Plastic empty enclosures | B2B
We manufacture plastic housings by injection moulding according to your drawing and integrate the matching rubber seal directly into the manufacturing process. What other plastic housing manufacturers split between two suppliers, we deliver as a complete, tested unit – from a single source.
- Customised production
- Batch sizes 1 to 1 million units.
- Express production from 2 weeks
- 100% Reliability & proactivity
Plastic housing with integrated rubber seal
- from Bavaria
The combination of an injection-moulded plastic housing and permanently vulcanised or overmoulded rubber seals is one of our core areas of expertise in rubber-to-plastic bonding. The plastic housing is produced using an injection mould manufactured by our in-house toolmaking department in accordance with your design data. In a subsequent vulcanisation process, the seal is bonded directly to the plastic surface with precise and repeatable positioning, eliminating the need for additional assembly on your premises. Depending on the application, we use engineering thermoplastics or high-temperature plastics in combination with a suitable elastomer.
The round design of the housing made of Ksorgt ensures even stress distribution and easy integration into boreholes
Round plastic housing
Custom plastic enclosures in various geometries according to your drawing
Special plastic housing
Miniature enclosures for space-critical assemblies with wall thicknesses from a few tenths of a millimetre while maintaining consistent sealing performance
Small plastic enclosure
Custom plastic enclosures tested to IP67 (temporary immersion), IP68 (continuous immersion) or even IP69 (high pressure)
Waterproof plastic enclosure
Integrated mounting plate for the simple and secure fixing of your components inside the enclosure
Plastic housing with plate
Precision-fit closure with an integrated, vulcanised seal for a permanently secure seal, even under mechanical stress
Plastic housing with lid
Why choose a plastic housing
with an integrated seal?
Plastic housings with a vulcanised-on seal combine low weight, electrical insulation and corrosion resistance with a permanently integrated sealing function. Injection moulding allows wall thicknesses, ribs, bosses and sealing contours to be reproduced consistently using tooling manufactured in-house. The seal is vulcanised directly onto the prepared plastic surface, creating a ready-to-install functional unit.
- Low component weight compared to metal housings – relevant for sensor technology, electronics, medical technology and mobile assemblies
- Electrically insulating and non-corrosive – no protective coating against rust, galvanic corrosion or conductive housing surfaces required
- Injection moulding production with reproducible wall thicknesses, rib structures, bosses and sealing contours straight from the tool
- Engineering thermoplastics such as PA, PBT, PPS or PEEK for rigidity, temperature resistance and chemical resistance
Plastic empty enclosure with rubber seal -
individually made by GUME
- In-house toolmaking: vulcanising moulds are created internally, without external waiting times
- Combined manufacturing: injection-moulded plastic housing with vulcanised-on seal
- Express production possible: first samples already available in 2–3 weeks
- Flexible sizes and quantities: From plastic miniature enclosures up to 500 mm edge length
- Custom production from single items to large-scale series
The right material for your plastic empty enclosure
The choice of material determines the rigidity, temperature resistance, chemical resistance and cost of your custom plastic enclosures. As an experienced manufacturer of plastic enclosures, we at GUME process all standard engineering thermoplastics and offer open advice on which material will meet your requirements most economically.
| Material | Weight | Stiffness | Temperature resistance | Chemical resistance | UV and weather resistance | Adhesion to rubber | Costs |
| ABS | up to approx. 80 °C | ||||||
| PA6 / PA66 | up to approx. 120 °C | ||||||
| PA-GF (glass-fibre reinforced) | up to approx. 140 °C | ||||||
| PC (polycarbonate) | up to approx. 130 °C | ||||||
| Polybutylene terephthalate | up to approx. 140 °C | ||||||
| POM | up to approx. 100 °C | ||||||
| PP | up to approx. 100 °C | ||||||
| PPS | up to approx. 220 °C | ||||||
| PEEK | up to approx. 260 °C |
The matching housing seal
regarding your plastic empty enclosure
Not every seal suits every application. Because we also develop the seal in our plastic enclosure manufacturing, we tailor the rubber material to your operating environment such as chemicals, temperatures, outgassing and standards – without the compromises that standard goods entail. This allows simple protection classes like IP54, as well as the highest protection class IP69, to be reliably achieved.
Very good adhesion, economical processing, particularly for batch sizes of 1,000 units and above
Reliable for outdoor use, resistant to UV radiation, ozone and hot water, not suitable for oils and fuels
For empty enclosures that come into contact with mineral oils, fuels or hydraulic fluids
Exceptional resistance to aggressive chemicals and fuels at continuous temperatures of up to +200 °C – the high-performance material amongst elastomers
Resistance to aggressive chemicals and at temperatures up to +200 °C – in combination with high-temperature-resistant thermoplastics such as PPS or PEEK
Wide operating temperature range from −50 °C to +220 °C, FDA-compliant and predestined for food and medical technology applications
Robust all-round solution for weather resistance, ozone resistance and moderate contact with oils, greases and refrigerants
Plastic housing with seal in 4 manufacturing steps
The production of a plastic housing with a vulcanised-on rubber seal is a multi-stage process in which plastic and rubber processing intertwine. At GUME, all steps run under one roof – from tool design to the tested assembly.
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Design and material specification
At the beginning stands the constructive design of the plastic housing and cover as well as the material pairing. Plastic and elastomer must match the media, temperature and pressure, and be chemically compatible. We determine the sealing groove, wall thicknesses and type of closure – such as screw fastening, snap hooks or ultrasonic weld seam – together with you.
02 / 04
Plastic housing injection moulding production
Subsequently, the plastic housing and – if desired – the lid are produced in the injection moulding tools previously manufactured in-house. The molten plastic granulate is injected under high pressure into the cavity is injected, cools down there in a controlled manner and is subsequently demoulded. Uniform wall thicknesses, defined demoulding angles and a precisely designed sealing groove are required for a tight plastic housing.
03 / 04
Preparation of the bonding surfaces and vulcanisation bonding
The sealing surfaces are cleaned, degreased and, depending on the material pairing, coated with an adhesion promoter Primer treated. Afterwards, the rubber compound moulded directly onto the empty housing, the cover or both in the vulcanisation tool under pressure and temperature. This creates an integral bond where, in the event of failure, the rubber tears.
04 / 04
Assembly, testing and quality assurance
Upon request, we handle the pre-assembly of empty plastic enclosures and covers, including threaded inserts and press-fit nuts or customer-supplied parts. Each assembly undergoes a defined quality control process: dimensional accuracy, surface finish, and, where required, leak testing up to the requested protection class. Only then is the enclosure dispatched to you.
Do you have questions about
plastic enclosures with seals?
We're here to help.
How does adhesion between plastic housings and seals work?
The connection is created either by two-component injection moulding, where the plastic housing and elastomer seal are joined in the same tool, or by subsequent vulcanisation using a bonding agent. In both cases, a material bond is created that is so resilient that, in the event of failure, the rubber tears rather than the interface with the plastic. The crucial factor is the compatibility between the thermoplastic and the rubber, which we determine together with you during the design phase.
From what quantity is an injection moulding tool worthwhile compared with 3D printing?
As a rule of thumb, injection moulding becomes cost-effective at around 500 to 1,000 units, depending on component size and complexity. Whilst 3D printing is flexible, it has significant disadvantages regarding surface quality, dimensional accuracy and sealing surfaces.
Can transparent or plastic enclosures also be manufactured in black?
Yes, both are easily possible. For transparent housings, we use materials such as PC. Plastic housings in black, white or colour are dyed directly in the injection moulding process using colour pigments and the granulate – this is long-term stable, scratch-resistant and available in almost all RAL shades.
How does the ultrasonic welding of two housing halves work?
In ultrasonic welding, the joining surfaces are locally melted under pressure by high-frequency mechanical vibrations (typically 20–35 kHz) applied by the housing manufacturer. A dedicated energy director seam concentrates the energy onto the joining zone. Within fractions of a second, a material-locking, tight joint is created without adhesive or additional components. As a plastic housing manufacturer, we not only produce, but also, if required, assemble components inside your custom-made plastic housing and weld the housing halves together using ultrasound.
How are cable entries sealed into plastic enclosures?
Cable entries are made via cable glands (e.g. metric glands with sealing inserts), overmoulded Grommets or implemented directly as vulcanised elastomer grommets. The hole is already provided during the injection moulding of the empty plastic enclosure. With the correct design, protection classes of up to IP68 can be reliably achieved – even with multiple cables of different diameters.
Can plastic housings be subsequently painted, printed or coated?
Yes. Plastic housings can be painted, pad printed, laser marked or provided with functional coatings (e.g. EMC shielding). However, whenever possible, we recommend colouring via pre-coloured granules directly during injection moulding – this saves process steps and is more stable in the long term. Laser marking is particularly well suited for labelling, as it is abrasion-resistant and requires no additional media.
Can plastic enclosures with seals also be manufactured for underwater or high-pressure applications?
Yes, both are achievable. Relevant factors for plastic enclosures with IP68 or similar protection classes are wall thickness, material selection, seal cross-section and the design of the mating surfaces. For underwater applications, we rely on hydrolysis-resistant thermoplastics such as PBT or PPS in combination with sealing materials designed for continuous immersion. For high-pressure applications, we specifically dimension wall thicknesses, rib structures and seal geometry to suit the required operating pressure.
