Direct answer: Balford stocks stainless steel deep drawn enclosures, caps, cans, bobbin tubes and sensor sleeves drawn from 304 and 316L stainless on existing tooling. Because the dies already exist, these parts skip tooling development: sampling and ramp-up start from a proven die rather than a new one. Each stock configuration is a deep drawn cup, can, cap, sleeve or plate with a single wall and an open or closed end, and it can be adjusted to your dimensions where the change stays inside the existing die. Stock items are offered as-is or modified for material grade, wall, plating and secondary operations, and are quoted per enquiry with the current stock level confirmed at that time. This page covers stainless steel only; the same geometries in aluminium are quoted as drawing work.
Processes for this range: stainless steel · deep drawing. All listed parts are produced by Zhejiang Balford Mechatronics Co., Ltd. and are offered as in-stock items — contact us to purchase.
What buyers should know
- Existing tooling: these configurations use proven Balford dies, so sampling and ramp-up are faster than new development.
- Controlled processes: deep drawing, stamping, machining and finishing run under ISO 9001:2015 with IATF 16949-aligned controls.
- Documentation: material certificates, dimensional reports, IMDS and PPAP packages are available for automotive use.
- Fast path to quote: send the part name or drawing through rfq.balford.net for a DFM review and quotation.
The stock range, part by part
Eight configurations are held as stock items. Each one is a deep drawn or stamped part produced with a die that already exists, which is why the lead time is short and no tooling charge applies to the part as it stands.
| Stock item | Part form | Material | What can be adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protective housing | Drawn housing, open one end | 304 / 316L stainless | Grade, wall, plating, secondary machining |
| Stainless steel cap | Drawn cap, closed end | 304 / 316L stainless | Diameter, depth, skirt length, finish |
| Outer tank | Deep drawn can, closed base | 304 / 316L stainless | Height, wall, base radius, finish |
| Bobbin tube | Thin-wall drawn tube, open both ends | 304 / 316L stainless | Wall, length, end form, concentricity class |
| 316L stainless weld fitting | Drawn fitting with a weldable end | 316L stainless | End preparation, wall, surface finish |
| Nitrogen / oxygen sensor sleeve | Small drawn sleeve | 304 / 316L stainless | Wall, length, bore, end form |
| Bottom plate | Flat stamped plate | 304 / 316L stainless | Thickness, outline, holes, finish |
| Stainless steel can | Deep drawn can | 304 / 316L stainless | Diameter, height, wall, coating |
Every adjustment is checked against the existing die before a price is given. A change that still fits the die is a stock modification; a change that leaves the die envelope is quoted as new deep drawing work with its own tooling, and we say which one it is at quoting rather than after the order. Dimensions are confirmed per enquiry because stock levels move.
Enclosure, can, cap, sleeve or case: which one is your part?
Buyers use these words interchangeably, but they describe different drawn forms, and the form decides the drawing and the tooling. This is how the terms map onto the range above.
| Term | What it means on a drawing | In this range |
|---|---|---|
| Deep drawn enclosure | A one-piece cup or box form with at least one open end, drawn from flat sheet so the wall and base are seamless | Protective housing, outer tank |
| Can | A drawn cylinder with a closed base and an open top, usually closed later with a lid | Stainless steel can, outer tank |
| Two-piece can | A drawn body plus a separately made lid or base, joined by the customer or supplied as a pair | Can plus cap combinations |
| Cap | A shallow drawn part that closes the end of a tube or body, often with a skirt | Stainless steel cap |
| Case | A general term for an enclosure; on a drawing it is treated as a housing and quoted from the same geometry | Protective housing |
| Sleeve / bobbin tube | A thin-wall drawn tube open at both ends, used to carry or locate a winding, a sensor or a mating part | Bobbin tube, sensor sleeve |
| Plate | Flat and stamped rather than drawn; no wall is formed | Bottom plate |
Aluminium versions of the same geometries
This stock page is stainless steel only. Where a drawing calls for the same enclosure, can or sleeve geometry in aluminium, it is quoted as a deep drawing job rather than supplied from this stock list, because aluminium is not a drop-in substitution in an existing die: it springs back differently, ears more readily and has its own draw ratio limits. The grades and the process limits are set out on aluminium for stamping and deep drawing; send the drawing and the material will be checked against the die before anything is promised.
How these parts are made and inspected
Deep drawing forms the wall and base from a flat blank in one piece, so a drawn enclosure has no weld along its body. The blank size, the draw ratio and the wall thinning are calculated before the die is run; the calculations are set out on deep drawing: process, materials and defects. Parts run on Balford presses of 25–350 t, and the process is covered in more detail under deep drawn metal stamping. Inspection is by first-article and in-process checks under ISO 9001:2015, with controls aligned to IATF 16949; material certificates, dimensional reports and PPAP packages are available when the part is used in an automotive programme. Where a stock part is close but not exact, the same route can be used to ask for the geometry you actually need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the parts shown on this page really in stock?
Yes. This page lists Balford deep drawn / stamped stock configurations produced with existing tooling. Contact us with the part name or code to confirm current stock level, dimensions and delivery.
Can Balford customize these stock parts?
Yes. Material grade, dimensions, plating and secondary operations can be adjusted per drawing. Send the part name with your required changes for a DFM review and quote.
Do you provide drawings and material certificates?
Yes. Drawings, material certificates and, for automotive programs, PPAP documentation are available with the order package.
How do I order or get a quote?
Email shawn@balford.net, start an RFQ on rfq.balford.net, or use the contact button at the bottom of this page. We normally respond within one business day.
What is the difference between a deep drawn enclosure and a drawn can?
Both are one-piece drawn forms. A can is a cylinder with a closed base and an open top that is usually closed later with a lid; an enclosure is the broader term for a drawn cup or box that houses another assembly, and it may be deeper, non-round or fitted with a flange. On a drawing the difference is the end condition and the wall, not the process: both are drawn from flat sheet with no seam along the body.
Do you stock aluminium deep drawn enclosures as well as stainless steel?
No. This stock list is stainless steel (304 and 316L). Aluminium enclosures, cans and sleeves of the same geometry are quoted as deep drawing work rather than drawn from stock, because aluminium behaves differently in the die and cannot be substituted into an existing stainless tool without checking draw ratio, springback and earing. Send the drawing and it will be reviewed as an aluminium part.