Internal Versus External Dimensions
Internal dimensions decide whether the equipment fits. External dimensions decide whether the case fits a pallet, a rack, a vehicle or an airline limit. The difference between the two is the wall, the rim, the latch profile and the handle, and on a thick-walled case it can be 20-40 mm per axis.
Key points
- Every KeXin model publishes both, plus the narrow internal width where the shell tapers.
- A specification that quotes one set of numbers without saying which is a common source of failed orders.
- Depth is usually split between lid and base; the total is not the usable depth of either half.
The four numbers to read on a datasheet
Applications
This matters most where the case is part of a movement chain rather than shelf packaging. In military and industrial equipment the same shell is specified differently because the handling, the environment and the verification requirement differ.
- Military — Military equipment moves through a chain of handlers, none of whom own the equipment and all of …
- Industrial Equipment — In an industrial setting the case is a working surface as much as a container, and its interior …
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 |
|---|---|
| Sea freight | Sealed configuration plus desiccant; salt spray is a handling issue, not a material issue. |
| Air freight | Mass and external dimensions drive cost more than volume. |
| Repeated movement | Replaceable latches, hinges and gaskets; keep a spares kit with the first order. |
- 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.
Internal Versus External Dimensions relates to Logistics & Packing Guide. Related families: Equipment Transport Cases. Related sectors: Military / Industrial Equipment. 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.
