The surge of new electronic products led by small computer-based devices has led to significant changes in resin choices for enclosures. Downsizing and, more importantly, "thinwalling" has fostered reappraisals of resin selection due to more demanding physical property requirements and molding challenges. This study analyzes these new developments and includes computer/business equipment and consumer electronic products.

REASON FOR DOING STUDY

Many past studies on resins used for computer/business equipment electronic enclosures cited data that was outdated and, in our opinion, not valid. One major reason for this appraisal was that few of these carefully defined the parameters of the study.

In many instances, data were generated from previous reports, and critical factors were not taken into consideration such as actually measuring and calculating surface areas and weights of computer/business equipment and consumer electronic enclosures.

The results of this study were generated from such measurements and subsequent calculations, followed by careful estimates of units sold, and finally, adding reasonable estimates of future units to be sold.

Another reason for a new study is that significant changes have occurred within the computer/business equipment segment within the last several years. Such changes have, and will continue to have, a very significant effect on this market.

SCOPE AND FORMAT

Electronic enclosures, often called "housings," are frequently segmented into "stationary," "portable" and are usually narrow in scope by including either computer, business equipment or consumer electronic products. This study covers all three segments, namely computer/business equipment and consumer electronic products. This study includes the following components: desktop, portable (laptop/notebook) and hand-held computers; monitors; copiers; printers; facsimile machines; scanners; keyboards; pagers; corded, cordless and cellular phones; TVs; VCRs; audio/stereo equipment; players/recorders; radios; camcorders, etc.

The bulk of this report deals with the computer/business equipment sector for two important reasons. One, it is growing much more rapidly than the consumer electronic sector, and two, several resins compete in the computer/business sector for enclosures where as only one resin is used in consumer electronic enclosures.

Since significant amounts of resin enclosure production is off-shore, the volumes noted in this report refer to U.S. demand regardless of location of resin production and molding.

The universe of resins analyzed are: ABS, HIPS, PC/ABS, PVC, polycarbonates, and an "Other" category.

METHODOLOGY AND INFORMATION SOURCES

A comprehensive review was undertaken of trade and technical literature relating to electronic enclosures in terms of resin usage, specific applications, and new technologies and developments, etc. Included in this review were supplier trade literature, texts and monographs.

In addition to measurements of enclosures, noted earlier, extensive interviews were conducted with major resin producers, molders and electronic industry OEMs. Their input was carefully evaluated and meaningful contributions were included in the analysis.

ACRONYMS AND RELATED NOTES

ABS - acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer
CRT - cathode ray tube
EMI - electromagnetic interference
HIPS - high-impact polystyrene
LCD - liquid crystal display
PC - polycarbonates (not personal computers)
PVC - polyvinyl chloride
UL - Underwriters Laboratory
UPCs - ultraportable computers

There are many terms which are constantly repeated throughout the report which have not been universally "defined". In an effort to ease the reading of this report and focus on the important issues, a brief explanation of their meaning/spelling is appropriate at this time as follows:

Thinwalling is used rather than thin walling
Enclosures are synonymous with housings - the former being more commonly used
Enclosures are used whenever possible rather than repeating electronic enclosures
Business equipment is synonymous with business machines
Desktops are used whenever possible to denote desktop computers
Notebooks are used whenever possible to denote notebook computers
Laptops, a word declining in usage, are considered notebooks except in instances where OEMs specifically use the term laptops
Facsimile machines are abbreviated as fax machines, and faxes in tables
All-in-one machines are abbreviated all-in-one in tables
All dollar values in tables are 1998 dollars, and million is often abbreviated as MM
Trade named products are indicated with the notation (tm)
Ultraportable computers is synonymous with hand-held computers often called hand-helds
Hand-helds refers to PEN-based computers and data organizers which are devices that have high- performance computer-related capabilities
Other hand-helds refer to all other types of hand-helds such as spellers and other small devices

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