3D printing for control cabinets and electrical engineering
DIN rail carriers, sensor brackets, cable routing and cabinet accessories in flame retardant and temperature resistant materials. From a one-off for a prototype cabinet to a series run for a switchgear line.
Prototype parts ready to ship in 2 to 4 working days
Typical parts in electrical engineering
Electrical parts are usually small, geometrically demanding and needed in small to medium quantities, often at short notice when a cabinet is modified.
DIN rail carriers and clips
Clip-on carriers for terminal blocks, relays and small assemblies, matched to rail profile and grid spacing of the cabinet.
Sensor brackets and mounts
Angles and brackets for inductive, optical or mechanical sensors, precisely aligned to the switching point.
Cable guides and strain reliefs
Routing channels and clamp pieces that separate cable looms cleanly and keep pulling forces away from connectors.
Covers and prototype enclosures
Terminal covers for touch protection and enclosures for assemblies still under development.
Suitable materials
For parts inside a cabinet, flame retardant grades come first, while brackets outside the cabinet often work fine with standard materials.
- ABS-FRFlame-retardant ABS for safety housings and enclosures.
- PC FR UL94Flame-retardant polycarbonate with UL94 V-0 rating.
- PCPolycarbonate - high impact, high heat, transparent option.
- ABSClassic engineering ABS - strong, affordable, easy to finish.
- PETGTough, food-safe-capable everyday workhorse.
- PA12Tough, low-friction nylon for functional mechanical parts.
Details needed for electrical components
- 01Installation location: inside or outside the cabinet, this decides whether ABS FR or PC FR UL94 is needed.
- 02Ambient operating temperature, especially proximity to transformers, drives or power supplies.
- 03Clamping or tightening force at screws and snap clips, so wall thickness is designed against creep.
- 04Existing DIN rail profile or CAD reference of the cabinet door, when a bracket must fit exactly.
- 05Whether an electrical insulation test after printing will be carried out by you or a testing service.
Plastic parts inside a control cabinet: fire behaviour, temperature and creep
Several requirements meet at once inside a control cabinet: the plastic must not contribute to fire spread in a fault case, it must withstand operating temperature continuously, and it must stay dimensionally stable under screw or clamp force. For the first point we offer ABS FR and PC FR UL94, both designed for defined fire behaviour and suited to covers, holders and enclosure parts near live assemblies.
For temperature we distinguish short peak exposure from the continuous temperature a part must tolerate over years. PC FR UL94 sits clearly above ABS FR here and is the right choice near transformers, power supplies or densely packed terminal rows with noticeable self heating. For uncritical spots in a distribution box, ABS FR is usually sufficient and cheaper to produce.
Creep under permanent clamping force affects every plastic, printed or molded, and cannot be eliminated entirely. What we can do is spread the force over a larger area instead of concentrating it on a narrow rib or thin snap tab, and add metal inserts at critical threads. Equally important is the insulating property: our filaments are non conductive by nature, but that does not replace a standard compliant insulation test of the finished part if it is meant to provide touch protection.
Manufacturing data at a glance
- Location
- Schleswig, Germany
- Part size
- up to approx. 250 x 250 x 250 mm, larger parts split and joined
- Quantities
- 1 to several thousand, no minimum order quantity
- Tolerances
- approx. ±0.2 mm for PLA, PETG and carbon grades, ±0.3 mm for ABS, ASA and PC
- Layer height
- 0.10 to 0.30 mm
- Materials
- 20 engineering filaments from PLA to PA12-CF and PC FR
- File formats
- STEP, STL, 3MF, OBJ, IGES up to 200 MB
- Lead time
- 2 to 4 working days for samples, 4 to 15 working days for series
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Electrical engineering parts FAQ
- Are printed parts inside a control cabinet flame retardant?
- Only if you choose a flame retardant material. ABS FR and PC FR UL94 are designed for that, standard ABS or PETG are not. We ask specifically about the installation location so material choice matches the cabinet standard required.
- How high can temperatures inside a cabinet run?
- PC FR UL94 tolerates continuously higher temperatures than ABS or PETG and suits locations near transformers or frequency drives. For standard distribution boards without significant self heating, ABS FR is usually sufficient.
- Do clamped plastic parts hold their shape long term?
- Under permanent clamping force every plastic creeps somewhat, that cannot be avoided physically. We design wall thickness and contact faces so clamping force spreads over a larger area instead of concentrating on a thin rib.
- Are 3D printed parts electrically insulating?
- Our filaments are non conductive by nature and suit covers and holders with no live conductors. For parts with a touch protection function or a standard insulation test, we recommend a separate test of the finished part, since we do not offer electrical testing.
Read next
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