Category / Category 04 · OEM supply
Equipment Cases
When the case ships inside your product, it stops being packaging and becomes part of the bill of materials. That changes what matters: fit to your drawing, consistency across the series, and a documented answer when your design revision arrives.
01 / What this category covers
Definition, scope and limits
Equipment cases are plastic carrying cases supplied as a component of a product: the case the end user receives, often with the manufacturer's brand on it. The buyer is an equipment maker or system integrator, and the purchasing decision is driven by the product drawing and the packing line, not by the case catalogue.
This page covers OEM supply where the case is part of the product. If you need a case for your own service tools, see tool cases; if you are evaluating whether to open a new tool at all, read the custom route.
The difference from a catalogue sale is change control. Your product will be revised; the question is whether the case follows the revision in a documented way, and what it costs each time.
02 / Photographs
What this category looks like
All photographs are taken in our own facility or studio on the actual moulded parts. No stock image, no render, no borrowed model.
03 / Selection logic
Three routes into an OEM case programme
| Route | What it involves | When it is right |
|---|---|---|
| Match an existing model | Nearest mould, interior re-cut to your device | Product fits an existing envelope; fastest and cheapest |
| Modify a mould | Changes to an existing tool: ribs, bosses, label recess | Small geometry change, avoids a full new tool |
| New tool | Tool designed to your drawing and packing line | No model fits, or the case is a visible part of the product |
Tooling is quoted separately from unit price and its ownership, storage and transfer terms are agreed before the tool is cut. We recommend starting from an existing model whenever the geometry allows it.
04 / Who buys this
Who this category is built for
- Equipment manufacturers · case included in the delivered product and the BOM
- System integrators · case as the transport container for an assembled system
- Brand owners · case carries the brand and is part of the unboxing
- Project suppliers · case specified by an end customer's technical requirement
05 / What can vary
Options and their conditions
| Option | Condition |
|---|---|
| Interior | cut foam, moulded EVA, or a moulded-in cradle |
| Branding | moulded logo, pad print, label recess, colour matching |
| Packing | case-only shipment or case packed inside a master carton |
| Hardware | latches, hinges, handles, valves and ports per drawing |
| Documentation | inspection report, packing list, material declaration |
| Change control | revision register with drawing numbers and approval dates |
06 / How an order runs
From enquiry to despatch
- 01 · You send application, required internal dimensions, quantity and any drawing or photo.
- 02 · We shortlist existing models and return measured dimensions, photographs and the applicable MOQ.
- 03 · If nothing fits, engineering reviews a custom route and states tooling cost and lead time separately.
- 04 · Sample stage: colour, interior and fit approved on a physical sample before the order.
- 05 · 30% deposit → production → inspection → balance → EXW or FOB despatch.
07 / FAQ
Can the case ship inside our own carton?
Yes, and it is usually the better choice for freight protection. Send the carton internal dimensions and we design the packing around it.
How do you handle a design revision?
Each revision gets a drawing number and an approval date. If the change affects the case tool, the cost is quoted before anything is cut.
Can you supply to our assembly line in sequence?
Packing and labelling can follow your line sequence; state the labelling content and carton marks at quotation stage.
Do you sign supply agreements and NDAs?
Yes for NDAs and project confidentiality. Customer-funded tooling is not used for another buyer's product.
Related: OEM / ODM process · Instrument cases · Quality process · RFQ