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Cost of aluminum cases

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jcoffin1981:
[ Specified attachment is not available ]Why are aftermarket aluminum cases so expensive?  I have a Tex CNC aluminum case and am looking to get another.  These can cost up to $150!! Is this just bread and butter for the manufacturer?  I think I will try and find a generic case that I can find for hopefully $40- $50 dollars.  Aluminum is dirt cheap.  I can't imagine it costs the manufacturers much to produce these.  Once the software is set up to machine the cases in high volume I don't think it is terribly expensive.  What am I missing?

Fraaaan:

--- Quote --- Aluminum is dirt cheap.
--- End quote ---

If only it were that simple. There's a lot more that goes into making a case than just being made out of aluminium.

How complex is it to machine? Do you need a 3-axis or 5-axis CNC mill? How many parts is the case made out of? Sandblasting? Anodizing or some different protective coating? Machining time? Electrical energy used to operate mills and the rest of the workshop? Overseeing manufacturing? Quality control? Customer communication and support? All this adds cost.

You can find cases like the ones on your image for $30-50 in China because they're usually made in large numbers and only 1 piece but for more high end stuff this is just not possible because of more complex designs and lower production numbers.

MIGHTY CHICKEN:
If only if only, people still do be paying >500 for two piece alu boards

controller-works:
Aluminum is much more expensive than plastic, for the most part. Also, any time you have tools moving over the part and gradually manufacturing it, as in CNC milling, it will take much longer to make than if it is made all at once like in injection molding. There is also engineering overhead to program and set up the machines. It is really the overall labor for the project, and not the material cost that is the main source of cost.

jcoffin1981:
That's interesting; yes I suppose all of that has to be taken into account.  I like my Tex case, but I don't know that I would purchase it again.  The Chinese ones can be bought for $35- $40. 

Isn't much of the expense in the initial setup and design.  Tex has been making the case for years.  Well, ok; I suppose they are not cranking out 1000's per day, proabably per order of a few dozen.  So ok, that's a little different. 

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