For engineers who need more than a generic box around their power electronics.
Custom sheet metal enclosures, cabinets and chassis for industrial and e-mobility electronics
TPS designs and manufactures custom sheet metal enclosures, sheet metal cabinets and sheet metal chassis that protect and organise your power electronics. Instead of sourcing bare boxes from one supplier and electronics from another, you can receive finished cabinets wired with PCBs, coolers, harnesses and test documentation.
On this page we explain how we build electrical enclosures from aluminium, stainless steel and galvanized sheet metal, and how these cabinets integrate with the rest of our EMS stack.
Why sheet metal enclosures for power electronics
Power supplies, converters, battery systems and test racks need more than a mechanical shell. A sheet metal enclosure acts as a structural frame, a safety barrier and, in many cases, an EMC shield and thermal interface. Compared to plastic boxes, sheet metal cabinets offer higher mechanical strength, better grounding and improved resistance against heat, dust and moisture.
- Protection and safety: electrical enclosures keep operators away from live parts and can be designed towards IP or NEMA ratings specified in your standards.
- Serviceability: doors, panels and removable covers give technicians access to PCBs, power modules and wiring harnesses without dismantling the whole system.
- Integration: support rails, cut-outs, cable entries and mounting features are all tailored around your PCBs, liquid coolers and components.
TPS builds custom sheet metal enclosures specifically for power electronics, then combines them with PCBA, magnetics, coolers and cable assemblies so you receive complete, tested assemblies.
TPS sheet metal cabinet capabilities
Our metal parts area produces sheet metal cabinets, sheet metal chassis and structural parts that match the rest of the TPS manufacturing stack. Typical operations include cutting, forming, joining and final assembly.
Cutting and forming
- Laser cutting and CNC punching for precise panels with ventilation patterns, connector cut-outs and mounting holes.
- CNC bending for U-shapes, 19" rack chassis and folded parts that minimise welding where possible.
- Forming and embossing features such as stiffening ribs, louvers and cable entry flanges to increase rigidity without extra parts.
Joining and assembly
- MIG/TIG welding and spot welding for frames, doors and load-bearing joints.
- Rivet nuts and fasteners to create repeatable threaded points for mounting PCBs, busbars and DIN rails.
- Cabinet assembly with hinges, locks, gaskets, windows, fans and cable glands according to your BOM.
Finishing and quality
- Powder coating or wet painting with colour and gloss levels that match your brand and environmental requirements.
- Surface preparation such as deburring, grinding and pre-treatment to improve coating adhesion and corrosion resistance.
- Dimensional and fit checks using gauges and test assemblies so that boards, coolers and wiring harnesses install smoothly during final build.
Cabinets can be supplied empty, or fully built with PCBA, winding goods, coolers and cable assemblies to reduce your integration work on site.
From CAD to finished cabinet: sheet metal fabrication process
A typical sheet metal fabrication flow for electrical enclosures looks like this. TPS follows controlled process stages so enclosures stay consistent from prototype chassis to serial cabinets.
Materials for electrical enclosures and chassis
Choosing the right material is key to balance strength, corrosion resistance, weight and cost. TPS commonly works with aluminum sheet metal, stainless steel sheet metal and galvanized sheet metal for stainless steel electrical enclosures and industrial cabinets.
Aluminium sheet metal
- Lightweight and naturally corrosion-resistant, ideal for mobile systems or cabinets with strict weight limits.
- Good thermal conductivity for power electronics where the chassis participates in heat spreading.
- Often used for indoor or sheltered outdoor enclosures where aggressive chemicals are not expected.
Stainless steel sheet metal
- High corrosion resistance for harsh or hygienic environments such as process plants or medical and laboratory equipment.
- Suitable for cabinets that need frequent wash-down or exposure to cleaning agents.
- Often combined with brushed or polished finishes for premium appearance.
Galvanized and painted steel
- Carbon steel with protective zinc or painted coatings offers a cost-effective solution for many indoor industrial cabinets.
- Good mechanical strength and stiffness for large free-standing sheet metal cabinets and frames.
- Surface treatment and gasket design can be aligned with your target IP or NEMA ratings.
We can review your use case and propose a material and finish combination that aligns with your environment, IP targets and budget.
Industry use cases for custom sheet metal cabinets
TPS cabinets follow the same industry focus as our power electronics manufacturing.
Industrial power and automation
- Control cabinets for factory automation, drives and PLC systems.
- Power racks for test benches, laboratory power and industrial battery systems.
- Wall-mounted electrical enclosures for distributed IO and local power supplies.
Automotive and e-mobility infrastructure
- Outdoor cabinets for EV charging stations, DC power distribution and charging control electronics.
- Enclosures for battery test equipment and e-mobility power converters.
Battery systems, DC power and energy storage
- Sheet metal cabinets for DC backup systems, UPS and modular DC power shelves.
- Enclosures for grid-scale or industrial battery systems, with provisions for cooling and high-current busbars.
Medical and laboratory equipment
- Stainless steel racks and sheet metal chassis for diagnostics instruments and analytical equipment.
- Cabinets that house power electronics, motion controllers and pumps inside medical or life science systems.
For related stories, see our upcoming application pages for industrial power and automation, e-mobility, battery systems and medical & laboratory equipment.
How to start a sheet metal enclosure project with TPS
Whether you need a single prototype sheet metal cabinet or a series of enclosures integrated with PCBs and wiring, we can join the project at different stages. To move quickly we typically ask for:
- 3D and drawings: enclosure models (STEP, Parasolid, etc.) and 2D drawings with overall dimensions, thicknesses and tolerances.
- Bill of materials: hinges, locks, fans, filters, cable glands and any third-party hardware you want us to source or install.
- Finish and protection requirements: material choice, powder coat colour, and target IP / NEMA rating or environment description.
- Integration scope: whether TPS should only deliver metal parts, or also build in PCBA, magnetics, coolers and harnesses.
FAQ about sheet metal enclosures and cabinets
- What is the difference between a sheet metal enclosure, cabinet and chassis?
- In this context an enclosure is the overall housing that protects electronics and wiring. A cabinet is usually a larger free-standing or wall-mounted enclosure with doors and cable entries. A chassis is the structural frame or inner mechanical assembly that supports PCBs, coolers and sub-modules inside that enclosure.
- Which materials can TPS use for custom sheet metal enclosures?
- We commonly work with steel, galvanized sheet metal, stainless steel sheet metal and aluminium sheet metal. The right choice depends on environment, corrosion resistance, weight limits and budget, so we review these factors with you during the design phase.
- Can you help design enclosures towards specific IP or NEMA ratings?
- TPS does not certify enclosures ourselves, but we can design and build cabinets to support the IP or NEMA protection levels you target in your compliance plan, including gasket concepts, door designs, drainage and surface treatments. Final certification is done with your notified body or test lab.
- Do you only supply metalwork, or can you integrate electronics as well?
- Both are possible. Many customers rely on TPS as an integrated manufacturer: we build the sheet metal cabinets and also assemble PCBs, magnetics, coolers, harnesses and test equipment so that cabinets are delivered as powered, tested sub-systems.
- How early should we involve TPS in enclosure design?
- The best results come when we review the mechanical concept while it is still flexible. That allows us to suggest changes that reduce welds, simplify bending operations and align hole patterns and fasteners with our tooling, while keeping your functional requirements intact.
