By: Jason Hayslip – Sr. Mechanical Engineer
Client: Energy Storage Solutions Company
Re:Build AppliedLogix was tasked with developing an electronics enclosure solution that will support itself and the electronics from one stack end plate to the other and adapt to the variance in stack lengths resulting from the tolerances of the repeating stack components (plates, membranes, and seals). The enclosure shall withstand the temperature and vibration imparted by the system while shielding the electronics from inadvertent water vapor or stack coolant leaks. The solution shall also allow the user to make needed electrical connections between the Stack Health Monitor and the Stack and assess its working status without removing the enclosure cover. The solution shall also meet cost targets at low volume (10’s) as well as at higher volume (1000’s).
The solution included a custom ABS enclosure base and cover that protects the electronics from the environment in and around the fuel cell. The housing base has mounting features that allow for easy customer integration to the fuel cell stack and provides adjustable mounting at one end to accommodate stack height variation.
SolidWorks was leveraged first to determine all of the connector positions and then establish the initial board layouts that are then further populated and routed by our board layout group. Next, the enclosure was designed around the boards with the manufacturing possibilities and respective process requirements in mind. 3D models were generated to communicate design intent and once agreed upon by the customer and manufacturer, detailed manufacturing prints were created.
All electrical and communication connections can be made without opening the enclosure and have integrated strain reliefs at both mounting flanges. LED indicators provide feedback to the user through apertures in the cover on operational status of the assembly.
The design is able to be machined or 3D printed at lower volumes and would use conventional fasteners for attaching the boards and the cover. At higher volumes the enclosure design is targeted for thermoforming with a heat staking feature that will attach the boards to the enclosure base to reduce the quantity of required fasteners and decrease assembly time.
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