Designed for Time

This article focuses redesigning the chassis by Dell Computer Corp. in Round Rock, TX, for its computers. It wanted one family of chassis to serve its Optiplex, Precision, and Dimension product lines. It also wanted 25 percent less assembly time than the previous chassis, the Optiframe, and wanted it easier to service. The chassis had to come in three sizes and had to accommodate the characteristic variations of the three Dell desktop PC product lines. The design team’s name for the new frame family was Transformer. The mechanical engineers and the DFX team devised a one-piece solution that eliminated a screw while reducing the potential for damage. Dubbed a “tempan,” it is an L-shaped metal plate that the supplier screws to the underside of the board. The tempan protects the board and its EMI shielding during shipping and handling. It latches into holes on the motherboard base of the chassis, holding the board both secure and rigid. A single motherboard tempan design fits all three chassis sizes.