IP67 Enclosure Design for Data Logger
Budget: $30 – $250 USD
Context
We develop CAN bus data loggers. For this project focus on the CANedge3 as an example: https://www.csselectronics.com/products/can-bus-data-logger-4g-lte-canedge3-gnss
The device is IP40, but some users would like to be able to easily install the device inside an IP67 box/enclosure. We would like to offer a tailor-made solution for this to make it easy and convenient for users to do so - without them having to build it themselves.
Importantly, our device should remain inside the current aluminum enclosure, meaning the box should fit the full product as-is (rather than attempting to extract the PCBs from our device).
The CANedge3 has 2 x DB9 connectors and 2 x SMA connectors that need to be mated inside the box with waterproof connectors on the outside. At the same time, the CANedge3 should be stress-reliefed inside the box.
The illustrative concept is seen in ‘ip67-box-concept-illustrative.png’. Note that the SMA connectors here are placed on one side of the connector - but it could also be that they are placed on either side (one on each side).
For the enclosure box itself, we expect that we can fairly easily create that on our side. Similarly, we expect it will be possible to find a suitable front end plate using a standard version available.
The illustrative concept is one way of solving the challenge we have - but it may be that a completely different solution exists. If so we are open to suggestions.
Main challenge
The main challenge is to create the small ‘bridging’ PCB between our device 2 x DB9 and an external, compact IP67 connector. We have created a 1st draft of this in the ‘ip-enclosure-draft.step’ file.
The PCB needs to enable the following:
Provide 2 x DB9 connectors that can mate with the CANedge
Provide 1 x IP67 connector with 8 (or more) pins for providing the external interface
Enable the user to ‘lock’ the CANedge to the PCB by screwing in hex screws to the two outer mounts
The PCB should be easy to produce via standard PCB assembly solutions
The connectors should be easy to source (e.g. via mouser) and low cost (ala the examples below)
The footprint of the connectors should ideally be similar or less as in the example STEP
The overall solution needs to stay as compact as possible, practical to produce and easy to assemble
The current version uses the below connectors:
DB9: https://www.norcomp.net/series/191-series-vertical-low-profile
An alternative might be e.g. press fit DB9s: https://www.norcomp.net/series/191-series-press-fit
DT: https://www.te.com/en/product-DT15-08PA.html
While the current solution “almost works”, it has the problem that the connectors conflict when mounted as in the current solution (because of the PCB thickness, which uses a standard size).
However, there are hundreds of alternative DB9 connectors available and hundreds of alternative IP67 connectors (e.g. with outset in the DT variants)
Project task
Design a bridge PCB including specific connectors and STEP file, with outset in the provided STEP file. The bridge-PCB should solve the requirements and the outlined challenges. You should provide the updated STEP file with your solution as well as part numbers and links for the connectors you have used.
This may be solved by simply identifying suitable alternative connectors on one or both sides of the PCB - but it may also be that some other more creative solution exists.
We develop CAN bus data loggers. For this project focus on the CANedge3 as an example: https://www.csselectronics.com/products/can-bus-data-logger-4g-lte-canedge3-gnss
The device is IP40, but some users would like to be able to easily install the device inside an IP67 box/enclosure. We would like to offer a tailor-made solution for this to make it easy and convenient for users to do so - without them having to build it themselves.
Importantly, our device should remain inside the current aluminum enclosure, meaning the box should fit the full product as-is (rather than attempting to extract the PCBs from our device).
The CANedge3 has 2 x DB9 connectors and 2 x SMA connectors that need to be mated inside the box with waterproof connectors on the outside. At the same time, the CANedge3 should be stress-reliefed inside the box.
The illustrative concept is seen in ‘ip67-box-concept-illustrative.png’. Note that the SMA connectors here are placed on one side of the connector - but it could also be that they are placed on either side (one on each side).
For the enclosure box itself, we expect that we can fairly easily create that on our side. Similarly, we expect it will be possible to find a suitable front end plate using a standard version available.
The illustrative concept is one way of solving the challenge we have - but it may be that a completely different solution exists. If so we are open to suggestions.
Main challenge
The main challenge is to create the small ‘bridging’ PCB between our device 2 x DB9 and an external, compact IP67 connector. We have created a 1st draft of this in the ‘ip-enclosure-draft.step’ file.
The PCB needs to enable the following:
Provide 2 x DB9 connectors that can mate with the CANedge
Provide 1 x IP67 connector with 8 (or more) pins for providing the external interface
Enable the user to ‘lock’ the CANedge to the PCB by screwing in hex screws to the two outer mounts
The PCB should be easy to produce via standard PCB assembly solutions
The connectors should be easy to source (e.g. via mouser) and low cost (ala the examples below)
The footprint of the connectors should ideally be similar or less as in the example STEP
The overall solution needs to stay as compact as possible, practical to produce and easy to assemble
The current version uses the below connectors:
DB9: https://www.norcomp.net/series/191-series-vertical-low-profile
An alternative might be e.g. press fit DB9s: https://www.norcomp.net/series/191-series-press-fit
DT: https://www.te.com/en/product-DT15-08PA.html
While the current solution “almost works”, it has the problem that the connectors conflict when mounted as in the current solution (because of the PCB thickness, which uses a standard size).
However, there are hundreds of alternative DB9 connectors available and hundreds of alternative IP67 connectors (e.g. with outset in the DT variants)
Project task
Design a bridge PCB including specific connectors and STEP file, with outset in the provided STEP file. The bridge-PCB should solve the requirements and the outlined challenges. You should provide the updated STEP file with your solution as well as part numbers and links for the connectors you have used.
This may be solved by simply identifying suitable alternative connectors on one or both sides of the PCB - but it may also be that some other more creative solution exists.