data. If your requirement differs, send the dimensions and we will tell you which of the 155 models fits, or whether a custom route is needed.
