Frequently asked questions

What is Protocase Designer?

Protocase Designer is our 3D design software that makes designing a custom enclosure, panel or component extremely easy.

What are its features?

The software offers dozens of templates for enclosures, panels and brackets. Each customizable by material, size, color and more. Choose the template that matches your requirements, then immediately begin working with a blank 3D model.

Start editing by adding cutouts, mounting hardware, labelling and graphics until your design is exactly how you want. There’s a large library of pre-made cutouts, graphics, fasteners and hardware you can place on your design.

At any time in your design, get a real-time instant quote. When you're ready, order your design online and we'll build it in 2-3 days, with no minimum order.

How can I download Protocase Designer?

To download the software, you can go to https://www.protocasedesigner.com/download/.

Once on the website, there are further instructions on how to complete installation. These are:

1. Choose a download format on the left and click on the corresponding icon to download Protocase Designer (you can install the software on Windows, Linux or MacOS).
2. Open the Protocase Designer installer file in your Downloads folder.
3. Click the Protocase Designer icon that was placed on your desktop.

What are the system requirements for running Protocase Designer?

The requirements are:

• RAM - Minimum: 4GB, Recommended: 8GB or more
• Video - OpenGL 1.2+ compatible video card
• Hard Disk Space - 600MB
• CPU - Intel® and AMD® processors. (P4-class CPU recommended, P3 minimum) - Recommended: 3.3 GHz or more
• Operating System - Windows 7 or newer (64 bit), Mac OSX 10.6 or newer, or Linux

How do I install Protocase Designer on Linux?

1. Download linux tar file
2. Install openjdk8
3. Tar xf filename (replace with what the linux download is)
4. Cd jdesigner
5. Sudo bash ./install.sh
6. Follow prompts
7. Run $PREFIX/bin/ProtocaseDesigner.sh (default: /usr/local/bin/ProtocaseDesigner.sh)

How do I install Protocase Designer on a MAC?

1. The current release of Protocase Designer requires you to have your security set to allow identified developers. This does not make your Mac insecure, it still requires a properly signed application, signed with a key purchased from Apple (see https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT202491).
2. To check your security, go to Apple menu > System Preferences… > Security & Privacy > General tab under the header "Allow applications downloaded from:"
3. Download the proper version of Protocase Designer for your version of MacOs.
4. After download is complete double-click downloaded file.
5. A window should appear with Protocase Designer Icon.
6. Click and Drag the Protocase Designer Icon into Applications. Crucial if Protocase Designer is not installed in Applications, it will not work.
7. Launch Protocase Designer which should now be your Applications folder.
8. It may take two attempts because the first attempt will verify the Protocase Designer is signed correct by Apple. The second launch will now launch Protocase Designer. Consecutive attempts will not require validation of signing by Apple.

Are all services on Protocase Designer free?

The process of designing an enclosure, panel or component is completely FREE – in fact, you do not even need to create an account for this process.

You’ll only need to register a Protocase My Account when you wish to get an Instant Quote or place an order.

How do I get started on Protocase Designer?

Once you open Protocase Designer, you will see a Getting Started dialog box which gives you the option to start a New File or open an existing file.

If you are new to designing, it is recommended to click on Quick Tour and get a good idea of your way around the software.

You will also see Release Notes, along with Tutorials & Walkthroughs on this dialog box, the latter is especially useful if you are new to the software.

At the bottom of the page, you also have the option to uncheck a box if you do not want this page to show up every time you open the software.

Is it necessary to start a new file or begin work on an existing file from the dialog box?

No. You can close the dialog box and select New or Open from PROJECT under File to open a new file or open an existing file respectively.

How do I select a template?

After selecting the option to open a new file, you can select one of our templates for enclosures, panels and brackets.

What kinds of enclosures can you design in Protocase Designer?

We offer a wide variety of enclosure templates in Protocase Designer:

• 1U Extruded Aluminum Enclosures
• 2U Extruded Aluminum Enclosures
• 5-Sided Enclosures
• ATX Computer Enclosures
• Consolet Enclosures
• Rackmount Enclosures
• U Shape Enclosures
• L Shape Enclosures
• Hammond Diecast
• Mini-ITX

Does Protocase Designer offer other templates besides enclosures?

Yes. You can customize panels, plates for Pelican cases, and several types of brackets (Angled L, Angled Offset, Angled U, Flanged, Half, Helicopter, L Bracket, Offset, Triangular, U Bracket, Z Bracket).

How can I view the enclosure I am designing?

After selecting a template, you will be taken to the 3D viewer. This canvas displays the 3D model view of your assembly, contains file and view settings, a help menu, as well as an instant quote tool which allows you to get a real time estimate.

This view also has menus that allow you to update the initial parameters entered when creating your assembly, calculate the weight, or transfer your created faces onto a new assembly.

Can I customize my enclosure?

Of course. You can customize various parameters including size, thickness, material, and color. You can do this while selecting your template and/or even after a 3D model of your enclosure is created. Then, once Protocase Designer generates your base template, you can customize each face with cutouts, graphics, labelling, fasteners, hardware and more.

Am I constricted to use a certain dimension for my enclosure design?

No – with Protocase Designer, you can enter in your required dimensions for the enclosure you need. Protocase Designer will generate a starting enclosure for you within those dimensions that you can then customize. So long as your required dimensions fit within our manufacturing constraints, you can choose whatever dimensions you wish!

What finishing options do you offer for your custom manufacturing?

You can select from a variety of finishing options: powdercoat, grained finish, vibratory finish, chemical conversion coating and more. We offer 35+ stocked powdercoat colors.

Can I put graphics on my design?

Yes! We offer both silkscreen and digital print. You can select the graphics process that works best for your needs.

Can I change the measure of unit?

Yes! If you like to use a different unit of measure or have other preferences when using Designer, set global options in the Preferences dialog box under the file tab in the 3D design window. Here you can not only change unit preferences but image render quality, circle measurement and more.

What are the keyboard shortcuts on Protocase Designer? Can I customize them?

To find the list of shortcut keys, go to File -> SETTINGS -> Preferences -> Key Bindings. Here, you can find the default file shortcuts, edit shortcuts, view shortcuts, tools shortcuts, create shortcuts, 2D editor shortcuts, 3D shortcuts and sketch mode.

Where can I find resources that will help me use Protocase Designer?

We have a bunch of resources available in different forms:

• Tech Tips on YouTube
• Designer Wiki

If you still have some doubts, you can contact us.