RF Cans:  Always custom made or are there industry sizes? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: JoeN
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2015, 12:34:51 am
content: Maybe this is a stupid question. I have no application for this because I don't do any RF stuff yet but it occurs to me so I will ask. I see a lot of what I call "RF cans" or Faraday cages in some equipment I am desoldering for parts. All shapes and sizes. Usually it is stamped metal. Obviously I have also seen the really high end milled ones in some equipment Dave has taken apart. For the stamped commercial grade stuff, are there standard sizes for that or do these manufacturers always go with a custom job? I just wonder. I've never seen them offered for sale. If I am using the wrong terminology, this is what I am talking about:

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2015, 01:13:50 am
content: There are no standard sizes, as far as I can tell, but there are a number of manufacturers that make them in whatever sizes they feel like.It is one of the most painful things about RF design. I'm doing wireless software, so I interact with HW guys, but I don't know specific manufacturers.Those things are also disproportionally expensive in medium quantities.

author: German_EE
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2015, 07:46:36 am
content: Mouser sell a few standard sizes but they also have an option where you can specify your own dimensions (cost on application)

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2015, 08:57:16 am
content: Consider making them from unetched PCB; run solder along the edges to hold the sides to the top etc.Someone even made entire enclosures from PCBs, including using a drilled and screen printed PCB as the front panel. Not a bad idea if you want to make a small batch.

author: KJDS
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2015, 09:10:33 am
content: Perancea and another company make a range of standard sizes.http://www.perancea.com/default2.htmFor high volume products, like mobile phones then a custom size is usually used.

author: Andreas
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2015, 09:58:47 am
content: Hello,every PCB manufacturer who can do SMD stencils should be able to etch such RF-Shieldings.And you can also do it at home.with photosensitive brass sheets.http://www.conrad.de/ce/de/product/529060/Bungard-Fotobeschichtete-Messing-Bleche-271003145-L-x-B-x-H-215-x-145-x-03-mm-Messing?queryFromSuggest=truewith best regardsAndreas

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2015, 10:06:05 am
content: There is also the Harwin EZ-Shield Can Kit which is the DIY version of standard cans. They also sell some pre-made sizes.

author: john_p_wi
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2015, 05:09:43 pm
content: Here in the US, it is very easy to make them custom for the individual pcb's / foot print design. They do not need to be rectangular and can be odd shaped as long as they are "foldable". Generally they are made from 0.007 to 0.010 thick plated brass and can either be attached with through hole tabs and soldered or snapped into place with smt clips soldered to the board. They are usually photo-etched and the folds are "half-etched" giving an easy score line to fold on.For the rectangle can with the rectangle cutout in the top shown above, artwork would run about 200 USD and each can etched and folded would be about 1 USD in quantities of 1000.

author: richard.cs
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2015, 06:42:44 pm
content: Tecan do a number of standard sizes:http://www.tecanprecision.com/tecan/applications/rfi_emi+shielding/standard+cans?product_id=600In reality they have them in the catalogue but make them to order so their leadtimes are pretty similar to custom cans.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2015, 06:55:07 pm
content: Companies like Tecan make custom ones using photochemical etching, so tooling costs are pretty low.There are probably people who laser-cut them as well. The key is to be able to both cut & score, so they can be folded easily.

author: JoeN
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 08, 2015, 12:26:29 am
content: Due to the name dropping of manufacturers I finally found the category on Digikey. Now I can browse. Not, again, that I probably need these things, just pure interest.http://www.digikey.com/product-search/en/rf-if-and-rfid/rf-shields/3539677

author: JeremyNSM
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 20, 2016, 03:23:58 pm
content: For those interested in learning more about standard sizes vs. custom RF shields, Fotofab Corp offers a variety of options, as listed here:http://www.fotofab.com/pdf/Standard_RF_Shields.pdfThey also offer prototyping kits that can be hand formed to fit a number of applications:http://www.fotofab.com/pdf/Proto_Kit.pdf

author: bson
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 20, 2016, 07:20:38 pm
content: I buy Laird board-level EMI shields from Mouser and keep a variety on hand (mainly so I can get exact measurements during layout).

author: chris_leyson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2016, 08:07:35 pm
content: Try Harwin, they make a range of RF shielding cans.

author: uncle_bob
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 21, 2016, 01:02:15 am
content: HiThere are two basic choices:1) Deep drawn cans. There are a number of vendors out there who do them in many different materials. One of the many:http://www.hudson-technologies.com2) Photo etched cans that are then folded. Several outfits have already been mentioned.Neither one tends to show up on the big distributor sites. They are simply to custom a part. Regardless, they are still cheap and come from a lot of sources.Bob