On our site we advertise a range of standardised cases, but we also design and produce cases that are tailored to our clients specific needs. It may be that they need to transport items that have a unique shape, interact in a special way for easier loading and unloading, or even something as simple as logo or badge branding. Other customisation options include plywood panels in other colours.
Preliminary Questions
The first step of custom case orders is getting an idea of how big and heavy the items are and the level of protection required. The storage of the item itself is important, but you may also need to consider if your case would also need to contain any accessories as well. There are a number of solutions for this such as internal dividers, drawers, and custom foam inserts.
If you require your logo to be printed or engraved we will also need to know about this in advance.
Most of our case designs by default are lined with 10mm EVA foam, but we do have them in other thickness and other softer foams for better cushioning for delicate items. Typically thicker foams are used for custom foam inserts which you can read more about here. If the main purpose of your case is to hold a custom foam insert, especially smaller ones it could be worth considering using premade injection moulded plastic cases like ones manufactured by Pelican instead of having a custom case built from scratch by us.
Providing a Quote
From those details we would have a rough idea of how big and heavy the case would be, the way it would be handled, transported, and opened. This affects the type of hardware that we specify, but at this stage we have most of the information we need to work out a quote for you even though the design has not been finalised yet. We would also need to know if you need the completed case to be delivered to you. For this, details such as whether or not the case is being sent to a business address and if a forklift will be on site would be helpful.
In our quote we would specify the type of panel and hardware type and quantity we anticipate on using, but this can be subject to changes and we will let you know up front during the design stage. For minor changes such as substitutions for certain hardware, the price quoted would most likely remain unchanged. Here is a post on the factors that goes into deciding what materials to use.
When you are satisfied with the contents of the quote, let us know and we will send you an invoice. Also send us your logo design if you ordered branding options.
Project Lead Times
The official start date of the project is marked by the acceptance of the quote and an upfront payment of at least 50% of the final price. We endeavour to finish most projects within 3-5 weeks at our Sydney workshop.
If your order is not too urgent and you are willing to wait longer we also offer the option of having your case built in our overseas workshop in Guangzhou, China with a discount of up to 35%. The lead time for this would be 6-10 weeks.
Case Designing Phase and Getting Your Feedback
The second step of custom case orders is getting our team to design a 3D model of your case to specifications, which we will send to you as a pdf with the ability to pan, rotate, and view in different configurations, along with instructions on getting the pdf to work.
For the best results, it would be good to have the actual item so that we can take measurements and test the fit later on once the case is manufactured. The next best thing is a CAD model or drawing of the item. But as long as the item has a regular shape, we are confident we can design to the dimensions you give us.
Our hope at this stage of the project is to get your input and share our expertise on why the case was designed the way it was. With your feedback, we can make revisions as needed, though be aware that major changes such as the addition of more hardware or features that increases the complexity of the design would warrant a revision to the quoted price. The final design needs to be settled here as going back to this stage once manufacturing begins is costly.
Case Manufacture and Delivery
Once the 3D model gets your seal of approval our team can continue with preparing the files needed to cut materials for your case. Upon the completion of your case we will notify you and verify your address if you require delivery and send you a tracking number. Otherwise you may pick up from us at our Sydney workshop in Auburn.
If you haven’t already settled the remaining balance on your invoice this would be the time to do it.
For deliveries within metro Sydney we usually choose Civic Transport for their same day delivery, especially for small cases.
We offer a life-time warranty on all of our cases.