Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2026-09-14 Origin: Site
Data infrastructure equipment is becoming increasingly specialized, and the enclosure surrounding the equipment has to support that product design.
For a server or network equipment manufacturer, the enclosure is not simply a metal box. It can determine how equipment is mounted, how cables are routed, how ventilation openings are positioned, and how reliably the finished cabinet can be assembled at the customer site.
This becomes especially important when a rack enclosure needs to carry heavy equipment while maintaining consistent mounting dimensions across production batches.
We recently manufactured a custom server rack enclosure for a German data infrastructure brand supplying racks and cabinets to data center and enterprise IT projects.
The project required a combination of structural strength, standardized mounting, cable access, ventilation, surface protection, and production consistency.
The customer was developing rack and cabinet products for data center and enterprise IT applications.
The enclosure needed to function as the load-bearing shell of the rack while incorporating standard mounting rails and openings required for equipment installation and cable management.
One of the key requirements was a 800 kg static load capacity.
The customer also required consistent mounting patterns so that their hardware could be installed without repeated modification or re-drilling.
For a rack manufacturer, this type of requirement creates an important manufacturing challenge:
The enclosure must remain structurally stable while keeping critical mounting positions consistent from one cabinet to another.
The customer also needed:
Standard mounting rails
Consistent hole patterns
Cable openings at the top and bottom
Ventilation openings
Doors and removable panels
Full assembly before shipment
Protection against handling damage during transportation
A large server rack can contain significant weight.
In this project, the housing had to support a 800 kg static load, which meant the sheet-metal structure needed to function as a load-bearing enclosure rather than simply provide an external cover.
At the same time, the customer wanted standardized mounting positions.
If mounting holes are inconsistent between cabinets, installation can require additional drilling or adjustment at the customer's facility.
For a manufacturer supplying data infrastructure products, that creates additional labor and makes product standardization more difficult.
The project therefore required attention to three connected areas:
The enclosure had to support the specified static load.
The mounting pattern needed to remain consistent throughout the rack structure.
Cable openings and ventilation openings needed to be incorporated into the enclosure while maintaining the required structure.
These requirements had to work together rather than being treated as separate fabrication operations.
The enclosure was manufactured from carbon steel with a 1.2 mm sheet thickness.
The production process included:
CNC punching
Laser cutting
CNC bending
Riveting
Powder coating
Assembly
Rather than relying on post-production drilling for mounting positions, the rack was manufactured with pre-drilled mounting holes.
The mounting pattern was maintained through CNC punching along the rack structure.
This allowed the customer to use the specified mounting configuration without needing to re-drill the cabinet after delivery.
For rack products, mounting-hole consistency is particularly important.
The customer required a standardized mounting arrangement for its hardware.
We therefore incorporated the mounting holes into the production process rather than treating them as a secondary modification.
This approach helped maintain the required mounting pattern across the enclosure and supported the customer's installation process.
For equipment manufacturers producing multiple units of the same rack design, repeatability can be just as important as the strength of the enclosure itself.
A server rack enclosure also has to accommodate practical installation requirements.
This project included square openings for ventilation and cable pass-through.
The openings were incorporated into the sheet-metal panels during fabrication.
This allowed the finished enclosure to provide the required access without requiring the customer to modify the cabinet after receiving it.
For a rack manufacturer, integrating these features into the enclosure production stage can simplify downstream assembly and installation.
The housing included doors and back panels as part of the enclosure set.
The production approach also included riveting and assembly, allowing the finished housings to be supplied fully assembled.
The customer's requirement was not simply to receive individual cut and bent panels.
The finished housings needed to arrive ready for use and protected during shipment.
This meant that manufacturing quality also extended beyond individual sheet-metal components to the assembled enclosure.
The finished housings were treated with black powder coating.
The surface finish provided the required appearance and protection for the rack enclosure.
For data infrastructure equipment, the external appearance of the cabinet is also part of the final product presentation.
The customer specified black powder coating, and the housings were finished before final assembly and shipment.
Large server rack enclosures can be vulnerable to surface damage during handling and transportation.
For this project, the finished housings were shipped fully assembled on wooden pallets with foam protection.
This was important because the customer was receiving the finished enclosure rather than assembling individual sheet-metal panels themselves.
The packaging therefore formed part of the overall manufacturing process:
Fabrication → Finishing → Assembly → Protection → Shipment
The goal was to ensure that the finished housings reached the customer without unnecessary handling damage.
The first article was approved, and the first production batch of 110 units was delivered in 45 days.
Following the initial production, the customer placed consolidated repeat orders combining several rack heights into one shipment.
This is particularly relevant for data infrastructure manufacturers developing multiple rack configurations.
Instead of treating every rack height as an entirely separate manufacturing project, a consistent production approach can support multiple configurations within the customer's product range.
The project therefore progressed from first-article approval to repeat production.
This project demonstrates several practical considerations for companies developing server and network rack products.
A rack enclosure may become a structural component of the finished product.
If the cabinet needs to carry a high static load, the sheet-metal structure needs to be considered as part of the product's mechanical design.
A mounting hole that is correct on one cabinet but inconsistent on another can create installation problems.
For standardized equipment, repeatable mounting patterns are therefore important during production.
Cable pass-through and ventilation openings can be incorporated into the sheet-metal panels during fabrication.
This avoids unnecessary secondary modification after production.
Some equipment manufacturers prefer to receive finished housings rather than separate panels.
Supplying the enclosure assembled can reduce the amount of work required after delivery, depending on the customer's product and logistics requirements.
A large powder-coated enclosure can be exposed to scratches and impact during transportation.
Protective packaging should therefore be considered together with the manufacturing and assembly process.
A custom server rack enclosure combines several requirements:
Structural requirements
800 kg static load
↓
Manufacturing requirements
CNC punching + laser cutting + CNC bending + riveting
↓
Installation requirements
Standard mounting holes + cable access + ventilation
↓
Finishing requirements
Black powder coating
↓
Delivery requirements
Full assembly + protected shipment
For equipment manufacturers, these requirements are interconnected.
A supplier that only focuses on individual sheet-metal operations may not address the complete enclosure manufacturing requirement.
For custom equipment projects, the more important question is whether the manufacturer can consistently turn the required enclosure structure into a repeatable production product.
We manufacture custom metal enclosures and structural sheet-metal products for equipment manufacturers across applications including data infrastructure, energy storage, EV charging, LED display, medical equipment, and industrial equipment.
Our capabilities include:
Laser cutting
CNC punching
CNC bending
Welding
Riveting
Grinding
Powder coating
Silk screen printing
Hardware assembly
Enclosure assembly
For projects requiring a custom rack, chassis, cabinet, or equipment housing, production can be based on the customer's product requirements and drawings.
Our focus is on custom and ODM enclosure manufacturing, helping equipment manufacturers move from enclosure requirements to repeatable production.
This project used 1.2 mm carbon steel.
The enclosure was required to carry a 800 kg static load.
Yes. The rack used pre-drilled mounting holes, with the mounting pattern maintained through CNC punching.
Yes. The housing included square openings for ventilation and cable pass-through.
Yes. The finished housings were supplied fully assembled on wooden pallets with foam protection.
The first production batch contained 110 units and was delivered in 45 days.
This project later developed into consolidated repeat orders combining several rack heights in one shipment.
If you are developing a rack, server enclosure, network cabinet, or other custom sheet-metal housing, send us your 2D drawing, 3D CAD file, or product requirements.
Our team can review the enclosure structure and manufacturing requirements for your project.
Request an ODM Enclosure Quote →
