Material selection for electronics enclosures

PETG is the most versatile material for indoor electronics enclosures. Excellent layer adhesion produces near-airtight walls, making it suitable for enclosures that need to keep dust out of sensitive electronics. With 23% elongation at break, PETG supports snap-fit designs that survive repeated open/close cycles.

Chemical resistance is good across a wide range of acids, alkalis, and common solvents — relevant for enclosures in industrial environments. PETG is also available in transparent, which is useful for enclosures where status LEDs need to be visible without adding light pipes.

The main limitation is heat: HDT of 73°C means PETG is not suitable for enclosures near heat sources or in direct sunlight. For those applications, use ASA or PA-CF.

ASA is the material of choice for any enclosure that will see UV exposure or outdoor deployment. Unlike ABS (which yellows and becomes brittle in sunlight), ASA maintains its mechanical properties and appearance over years of outdoor exposure. HDT of 98°C means it handles hot climates without softening.

For IoT gateways, outdoor sensors, weather stations, and agricultural monitoring devices, ASA is the standard recommendation. It prints well, supports snap-fits (30% elongation at break), and has good chemical resistance.

ASA is not ESD-safe. For outdoor electronics with ESD requirements, consider ASA for the outer housing with an internal ESD-safe shielding approach, or contact our engineering team for application-specific guidance.

PETG ESD uses carbon nanotube technology to achieve a surface resistivity of 10⁷–10⁹ Ω, placing it firmly in the static-dissipative range. This makes it the material of choice for enclosures housing ESD-sensitive RF modules, precision sensors, and high-frequency electronics.

PETG ESD retains most of standard PETG’s properties: good dimensional stability, low warping, and chemical resistance superior to ABS. The tensile strength is slightly lower (35–40 MPa vs. 50 MPa for standard PETG), and elongation at break is reduced (5–8% vs. 23%), which means snap-fit designs should be validated more carefully.

An important note: surface resistivity varies with print temperature. Higher extrusion temperatures produce higher conductivity. Our engineering team tunes this parameter based on your specific ESD requirements.

Carbon-fiber reinforced nylon (PA-CF) is the highest-performance material in our FDM portfolio. With HDT above 100°C and tensile strength exceeding 80 MPa, it’s the choice for enclosures near heat sources, under mechanical load, or in harsh industrial environments.

PA-CF also offers partial electrical conductivity from the carbon fiber content, which can provide some degree of EMI shielding — though this should not be relied upon without testing for specific compliance requirements.

The trade-off is flexibility: PA-CF has only 4% elongation at break, making it unsuitable for snap-fit designs. Enclosures in PA-CF typically use threaded inserts and screw assembly. Available in black only.