Case hardware: latches, hinges, gaskets and wheels, and what to specify

Hardware is where identical shells diverge

Two factories can supply visually similar cases that perform very differently after six months, and the difference is usually in the latch spring, the hinge pin, the gasket compound and the wheel axle. These are bought-in parts, and specifying them is cheaper than replacing finished goods.

Latches and hinges

Ask for the material (glass-filled nylon, zinc alloy, stainless), the load direction the latch is rated for, whether the hinge has a metal core, and how many open-close cycles the assembly survived in testing. A flush latch that cannot be padlocked and a spring that loses tension are the two complaints that appear most often in returns.

Gaskets

Establish whether the seal is moulded in place, injected as foam (FIPFG) or a pressed strip; the compound; and its compression set after temperature cycling. A strip gasket glued into a channel is the cheapest solution and the one most likely to fail first at the corners.

Wheels, handles and feet

Specify the load rating, the wheel material, and whether the axle is through-bolted or clipped. Telescopic handles fail at the tube joints, so ask how many extension cycles were tested. Rubber feet matter more than they look: they are what stops a loaded case sliding off a tail-lift.

Name the sub-supplier

A factory that can name where its latches and gaskets come from is running a real supply chain. A factory that cannot is buying whatever is available that week, which is the single most common cause of a second batch not matching the first.

Questions buyers ask