Sheet Metal Parts for Liquid-Cooled Data Centre Equipment
Structural and enclosure sheet metal for liquid cooling systems: CDU cabinet bodies, manifold mounting brackets, drip trays and leak-containment panels, rack-power shelf brackets and precision-bent stainless parts — manufactured to your drawing and dimensional tolerance.
The Metal That Liquid Cooling Systems Sit On
Liquid cooling puts pressure, weight and a zero-tolerance attitude to leaks next to ordinary sheet metal. Brackets have to hold a loaded manifold rigid, trays have to drain rather than pool, and cabinet bodies have to accommodate routing that was never part of the original rack design.
We are not a brazing or tube house — the fluid path itself is not our scope. We make the structural and enclosure sheet metal around it: supports, brackets, trays, panels, shelf systems and cabinet bodies, in the materials and tolerances that the cooling hardware needs. If a drawing calls for a process outside that scope, we will tell you before quoting rather than after.
Closer Look at This Enclosure Type
Representative photographs of the construction, interfaces and installation context for this product family.
Specifications at a Glance
| Parameter | Typical Specification |
|---|---|
| Typical part | CDU cabinet body, pump enclosure panel, manifold bracket, drip tray, leak-containment pan, rack shelf bracket, cable and hose support |
| Materials | SUS304 / SUS316L 1.0-3.0 mm, galvanized SECC, cold-rolled steel SPCC, aluminum |
| Processes in scope | Laser cutting, CNC bending, welding, riveting, hardware installation, surface finishing |
| Forming accuracy | ±0.15 mm on critical bend dimensions, repeatable angle control on production batches |
| Leak-tray detailing | Drain bosses, sloped base, welded or sealed corner treatment, gasket channels |
| Load-bearing parts | Rated from your specification; bracket thickness and gusset design reviewed before production |
| Finish | Powder coat, zinc plating, stainless brushing or passivation depending on the environment |
| Representative lead time | Prototype 10-15 days; serial production 20-35 days depending on scope |
The parameters above are representative of typical projects in this category. Your drawing defines the final specification, and every quotation states the scope it covers.
Popular Configurations We Manufacture
Every size and option is customised to your drawing. Use a configuration below as a starting point for your enquiry.
CDU & Pump Cabinet Bodies
Enclosure bodies that house the cooling distribution unit, pumps, sensors and control hardware.
| Typical size | Up to 2200 H × 800 W × 1200 D mm |
| Access | Front and rear doors, removable side panels |
| Detailing | Base containment zone, pipe pass-throughs, service apertures |
Manifold & Pipework Support Brackets
Rigid brackets that carry manifold runs and pipework without transmitting vibration into the rack.
| Material | SUS304 / 316L or galvanized steel |
| Forming | Multiple bends with gussets for stiffness |
| Tolerance | ±0.15 mm on mounting pitch |
Drip Trays & Leak Containment Panels
Sloped and welded trays that capture and drain condensate or leakage away from electronics.
| Base | Sloped with drain boss |
| Seams | Welded or sealed |
| Options | Sensor mounting points, gasket edges |
Materials, Finishes & Customisation
Material selection
| Stainless steel SUS304 / 316L | 1.0-3.0 mm — where water contact, cleanliness or corrosion resistance is critical |
| Galvanized steel SECC | 1.0-2.5 mm — structural parts that stay dry, with good corrosion behaviour at cut edges |
| Cold-rolled steel SPCC | 1.2-3.0 mm — coated structural brackets and internal panels |
| Aluminum | 1.5-5.0 mm — weight-sensitive brackets, heat-spreading plates |
Fabrication for fluid interfaces
| Welded trays | Continuous seam control and post-weld cleaning to remove spatter and contamination |
| Gasket channels | Formed reliefs that hold seals without over-compression |
| Drainage | Sloped bases and drain bosses so fluid leaves the tray rather than pooling |
Customisation
| Sensor & fitting mounts | Bosses, plates and apertures for leak sensors and fittings located to your drawing |
| Cable & hose management | Support brackets, clamps, comb features and routing guides |
| Grounding provisions | Masked bonding points and stud positions where electrical continuity is required |
How This Product Moves Through the Workshop
Because these parts sit next to fluid and electronics, the detail work is done early: cut edges are deburred, welded seams are cleaned rather than left with spatter, gasket reliefs are formed to a controlled depth, and drainage paths are verified before finishing. Batch production keeps fixtures and forming set-ups unchanged so bracket angles repeat.
- Drawing review with DFM feedback before production release
- Fiber laser cutting of the complete flat pattern in one set-up
- CNC press-brake forming, welding and grinding
- Coating applied before gaskets, hardware and glass are fitted
- First-article and sample inspection recorded for each batch
Common Questions About This Product
No. Brazed fluid-path components and tube assemblies are outside our scope and we will say so rather than quote for them. We manufacture the structural and enclosure sheet metal around the fluid system: cabinet bodies, brackets, shelves, containment trays and panels.
Typically ±0.15 mm on critical bend dimensions and mounting hole pitch. Where a bracket must align across a rack, we recommend sending the mating assembly drawing so the tolerance stack is worked out before production rather than corrected afterwards.
Yes. Trays are formed with a sloped base and a welded drain boss or spout, and the seams are welded and cleaned so the base is continuous. Where a tray sits under live equipment we can also form sensor mounting points for leak detection hardware.
Stainless is often specified where water contact or cleanliness matters, or in humid and coastal facilities. It costs more and is heavier to form than coated steel, so the usual approach is stainless for the containment and wet-zone parts with coated steel for the surrounding structure.
Yes. Repeating bracket and panel programs are a normal way of working for us — the tooling, forming set-ups and inspection records are kept so each release reproduces the previous batch without re-qualification.
Guides for This Application
Sheet Metal in Liquid Cooling: CDU, Manifolds and Trays
CDU housings, manifold brackets and drip trays
Read guideLiquid Cooling Enclosures: Leak Testing and Cleanliness
Leak rates, flatness and cleanliness specs
Read guideLiquid Cooling Manifold Brackets and Rack Integration
Manifold supports, drip trays and service access
Read guideSend Us Your Drawing
Tell us the enclosure you need, the environment it works in and the quantity — we will return engineering feedback and a quotation, typically within 24 hours on working days.