Simply put, a case shell is built to house an interior that protects your equipment. The finest shell in the world will not provide adequate protection to a piece of equipment if the interior is improperly designed. The idea that you can never have too much foam has been around a long time. It is incorrect. While there may be instances where a simple foam lining may be appropriate, more often than not, this simple solution will not give your equipment the protection that it needs to arrive at its destination unharmed. A better solution lies in determining exactly how much foam is needed to provide an ideal cushion response value. Factors to be considered include weight (static loading), handling environments, ideal shell size and the fragility of the equipment. These and other factors combine to determine foam type, thickness and placement. In addition to superior package design, Engineered Case Manufacturers offers a complete range of interior components, including partitioning, drawers, keyboard and control slide outs, rackmount hardware and trays. Virtually anything you need to build into a case. At Engineered Case Manufacturers, we have the experience to design an interior to meet all your criteria.

Most applications can be accommodated using either Ester foam or one of the various weights of extruded polyethylene foams. Ester foam is suitable for protecting lightweight equipment while "etha" foam is better suited to heavier equipment or more demanding shipping environments. Often, the purpose of the foam is to organize rather than to protect the contents of the case. Either foam is suitable for this purpose although etha foam tends to be more robust in the long term. Below are a few examples of foam cutouts designed to organize and protect different equipment.

Shown is an example of a multi-compartment case featuring rigid partitions. As simple as a partition is, the benefits of proper design cannot be understated. We don't use the same methods to install our partitions as some other manufacturers. For 1/4" and 1/2" partitions, we first attach a length of aluminum angle to the case, then we attach the partition to the angle. Finally we cap the partition with either aluminum or PVC U-cap. The result is a partition that is as strong as the rest of the case. Some manufacturers simply drive wood screws through the side of the case into the edges of the partition. An amateur carpenter can immediately see the dangers of this approach. A little weight on the partition, the wood splits, and the partition fails. Why use this approach? Simple. It's cheaper and faster. But sometimes you end up with a maraca instead of a protective case.

Pictured here is a rigidized aluminum case designed for a mobile school library. The case shelves are loaded with books and can be transported from one school to another. This case features locking hardware for security, and heavy duty casters for easy, one-person handling. This type of case is also invaluable for book fairs.

One of the more convenient devices that can be installed in your ECM case, drawers are perfect for protecting and separating parts, valuable tools and other small items. Drawers can be custom made to your exact specifications. Alternatively, rack mountable drawers are a simple, elegant solution where cases are used for multiple purposes. Drawers can be lockable for security and/or fitted with custom foam cutouts or dividers. Shown are examples of cases that include various sized drawers designed to accommodate either small loose articles or various pieces of audio equipment.

Suppose you need to load an extremely heavy piece of equipment into a protective case for shipment across the country. Let's say a full sized V-6 automobile engine. The solution: Roll it right up the ramp into the case, close the cover, call the shipping company. Your case doesn't have a ramp? Too bad. At ECM we've designed ramp equipped cases for heavy medical equipment, huge computer racks and yes, even V-6 automobile engines.

Trays are another way of increasing the useable space within a case. They are also great for organizing groups of equipment that need to travel together. Tray design is limited only by the available space inside your case.