As I think back on 2023, one of the real highlights was honoring Jim Brown, a welder in our factory, as we held a joint celebration of his 50th anniversary with the company and his retirement.  It got me to…

According to the US Bureau of Labor statistics, the median amount of time that an employee works for one company is roughly 5 years.  Surprisingly, it has stayed fairly steady for the last 40 years.  Therefore, when an employee reaches…

Blair Haas, Bud Industries CEO, talks to Jackie Mattox of Women In Electronics about his views on the Electronic Enclosure business, Leadership, Mentorship, and the Industrial Electronics History.  This is Part 1   https://www.budind.com/wp-content/uploads/blair-haas-leader-in-highlight-series-part-1.mp3

Blair Haas, Bud Industries CEO, talks to Jackie Mattox of Women In Electronics about his views on the Electronic Enclosure business, Leadership, Mentorship, and the Industrial Electronics History   https://www.budind.com/wp-content/uploads/blair-haas-leader-in-highlight-series-part-2.mp3

It seems today that people do not stay at companies as long as employees use to.  Per the 2020 US Bureau of Labor Statistics report, the median number of years that full time workers had been with their current employer…

It is a stunning moment as I prepare to celebrate my 50th year with Bud Industries later this month.  (Full disclosure, the clock on this milestone started when I began to work at Bud during summers and vacations while I…

In my last blog, I gave the first five tips on how to best choose an electronic enclosure for a hazardous environment.  As a quick recap, these were How harsh is harsh meaning be sure to select a protection level…

Choosing an electronic enclosure is typically considered to be an easy task.  Review the sizes of the components that are to be enclosed, find an enclosure that will fit them all, check on the aesthetics you would like for your…

As 2021 winds to a close, it has been an incredible and challenging year for us as an electronic enclosure manufacturer.  Thinking back to the end of 2020, with vaccines just starting to be administered, we thought that the pandemic…

We are often asked how to choose the best electronic enclosure for an application given that there are so many options.  This is especially true given that many engineers have not spent much time on the intricacies of electronic enclosures…

Every so often, I break up my product driven blog to share some of my thoughts on topics in the world outside of the electronic enclosure.  In the year 2020, we have been buffeted by a presidential impeachment, a world-wide…

Bud’s Din Rail Multi-Board enclosures allows up to 3 boards and makes your connections quick and easy Bud Industries has a unique solution to mounting your PC boards on a din rail box.  Our new Din Rail Multi-Board Box is…

Bud is proud that our breadboard, part BB-32621, and our jumper cables were chosen to be featured in their “Learn to Breadboard with Digi-Key” Family maker camp scheduled for August 11 from 10-11 AM PDT.  It is the perfect way…

Bud has participated in the Electronic Distribution Show (EDS) since its founding in the 1930’s as the May Parts Show in Chicago, sharing information about our latest enclosures even then.  Today, the show has evolved into the electronic components annual…

An extruded electronic enclosure is often a very simple low cost approach to housing components, sometimes even within a larger piece of equipment.  Quite often they are very basic looking with limited physical appeal as they tend to be more…

March Madness is the most exciting time of the year, even for an Electronic Enclosure Manufacturer like Bud Industries.  While it is estimated that the economy will lose up to $4 billion in productivity due to this amazing basketball spectacle,…

As the New Year begins, many are asking us what the latest trends in electronic enclosures are.  While one of the great advantages of these products is that they are so flexible that they can be adapted to almost any…

The year 2016 marked my 44th year at Bud Industries and what is most interesting is how we have continued to reinvent ourselves, most recently with our focus on modified enclosures.  When I joined the company, large cabinet racks were…

Buying a modified electronic enclosure can be an intimidating task for any engineer.  Yet for virtually every application, at least with a smaller enclosure, some modification will be required.  It can be as simple as needing a hole for a…

Bud has a complete line of NEMA IP electronic enclosures Once again, I attended the Electronica Show in Munich, checking out what is new in Electronic Enclosures.  My company, Bud Industries, is in the early stages of its international expansion,…

As we celebrate the Fourth of July Holiday week, I am brought back to what this holiday means for Bud Industries.  As a country of immigrants that promises opportunity for all, I think of my Grandfather’s story which reflects the…

Bud’s versatile BRP 19″ Cabinet Rack It is often said that buying an electronic enclosure is technologically simple.  Just know your required dimensions and materials and your selection becomes only a matter of style.  However, for many, navigating the terms…

Today’s engineers are often very well trained in everything that is needed for tech from the latest embedded systems to the internet of things. However, it can be the simpler things that trip them up, such as dealing with an…

This is the time of year when people look back with embarrassment at their New Year’s Resolutions and realize that with the best of intentions, they are already falling short of their goals. Those who are still working out at…

Today, new products drive our industry. With enclosures, while the technology is often unchanged, the visuals demand updating on a regular basis. For customers, as they introduce new designs, they look for more than functionality in an enclosure, but also…

As many of you may know, I joined this industry with a background in marketing rather than engineering. While I grew up enmeshed in the enclosure field (my Father and Grandfather were industry veterans), my initial tech knowledge was somewhat limited. I…

One of the great discoveries for mounting equipment, particularly in factory automation, is the din rail. This simple structure allows for the power supplies, mini enclosures, terminal blocks, or their components to simply be snapped into place with no other…

As electronic components have migrated into the area of industrial controls, demand for integration with existing equipment has increased. Often it is required to seal or segment specific components or to develop techniques to mount those components in a way…

As the year draws to a close, I cannot help but think back on what an eventful year we have had at Bud Industries.  From innovative new products to corporate milestones, 2013 has been a very good year for all…

Specifying enclosures is technically very easy compare to the engineering skills required for many of the components that inhabit the box. In most cases, all that is required is to determine the necessary internal or external dimensions, pick a material,…

Thanksgiving is often a time of reflection.  For us at Bud Industries, Thanksgiving week marks a special time in our corporate life as Bud Industries marks our 85th Anniversary.  Founded in 1928, the company is still privately held and is…

The Bud Board-ganizer was introduced this year as a totally unique solution to a frequent engineering/developer problem. When working with multiple development boards, the logistics of organizing the workspace and gaining capabilities to move the product without damage are daunting.…

I recently had the opportunity to go to one of our major distributors, Digi-Key, to train their technical sales team.  It was a fairly intense time with six 30 minute sessions focusing on our products with a special emphasis on…

We thought that we had heard of all of the potential unique applications for Bud enclosures.  With the advent of our NEMA enclosures that are sealed to keep out water and other environmental conditions, we were inundated with unique product…

I recently returned from Asia on a trip to see our factories there.  I continue to be amazed at the rapid development of the infrastructure in these countries.  There are many new roads, buildings, and transportation hubs being developed.  The…

As development boards such as the raspberry pi and freedom platforms have swept the industry, we at Bud Industries have created enclosures to house the boards and their peripherals.  As we chatted with engineers and other users, we heard about…

What distinguishes a simple metal or plastic box from a functional electronic enclosure? Most often, it’s the modifications necessary to allow access to the interior, stabilize and protect its contents, and present the appropriate appearance. Enclosures typically need a minimum…

Education is one of those areas that is on everyone’s “to do” list.  We all know we need to keep up in today’s fast moving marketplace yet finding the time to attend classes, even virtually, is a huge challenge.  Even…

The Freescale™ Freedom Development Platform Model FRDM-KL25Z is a development platform designed to work with other minicomputers such as the raspberry PI and other development boards such as the Arduino Uno. Bud’s new FBB-3665 enclosure has been manufactured to fit the…

It is often difficult for a company to shift course, especially when it is an 85 year old business.  However, here at Bud, a recurrent theme has been the need for speed.  Customers need enclosures fast and not just standard…

I have just returned from Electronica in Munich and was amazed by its size and scope.  There is nothing like it in the US, both for the breadth of products that are represented as well as for the numbers of…

Perhaps we are counter-intuitive, but we, at Bud, feel this is a great time to invest in our business.  With our greatest focus on North America, we feel now is the time to upgrade our equipment, take advantage of the…

It is always a “truism” of safety that the best way to be safe is to prevent problems.  This can range from testing your tire pressure regularly to making sure your home smoke detector has updated batteries.  In an industrial…

As governments encourage companies to get ‘greener’, more company product teams are designing electronics for use in photovoltaic solar power systems, wind turbines and other equipment used in alternative energy. Even traditional energy systems, which use electronics to control, monitor…

All too often, under the guise of providing choice, many enclosure vendors try to lure you in with cheap prices and no features.  For example, several vendors of cabinet racks will provide the rack, but you have to read the…

This week, we had a milestone in Bud Industries history.  Ravi Jain, our Director of Engineering, retired after 41 years with our company.  I have spent a lot of time thinking about Ravi’s contributions to our company and also about…

I have just returned from a rapid trip through Asia.  We started in Taiwan, rolled through various Chinese cities, and wrapped up in South Korea, visiting 7 factories in 6 cities in 5 days.  What impressed me, as we reviewed…

Choosing an enclosure is typically considered to be an easy task.  Review the sizes of the components that are to be enclosed, determine the basic dimensions required, check on the aesthetics, and select the right box.  When evaluating the enclosure…

Have you ever driven down the road and noticed the boxes at an intersection that have the little “roof” on them?  They typically house some sort of traffic or light control and you now see them everywhere.  These are NEMA…

Bud is in the process of redefining its family of 19” cabinet racks.  We brought out our first welded rack in 1959 and have been at the forefront of both design and function ever since.  While it is true that…

It is often a challenge to choose the right material for an enclosure.  There are many considerations including location of the enclosure, desired visuals, protection levels, durability and, of course, price.  In the upcoming series of blogs, we will focus…

Of all the components that are involved with the building of electronic components, the enclosure is probably the most unusual.  First, the technology of an enclosure is fairly simple and quite different from the technology of the other components.  Second, …

Although Bud has over 2500 standard products, one of our best customer support functions is designing electronic enclosures that meet the specific needs of the engineer.  This work can range from modifying a standard enclosure to creating a unique housing…

It has been an exciting week here at Bud.  We are installing a new Customer Relations Manager system (CRM), we have just installed a new second generation VOIP phone system, and have begun to enjoy the fruits of our new…

This week, we were doing training sessions at one of our top distributor’s call center.  We got to sit with different members of their outbound team, coaching them on finding Bud opportunities and assisting them in closing the business.  It…

Yesterday, I did one of those one day multi-stop trips that started at 6 am and ended at midnight.  A long day, but often frustrating due to the lack of customer support.  On my first flight, I was delighted that…

Although I have been involved with the electronic enclosure industry for nearly 40 years, I continue to be amazed at the variety of applications which require these enclosures.  The application space has expanded significantly since we introduced NEMA 4x Fiberglass…

While a picture is said to be worth a thousand words, we have all learned that in today’s world, video is even more “valuable.”  From celebrity reputations that are made or damaged to either positive or negative police actions, the…

When selecting an enclosure, often an engineer is focused on the aesthetics of the box, looking to the “shell” to help create an attractive device to promote in the market.  This is especially true in a consumer type product where…

Perhaps one of the most confusing standards for an engineer to follow is NEMA ratings as it relates to enclosures.  It would be natural to consider that the higher the NEMA rating, the greater the protection.  This is definitely not…

This week, the famous Consumer Electronics Show is being held in Las Vegas.  It is a media savvy vehicle for bringing new products and technology to market.  As the various vendors and industry pundits’ work to impress us with what…

As the year winds down, I often review what I have done this year and ramp up my plans for next year.  If you do that, high on your list has to be ways to streamline the supply chain, or…

This is the first real posting on the new Bud Industries Blog.  Why have I decided to start a blog?  Does the world really need one more?  I think it does and there are several good reasons why.  First, any…