Kydex Thermoforming for Cases & Enclosures
Kydex cases, housings and covers for OEMs, formed and CNC-trimmed in Zanesville, Ohio.
- Instrument cases
- Medical equipment parts
- 5-axis CNC trimming
- Made in the USA
We use Kydex for OEM instrument cases, housings and enclosures, including case bottoms for handheld radiation survey meters and for medical equipment enclosures. Show us the part’s shape, visible surfaces and connection points, and send your drawing, CAD model, sample part or tool details. We’ll tell you which material and thickness fit.
What Kydex is
Kydex is a family of acrylic-PVC thermoplastic sheets and a registered trademark of its manufacturer. Grades have different characteristics. If you’ve selected a grade, include it on the drawing.
Tell us what impacts the part faces, how stiff it needs to be and how it attaches to the product. Show the required surface appearance. Include any required performance documentation with your quote request.
Material properties
- Handling. Kydex generally offers toughness for regularly handled covers and cases. Performance depends on the grade and formed shape.
- Surface finish. Sheet texture and color affect appearance. Stretching during forming can change how the surface looks across the part.
- Panel stiffness. Unsupported spans, contours and local wall thickness affect how much a housing flexes.
- Working conditions. Tell us which chemicals and conditions the part faces so we can check the grade against your requirements.
Cases, covers and medical equipment parts
Common formed applications include equipment covers, instrument cases, housings and interior panels. Mark the surfaces users see or touch and the features that locate the part in the assembly.
We have made Kydex case bottoms for handheld radiation survey meters and for medical equipment enclosures. The meter case bottoms are CNC-trimmed and nickel-coated inside, and the nickel coating provides the shielding.
We also make Kydex components for medical and lab equipment, including the molded base of a pediatric MRI coil stabilizer and the interior skins of a capillary electrophoresis DNA analyzer.
A Kydex instrument case may need openings and mating edges that line up closely with internal components. Show those relationships along with the outer shape. See our enclosures and covers page for more about these parts.
Forming and trimming
Kydex forming shapes heated sheet over or into a tool. The sheet changes thickness as it stretches. Deep draws, tight corners and abrupt transitions can make material distribution harder to control. Draft and rounded transitions generally help forming and release.
Kydex vacuum forming uses a pressure difference to draw heated sheet against the tool. Tool contact and stretching can affect the visible surface. Mark the appearance side early, especially where a broad cover joins another panel.
Show the finished perimeter, openings and fastening locations. Mark any edge that meets another enclosure piece.
Kydex compared with ABS
Both materials are options for enclosures. Compare grades against your handling, appearance and exposure requirements. See our ABS thermoforming page for more about ABS.
| Consideration | Kydex | ABS |
|---|---|---|
| Material family | Acrylic-PVC alloy sheet | Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene |
| Common uses | Durable formed cases, covers and panels | Versatile formed housings, covers and enclosures |
| Appearance | Check grade, texture and formed appearance | Check grade, texture and formed appearance |
| Use at Shirley K’s | Custom parts needing durability and a quality finish | Tough, versatile custom parts and enclosures |
What to send for a quote
If you have a tool, send its details for a tool transfer. If you only have the old part, we can reverse engineer a tool from it. Our quote preparation guide explains what to gather.
- Send what you have. Send a drawing, CAD model, sample part or existing tool details, plus your expected order quantity.
- Show the finish. Mark visible surfaces and include any specified grade, color, texture or finish reference.
- Mark mating features. Show where openings, mating edges and attachment points sit relative to the components inside.
- Describe working conditions. Tell us how it’s handled, what hits it and what cleans it. Include required material documentation and secondary operations.
Kydex Thermoforming Questions
Does Shirley K’s make Kydex OEM cases?
Yes. We’ve made Kydex case bottoms for handheld radiation survey meters and for medical equipment enclosures.
Do you make Kydex medical components?
Yes. We make the molded base of a pediatric MRI coil stabilizer and the interior skins of a capillary electrophoresis DNA analyzer. Include any material documentation your part requires with your quote request.
Should I choose Kydex or ABS?
Both are options for formed enclosures. Send your appearance, handling and exposure requirements so we can help match the material to your part.
Does Kydex provide shielding by itself?
The shielding in our meter case came from the nickel coating inside. That example doesn’t show shielding performance for uncoated Kydex or another case design.
Can you trim openings for other components?
Yes. We offer 5-axis CNC trimming for repeatable trim and hole patterns. Show the finished openings and how they line up with mating components.
Do I need to select sheet thickness first?
No. Send us the part requirements. We’ll tell you which material and thickness fit.
Can I start with an existing case?
Yes. We can reverse engineer a tool from an existing part. You can also send a part design, send a tool design or move your current tool to us.
Quote a Kydex case or enclosure
Send the drawing or the old case, and mark the visible surfaces.
Call: (740) 868-8140 · Email: orders@shirleyks.com · 1150 Newark Road, Zanesville, OH 43701