What is the difference between IP54 and IP65 on an EVA case?

IP54 means limited dust ingress and protection against splashing water, which a covered zipper and a tight shell will reach. IP65 means dust-tight and protected against low-pressure water jets, which needs a gasketed seam and a latch closure. Most EVA cases sit at IP54; asking for IP65 changes the closure, the tooling and the unit price.

How much crush load can a hardshell EVA case take?

It depends on wall thickness, density and corner radius rather than on the material name. Shells in the 0.20-0.25 g/cm3 band at Shore C 60-70 comfortably handle being stacked several units high in transit. We test to the stack height you actually ship at and report the deformation, so you know how much the lid deflects before it touches the contents.

Can one EVA case fit several different products?

Yes. A removable die-cut tray lets one shell serve two or three product tiers, and egg-crate lid foam absorbs height differences between variants. This is the usual answer when a customer wants one outer size across a family of instruments and does not want to pay for a separate mould for each.

Ultimate Protection: Hardshell EVA Cases for Your Most Valuable Items

Feb 28, 2024 3.7k views 2 min read

An insurance adjuster's report landed on our desk last spring. A mirrorless body and two lenses had been written off after a shipping case took a hit on a conveyor belt. The outer shell was intact, the internal dividers had folded flat. The claim was settled, which is cold comfort when the shoot is already booked. Files like that are the reason we specify shell stiffness and interior geometry together at Dongguan Lianping Luggage Co., Ltd. instead of solving them one at a time.

What hardshell actually buys you

Hardshell means the case takes the load before the object does. Our shells are compression-moulded from closed-cell EVA sheet, typically 0.20-0.25 g/cm3 and Shore C 60-70 for this class of work, which is where the wall resists a point load without going brittle in a cold warehouse. Corners get a larger radius because that is where cracks start. Buyers who ask about water usually land on IP54 for a zipper garage and splash resistance; IP65 needs a gasket and a latch closure, which is a different build entirely. Every shell in the EVA case category is checked for crush at the stack height the customer actually ships at, not at a number picked off a catalogue.

Matching the case to the object

A camera lens wants vertical dividers with 8 to 10 mm of foam between bodies, and a lid pad that presses gently rather than clamping. Watches want a soft velvet or suede tray with individual channels, usually 20 to 22 mm spacing, so cases do not rub bracelets. Drones want pockets that hold props flat and keep the gimbal unloaded; jewellery wants a lift-out tray so the customer sees everything at once. For jewellery and watch sets we often point buyers at the aluminium-frame vanity case instead, because an aluminium frame holds a true right angle over years of opening in a way foam alone cannot.

Instrument sets: die-cut EVA cavity mapped from the physical unit, with a calibration-label window in the lid
Mixed kits: egg-crate lid foam plus a removable die-cut tray, so one shell covers two product tiers
Transit: rubber feet, a webbing handle sized for the loaded weight, and a moulded recess for a desiccant sachet

Materials are declared against RoHS and REACH with CTI reports tied to the production batch, and the factory runs ISO 9001 with SGS audit records on file. Samples for this class of case take about three days when the outline is simple and up to two weeks when a tray or gasket is involved; minimum order is 500 pieces from the main product range. The lens case revision is back on the bench with 10 mm dividers and a deeper lid pad, and the first article goes into a drop rig on Monday.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between IP54 and IP65 on an EVA case?: IP54 means limited dust ingress and protection against splashing water, which a covered zipper and a tight shell will reach. IP65 means dust-tight and protected against low-pressure water jets, which needs a gasketed seam and a latch closure. Most EVA cases sit at IP54; asking for IP65 changes the closure, the tooling and the unit price.
How much crush load can a hardshell EVA case take?: It depends on wall thickness, density and corner radius rather than on the material name. Shells in the 0.20-0.25 g/cm3 band at Shore C 60-70 comfortably handle being stacked several units high in transit. We test to the stack height you actually ship at and report the deformation, so you know how much the lid deflects before it touches the contents.
Can one EVA case fit several different products?: Yes. A removable die-cut tray lets one shell serve two or three product tiers, and egg-crate lid foam absorbs height differences between variants. This is the usual answer when a customer wants one outer size across a family of instruments and does not want to pay for a separate mould for each.