Product development · Mechanical design
Mechanical design for electronic products, from CAD to part
Conceptech designs the mechanics of electronic products: enclosures, mechanisms and mechatronic assemblies, cooling and cable routing, matched to the board and the process. From prototype to series, in Israel and abroad.
Conceptech was founded in Israel in 2015 and has designed and built custom machines, from the mechanics to the controls
- For
- Hardware teams and startups that need an enclosure, a mechanism or a mechatronic assembly
- You get
- A 3D model, manufacturing drawings, STEP files and first parts from the chosen process
- First step
- Send a sketch, dimensions or an existing model, and an engineer will call you back
What's included
What does mechanical design for a product include?
The mechanics of an electronic product have to hold the board, shed the heat, route the cables and survive real use, and still be something you can manufacture. These are the parts we design.
Enclosures for electronic products
An enclosure that holds the boards, display, buttons and connectors, with mounting points, service access and simple assembly.
Output: Enclosure model and manufacturing drawings
Mechanisms and motion
Hinges, latches, transmissions and assemblies with motors and sensors, with load calculations and off-the-shelf components.
Output: Assembly model and parts list
Thermal management
The path heat takes from the hot components to the outside: thermal contact, heatsinks, vents or a fan, depending on power and environment.
Output: A cooling solution defined in the model
Cables and harnesses
Cable routing inside the product, connectors and clips, and a harness drawing ready for manufacture.
Output: Harness drawings and cable routing
Board and mechanics fit
Board outline, component heights, mounting holes and connector positions are matched between the mechanical model and the PCB design, before anything is made.
Output: A shared model of the board and the enclosure
Sealed and rugged enclosures
An enclosure designed for the IP rating the product needs, and for MIL-STD when required, including managing the testing and certification with the labs.
Output: A sealed enclosure and test documentation
Design for the process (DFM)
Wall thickness, draft angles, radii and tolerances that suit the chosen process, to reduce rework on tools and parts.
Output: A DFM review for every part
Tools
Which tools do we work with?
Our main CAD tool is Fusion 360. We also work in SolidWorks and Inventor when your team or manufacturer uses them, and we deliver files in the formats your manufacturer accepts.
Mechanical CAD
- Fusion 360
- SolidWorks
- Inventor
Files you get
- STEP
- DXF
- STL
Manufacturing processes
Which manufacturing process suits the part?
The process depends on the project stage, the quantity, the material and the finish. The same part often goes through several on the way: printed for the prototype, cast for a small series and moulded in production.
- 3D printing
- For prototypes and fit checks, in single units. Fast and needs no tooling, but strength, finish and materials are limited compared with a moulded part.
- CNC machining
- For precise metal or plastic parts, from a single unit to small and medium series. Suits load-bearing and machine parts; the unit cost rises with part complexity.
- Sheet metal
- For brackets, covers and metal enclosures, from prototype to production. Economical in volume, but the shape is limited to cuts, bends and joints.
- Vacuum casting
- For small series of plastic parts that look and feel like moulded ones, in the tens of units. The silicone mould is cheap and quick to make, but lasts a limited number of casts.
- Injection moulding and rapid tooling
- For production in the hundreds, thousands and beyond. Low unit cost, but the mould is expensive and shapes the design: even walls, draft angles and radii. An aluminium rapid tool suits a first series.
Making the parts
Who makes the parts?
The parts are made by manufacturers we work with, and we manage the route for you from the model to a part that has been inspected and fitted with the electronics.
We work with manufacturers for CNC machining, 3D printing, sheet metal, casting and rapid tooling, and for wire harnesses and cables, including local manufacturers in Israel for urgent and sensitive work. Our part of the route:
- Choosing the process and material for each part, by stage and quantity
- Preparing files and drawings for each manufacturer, with the tolerances and finish required
- Ordering and follow-up with the manufacturer
- Incoming inspection of the parts and integration with the electronics in our lab, for small batches
Mechatronics
Why design the mechanics and electronics together?
In a mechatronic assembly the motor, the sensor, the board and the firmware all depend on each other. When one team designs them all, the interfaces between them are planned up front instead of being discovered at assembly.
What that means in practice:
- Motor, transmission and sensor are chosen together with the driver and the firmware that run them
- The mechanical model and the board are matched: dimensions, connectors, cables and heat
- Assembly and testing are planned for the whole assembly, not just for each part on its own
Conceptech has designed and built custom machines, from the mechanics to the controls, such as an automatic balloon-printing machine and a machine that fills containers and fits caps. Custom machine design and build
For the board that drives the assembly: PCB design services
Mechanical design is one part of our product development work. All hardware product development services
Mechanical design: FAQ
Which file formats do we get?
The tool's native format, usually Fusion 360, plus open formats any manufacturer accepts: STEP for models, PDF manufacturing drawings with dimensions and tolerances, DXF for sheet metal and cutting, and STL for printing. If your team works in SolidWorks or Inventor, we can work and deliver directly in them.
Ownership of the files is agreed in the contract for each project.
What tolerances can we get?
It depends on the process and the material, so tolerances are set per part. Tight tolerances go on the drawing only where they really matter, such as fits, shafts and mounting points, and the other dimensions keep the process's general tolerances.
A tolerance that's tighter than needed makes the part more expensive for no reason. For critical dimensions, the first parts are checked against the drawing before a series is approved.
Do you design sealed, IP-rated enclosures?
Yes. We design enclosures for the IP rating the product needs, and for MIL-STD when required, and we manage the certification process with the labs for you. The rating is set in the requirements, based on where the product will work: dust, water, washdown or outdoor use.
Sealing affects the whole enclosure: gaskets, connectors and cable entries, venting and heat dissipation. So we design it in from the start rather than adding it at the end.
Can you make a small series of parts?
Yes. Small series usually suit CNC machining, sheet metal, 3D printing, vacuum casting or a rapid tool, without the investment of a full production mould. The parts are made by manufacturers we work with, and for small batches we do incoming inspection, integration and testing in our lab.
When quantities grow, the same design moves to a process suited to production, such as injection moulding.
What drives the cost of mechanical design?
The number of parts and their complexity, so there's no single figure. You get a written proposal after we go through the requirements together. The main cost drivers:
- The number of parts in the assembly, and whether there are mechanisms or moving parts
- Environmental requirements: heat, sealing, drops and vibration
- The manufacturing process, for example whether it must be designed for an injection mould
- How many prototype rounds are expected before the design is frozen
Making the parts themselves is quoted separately from the design work.
Send us a sketch or a model, and we'll suggest a first direction
Tell us what the product does, what's inside it and the expected quantities. A sketch, dimensions or an existing model is enough to start. We also work remotely with teams abroad.
Usually a reply within 3 working hours, by email or phone