Temporary Attachments

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There are plenty of ways to attach plastic parts to one another. They can be permanently welded or cemented. They can be semi-permanently screwed together, with or without inserts. And, for attachments designed to be easily and/or frequently opened, they

Temporary Attachments

There are plenty of ways to attach plastic parts to one another. They can be permanently welded or cemented. They can be semi-permanently screwed together, with or without inserts. And, for attachments designed to be easily and/or frequently opened, they can be connected using clips or latches.

Clips and latches take many forms. Examples include:

3. A moulded plastic tool box (see fig. 3)
held shut by two rectangular latches that hook over protrusions on the body of the box. Flexibility for these latches is provided entirely by bending of the latches and the part, determined by the resin properties and their geometry. The lid of this tool box is retained by a living hinge, a web of resin thin enough to allow repeated bending as the lid is opened and closed.

Depending on the type of closure you use, there are issues of stress and flexibility to consider. Both clips and living hinges have been addressed in previous design tips, but some key considerations are worth repeating.

Fig.3 - Box structure with folding cover

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