Concept First-time mini-ITX case designer here — curious how companies like Thor Zone actually manufacture cases (US or otherwise)?

[thedeo]

I’ve been thinking a lot about PC cases lately. Most standard towers are big and bulky, and while mini-ITX cases are much more portable and can be aesthetically pleasing, they often cost more and trade airflow for style. It seems like aesthetics often outweigh airflow in a lot of small case designs.

I’ve actually started designing my own mini-ITX case with better airflow, strong aesthetics, and price in mind, and I’ve been prototyping.

My goal is to compete with existing mini-ITX cases in terms of:
• design
• airflow
• aesthetics
• price

I know this is a non-trivial task, but I’m curious about how the manufacturing part actually works.

For example:
• How do companies like Thor Zone (or similar niche/small case brands) have their cases produced?
• Are these manufactured in the US or overseas?
• Do they work with intermediates or contract manufacturers?
• Are there shops or service providers in the US that hobbyists/indie builders can approach for sheet metal, CNC, or small batch runs?

Basically — if I want to go from a CAD prototype to a manufactured case, who do I talk to and how does that process function in reality?

Thanks in advance — I’d love to hear real experiences or pointers.

 

[46x02]

I only have an answer for the last question. PCBWay and JLCPCB (specifically JLCCNC) would be suitable for prototyping / small runs. They are based in mainland China and Hong Kong respectively, so shipping costs might be expensive. As for finding local providers, you could try looking in astrophotography forums, as that is a hobby where people often utilize custom-made metal parts.


As an aside, I am currently using a case produced by a Chinese seller with minor input from myself. Here is a link to their store https://www.goofish.com/personal?&userId=2887800964

You can see various pre-existing designs they have. I used a service called Superbuy to submit a customized request.

 

[jaynamics]

FYI, Thor Zone is based out of Sweden, and their cases are made in and shipped from China. You should also factor in tariffs/duties.

 

[sergiiua]

I can share my experience. I'm based in Ukraine and have been manufacturing mini PC cases since 2017. Here, I found laser cutting of metal; they cut both steel and aluminum, and we offer high-quality powder coating. I do all the other processes myself; I work alone. If you love what you do, you can make an excellent product in your own country. If you only want to model and outsource everything else, you're better off looking at China; it won't be very expensive compared to Europe or the US.

 

[Skripka]

"Basically — if I want to go from a CAD prototype to a manufactured case, who do I talk to and how does that process function in reality?"

Are you actually thinking of bringing a product to market...or just having something made for yourself? Both are incredibly expensive, and the former is very risky as a matter of business given how saturated the market is.

If you're wanting to make a business e.g. cases to sell--you need a manufacturing partner, that you can vet the quality of...and you also need all the legal/lawyerly business stuff done. If you're wanting a case--you just need a local machine shop, which won't be cheap--but there's far less headaches in terms of tariffs and taxes.