Individual sensor housings through 3D printing

ENCLOSENS provides design and manufacturing principles for additively manufactured sensor housings. These housings fulfil aesthetic and functional requirements with selected materials and corresponding printing technologies.

From challenges so solutions

ENCLOSENS aims at design and manufacturing principles for additively manufactured sensor housings. These housings need to fulfil aesthetic and functional requirements which makes the selection of materials and printing technology a challenge.  The core challenges are:

  • Protect the electronics against environmental influences such as heat, moisture and vibration
  • Provide a housing that keeps its properties despite UV exposure, changes in temperature
  • Match design requirements from an aesthetic point of view in colour, shape and surface properties
  • Give economically viable concept for printing of different lot sizes

The success of ENCLOSENS will support HOP Ubiquitous to create a new line of products that serve individual needs of clients in encapsulating electronic sensors. For users such as Undo Prototipos, a new offering to their customers will become available as they have the competence to predict reliability of prototypes based on the results from the experimentation. In general, the results will provide new insights into the use of different AM technologies for products that are used outdoor.

ENCLOSENS will deliver new solutions to a market where the use of outdoor sensors today does not fulfil aesthetic and functional requirements. The challenge of providing cost effective solutions with specific functionality is not achieved with standard housings today. New material and technology combinations will leverage a wider diffusion of sensors in our environment.

Grow a market: Individually produced sensor housings enhance the market segment of environmental sensing in price and acceptance of such sensors.

Price: Prices for sensors are mainly driven by the housing and their installation. The total cost for such sensors will significantly reduce through print, mount and forget. No additional painting, no additional care over time will be necessary if the technology proves its functionality.

Environmental: Acceptance of environmental sensors will rise giving the opportunity to better monitor and control systems that provide services and comfort to the public at reduced energy consumption.