SAM Cases

Bespoke Services

Custom Foam Inserts

'Custom foam is designed to fit the precise shape of your equipment, offering robust protection and enhanced presentation.'

case foam inserts

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Cases work better with foam

Custom foam inserts are tailored to the precise shape of your equipment. The benefits of custom foam include:

Cushioned protection

Cushioned protection

Custom foam can absorb shock and eliminate transport damage, helping to protect your samples, tools and delicate equipment while on the move. Our experts can assess your product requirements and come up with the optimum protective foam solution.

Improved presentation

Improved presentation

Custom foam allows products to be displayed in an eye-catchingly attractive way. Particularly useful if you need to make an impact in a sales presentation. Opening the case to reveal a colour-coordinated and well-organised interior can make all the difference.

Everything in place

Everything in place

When a case holds multiple items, it's easy to forget to pack something away. With a custom foam insert, each tool or product sample has its own place. And by using something called shadow foam, with its contrasting colours, you'll be more able to spot those missing items.

What's possible with custom foam?

Case Lid and Base Foam

Lid, Base or Both

Foam inserts can be fitted into the base, the lid, or both, giving you twice as much storage and your products all-round cushioned protection.

Multiple Layers of Case Foam

Multiple Layers

We can make full use of deeper cases by stacking multiple foam inserts in the base. This is a useful way to protect and store tools, instruments and hardware.

Coloured Case Foam

Coloured Foam

You don't have to stick with black. A range of different coloured laminated foams can be used to reflect your brand identity and to complement the case's outer shell.

Shadow Foam

Shadow Foam

Also known as colour contrasting, the top layer of foam can be a different colour to the cavity, resulting in a classy look and a useful way to spot missing items.

Case Foam Laser Etching

Laser Etching

Individual shapes and logos can be laser etched into the foam, extending your brand from the outside in. We can even engrave text into the foam.

Case Foam with Graphics

Combine with Graphics

Foam inserts can combine with branding and graphics to create a thoroughly custom case, with graphics applied to the foam, shell, panels or other inserts.

Case with Electronics

Electronics & Panels

Foam inserts can even be used alongside printed panels, plastic inserts and electronic circuitry - ideal for demonstration or sample cases.

Specialist Case Foam

Specialist Foams

Specialist foams include anti-static (ESD safe) foam to protect sensitive electronics and clean room environment foam which is low shedding and easily cleaned.

Case Insert

It's not just foam

Vac-formed plastic inserts are custom moulded to hold your items in place. Thermoformed trays are an eco-friendly long-lasting solution with no waste.

Unsure of what you need?

Our experts here at SAM Cases will guide you in the right direction to help you find the perfect solution for your business. Just get in touch and we'd be happy to offer advice.

How the process works

Some come to us with a full brief, knowing exactly what they want. Others are less sure and seeking advice on the best solution. Whichever you are, we can work with you. Generally, the process goes something like this...

  1. 1

    We get to know the products that will go into the case. Ideally, we'd like to receive the products (or physical replicas), however we recognise that this isn't always possible, and that's why we also accept CAD files. From these, we're able to assess the size, weight and fragility of the items. We also explore the functionality of the products and consider how and where the case will be used.

  2. 2

    If you have requested our advice, we start to develop a solution. Having a solid understanding of the products enables us to make decisions about ease of packing and demonstration, levels of hygiene or sterility, branding requirements, electrical components and so on.

  3. 3

    We provide an initial quote and design brief. Cost is an inevitable factor in any project. Once we have identified the appropriate solution, we can provide a quote which includes costs, design details, and timescales for manufacturing.

  4. 4

    Upon accepting the quote, we produce a CAD drawing. This is emailed to you to give you a clearer idea of what you will be receiving. Changes may be requested at this point and we can iron out any potential design issues, both from your perspective and ours. Once the design has been signed off, this becomes the master copy. (Any subsequent orders can be made from this design for years to come.)

  5. 5

    The CAD master copy is sent to our manufacturing facility where it enters production. Typically this incorporates multiple stages and processes, depending on the products and services involved. You will be notified when your order is ready for dispatch.

Cutting edge technology

Our highly skilled in-house team use a variety of techniques to craft the perfect custom foam insert for your case.

CNC Machining

CNC Machining

Pre-programmed software enables us to cut, shape, and create foam inserts to an ultra high level of precision.

Water Jet Cutting

Water Jet Cutting

We can use high pressure jets of water to cut extremely complex designs to a high degree of accuracy.

Die Cut Shaping

Die Cut Shaping

Die cutting is an efficient and affordable way to create simple, high volume foam inserts of various shapes & sizes.

Laser Etching

Laser Etching

Logos, patterns and more can be engraved into foam to create eye-catching results with a crisp, sharp finish.

Industry leading expertise

Our in-house designers use high end FARO® technology for 2D and 3D scanning, and the latest CAD software including AutoCAD® and SolidWorks® to design the optimal foam solution for each case.

Maximum protection is at the heart of the process but our designers also take into account other factors such as ease of access, environmental needs and presentation.

Once the design has been signed off by the client, the CAD drawing is transferred into our CAM (computer-aided manufacturing) system to convert the drawing into machine code ready for production.

case manufacturing

Custom foam inserts are used inside cases for all kinds of applications and industries. Below is a small selection of case foam inserts we have created. If you'd like to discuss having something similar, get in touch today.

Why choose us for case foam inserts?

Over the years we have worked with a wide range of organisations from defence and aerospace to NHS hospitals and corporate companies, each time providing bespoke custom cases with optimal protection.

bespoke foam experts

The experts at inserts

Our highly skilled team have been doing this for over 30 years. We have the experience and the expertise.

British case manufacturer

Based in the UK

Design and manufacturing is carried out here in Britain and we're trusted by the world's leading brands.

bespoke foam inserts

Bespoke case foam

We create custom foam for almost any case, from large flight cases and Peli cases to small sample cases.

People often ask

  • Do I need to send my product to you?

    Where possible, we like to receive your products - or exact replicas - so that we have physical objects to work from. This allows us to evaluate the best way to profile your items so that they receive maximum protection and gives us an easy way to test that they can be removed from the foam ergonomically.

    However, we accept that providing physical products is not always possible, and for this reason we also accept CAD files. If sending CAD files, do remember that any mistakes in these can prove costly, so please double-check that the files you send us are accurate. Even the smallest bolt or screw protruding from the physical item, if not included in the CAD file, risks causing unsightly damage to the foam.

  • Do you supply a prototype before production?

    For the majority of jobs, a prototype is not required. Our design team will supply a 2D PDF drawing of the layout and we can discuss this with you, together with any changes required, before anything is manufactured. Once the drawing has been signed off and moved to the manufacturing stage, our production staff will work from the master design. That said, we are able to supply prototypes if required, but this is dependent on the overall size of the project.

  • How long will it take? What is the lead time?

    We always try to work to your timescale, however it depends largely on the complexity of the final design. If it's a relatively simple design and a short production run, we can normally fit this in between our larger production runs. We have multiple production machines at our UK manufacturing facility so we have the capacity to work on many orders at the same time.

  • What is the right type of foam for me?

    Using our 30 years of extensive knowledge in the packaging industry, our in-house designers will choose the optimum material to protect your items in transit while also complementing their appearance, resulting in an overall design that's both protective and aesthetically pleasing. Foam is measured by its density and there are many different grades, so you can be assured that there will be one suitable for your needs.

  • Which types of case can have a custom foam insert?

    All of them! Because we manufacture all of our custom foam in our own manufacturing facility, we are not limited to any particular shape or size. We can even supply custom foam not destined to go inside an enclosure, from a simple foam plug to an entire suspended ceiling. There are virtually no limitations to what we can manufacture!

Find out more

Why not share your requirements with us by completing our quote request form.