{"id":34085,"date":"2026-10-20T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-20T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/?p=34085"},"modified":"2026-10-13T10:17:09","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T09:17:09","slug":"why-smarter-tool-design-delivers-better-quality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/why-smarter-tool-design-delivers-better-quality\/","title":{"rendered":"Why smarter tool design delivers better quality"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Designed for precision, durability and performance, intelligent tool design forms the foundation of manufacturing quality, helping engineers improve process reliability, reduce waste, enhance efficiency and achieve consistently superior production outcomes. Chris Lloyd reports<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Specifiers rely on the quality of their enclosures to deliver safe, reliable results that stand the test of time. The quality of an enclosure includes the materials used in its design and creation, its impact and ingress protection ratings, the quality of its testing and its ease of installation among a host of other considerations. With no two projects ever looking the same, each enclosure must also consider the daily demands put on the enclosure as well as potential future modifications and specific safety or regulatory requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This holistic approach to design is central to Spelsberg\u2019s enclosure and switchgear development. At its main factory in Schalksm\u00fchle, Germany, the customisation process starts with initial customer requests and flows through to a certified housing unit. Developers work hand-in-hand with customers to establish the requirements together before creating an initial 3D CAD model, allowing mechanical details, mounting arrangements, cable entries and any project-specific considerations to be resolved before production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tool design and construction are an important part of this process. Qualified specialists use state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment such as two-component injection moulding and foamed thermoplastic moulding. The short transitions between development, tooling, production and testing enable greater consistency and shorter production timelines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Spelsberg\u2019s GEOS series exemplifies this approach. One installation for an electronics specialist included the requirement for standard functionality but also the ability to perform reliably while exposed to extreme temperatures and heavy vibration. The lightweight GEOS polycarbonate design made it fast and easy to install, with an impact rating of IK09, while its innovative \u2018Drain Protect\u2019 system for channelling moisture away from seals delivers reliable ingress protection up to IP67. The variety of sizes and accessories on offer across the GEOS range was an additional benefit to the project, alongside Spelsberg experts available at each stage to ensure high-quality results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The benefits of plastic enclosures<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While metal can deliver substantial mechanical protection, its weight and conductivity can be problematic for many installations, and its capacity for corrosion linked to environmental factors makes it sub-optimal for some project environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Plastics can offer a compelling alternative. Impact-proof polystyrene is a cost-effective, durable, lightweight option for indoor or protected outdoor use, while polycarbonate provides high mechanical strength, UV resistance and wide temperature tolerance for more demanding environments as well as lower weight than metal alternatives. Polypropylene is a sound choice for recyclable junction boxes and conduit-sealing applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Designing the enclosure around the application<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A high-quality enclosure should speed up installation and make the final product more reliable, meaning customisation can be as important as the basic enclosure specification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Depending on the application, manufacturers can provide internal mounting provisions for DIN rail, terminals, PCBs or electronic displays, while specialist products can address requirements such as fire-critical installations or photovoltaic connections. Cable entry arrangements can also be machined to suit each installation\u2019s specific needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">External design can contribute to both usability and protection. A recessed lid, for example, can accommodate membrane keypads or labels flush with the enclosure surface, reducing the likelihood of accidental damage. Transparent lids can make inspection faster and more reliable without the need to open the enclosure.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/dmapp.dmaeuropa.com\/cdn\/storage\/public\/img\/6accff7c79f85.jpg\" alt=\"Spelsberg offers specialist milling services in addition to drilling, countersinking and tapping.\" style=\"width:354px;height:auto\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em> Spelsberg offers specialist milling services in addition to drilling, countersinking and tapping<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pre-assembly takes customisation a step further. Instead of delivering an empty box, Spelsberg can supply anything from a DIN-mounted terminal arrangement to a fully wired, tested and ready-to-install solution that minimises on-site installation time. This means customers are supported directly by working with a manufacturer while also benefiting from collaboration with an in-country specialist supplier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Specifiers need reliable, long-lasting enclosures that do more than the numbers on their datasheet. Materials, tool design, manufacturing skill, engineering expertise and project-specific support are all part of an end result that starts with a commitment to quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chris Lloyd is Managing Director, <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.spelsberg.co.uk\" type=\"link\" id=\"http:\/\/www.spelsberg.co.uk\">Spelsberg els UK Ltd<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Designed for precision, durability and performance, intelligent tool design forms the foundation of manufacturing quality, helping engineers improve process reliability, reduce waste, enhance efficiency and achieve consistently superior production outcomes. Chris Lloyd reports Specifiers rely on the quality of their enclosures to deliver safe, reliable results that stand the test of time. The quality of &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":34086,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[199,1],"tags":[15738,15737,1131],"class_list":["post-34085","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-news-views-and-opinion","category-process","tag-geos-series","tag-intelligent-tool-design","tag-spelsberg"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Why smarter tool design delivers better quality - Engineer News Network<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/why-smarter-tool-design-delivers-better-quality\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why smarter tool design delivers better quality - Engineer News Network\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Designed for precision, durability and performance, intelligent tool design forms the foundation of manufacturing quality, helping engineers improve process reliability, reduce waste, enhance efficiency and achieve consistently superior production outcomes. Chris Lloyd reports Specifiers rely on the quality of their enclosures to deliver safe, reliable results that stand the test of time. The quality of &hellip;\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/why-smarter-tool-design-delivers-better-quality\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Engineer News Network\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-10-20T09:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/SPL-0274_Image1-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1707\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\\\/blog\\\/why-smarter-tool-design-delivers-better-quality\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\\\/blog\\\/why-smarter-tool-design-delivers-better-quality\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/4477342aea8e299c6a21761e513ea8e1\"},\"headline\":\"Why smarter tool design delivers better quality\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-20T09:00:00+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\\\/blog\\\/why-smarter-tool-design-delivers-better-quality\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":672,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\\\/blog\\\/why-smarter-tool-design-delivers-better-quality\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/SPL-0274_Image1-scaled.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"GEOS series\",\"intelligent tool design\",\"Spelsberg\"],\"articleSection\":[\"News, Views and Opinion\",\"Process\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\\\/blog\\\/why-smarter-tool-design-delivers-better-quality\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\\\/blog\\\/why-smarter-tool-design-delivers-better-quality\\\/\",\"name\":\"Why smarter tool design delivers better quality - Engineer News Network\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\\\/blog\\\/why-smarter-tool-design-delivers-better-quality\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\\\/blog\\\/why-smarter-tool-design-delivers-better-quality\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/SPL-0274_Image1-scaled.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-20T09:00:00+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/4477342aea8e299c6a21761e513ea8e1\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\\\/blog\\\/why-smarter-tool-design-delivers-better-quality\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\\\/blog\\\/why-smarter-tool-design-delivers-better-quality\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\\\/blog\\\/why-smarter-tool-design-delivers-better-quality\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/SPL-0274_Image1-scaled.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/SPL-0274_Image1-scaled.jpg\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":1707,\"caption\":\"Spelsberg uses state-of-the-art CNC-controlled machines and systems to ensure precise results\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\\\/blog\\\/why-smarter-tool-design-delivers-better-quality\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Why smarter tool design delivers better quality\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"Engineer News Network\",\"description\":\"The ultimate online news and information resource for today&#039;s engineer\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/4477342aea8e299c6a21761e513ea8e1\",\"name\":\"admin\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/admin\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Why smarter tool design delivers better quality - Engineer News Network","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/why-smarter-tool-design-delivers-better-quality\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"Why smarter tool design delivers better quality - Engineer News Network","og_description":"Designed for precision, durability and performance, intelligent tool design forms the foundation of manufacturing quality, helping engineers improve process reliability, reduce waste, enhance efficiency and achieve consistently superior production outcomes. Chris Lloyd reports Specifiers rely on the quality of their enclosures to deliver safe, reliable results that stand the test of time. The quality of &hellip;","og_url":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/why-smarter-tool-design-delivers-better-quality\/","og_site_name":"Engineer News Network","article_published_time":"2026-10-20T09:00:00+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2560,"height":1707,"url":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/SPL-0274_Image1-scaled.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Estimated reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/why-smarter-tool-design-delivers-better-quality\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/why-smarter-tool-design-delivers-better-quality\/"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/4477342aea8e299c6a21761e513ea8e1"},"headline":"Why smarter tool design delivers better quality","datePublished":"2026-10-20T09:00:00+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/why-smarter-tool-design-delivers-better-quality\/"},"wordCount":672,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/why-smarter-tool-design-delivers-better-quality\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/SPL-0274_Image1-scaled.jpg","keywords":["GEOS series","intelligent tool design","Spelsberg"],"articleSection":["News, Views and Opinion","Process"],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/why-smarter-tool-design-delivers-better-quality\/","url":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/why-smarter-tool-design-delivers-better-quality\/","name":"Why smarter tool design delivers better quality - Engineer News Network","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/why-smarter-tool-design-delivers-better-quality\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/why-smarter-tool-design-delivers-better-quality\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/SPL-0274_Image1-scaled.jpg","datePublished":"2026-10-20T09:00:00+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/4477342aea8e299c6a21761e513ea8e1"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/why-smarter-tool-design-delivers-better-quality\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/why-smarter-tool-design-delivers-better-quality\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/why-smarter-tool-design-delivers-better-quality\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/SPL-0274_Image1-scaled.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/SPL-0274_Image1-scaled.jpg","width":2560,"height":1707,"caption":"Spelsberg uses state-of-the-art CNC-controlled machines and systems to ensure precise results"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/why-smarter-tool-design-delivers-better-quality\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Why smarter tool design delivers better quality"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/","name":"Engineer News Network","description":"The ultimate online news and information resource for today&#039;s engineer","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/4477342aea8e299c6a21761e513ea8e1","name":"admin","url":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/author\/admin\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34085","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34085"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34085\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34087,"href":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34085\/revisions\/34087"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34086"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34085"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34085"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.engineernewsnetwork.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34085"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}