When designing STM32-based hardware, enclosure material matters

[ahsrabrifat]

CNC material affects EMI, thermal dissipation, and grounding.
I found this CNC material selection guide helpful:
https://www.justway.com/blog/CNC_Machining/How_to_Choose_the_Perfect_Material_for_CNC_Machining_A_Comprehensive_Guide_fb9e953e.html
How do you select materials for STM32 enclosures?
Do you consider heat spreading for high-load MCUs?
Which materials reduce noise in mixed-signal designs?
Any lessons from industrial STM32 products?”

[LCE]

If you start from that side of a project, you might have already "lost".

As an EE you should take care of circuit design first, and then placement and PCB layout in a way, that the mechanical side doesn't make a big difference. Grounding is often neglected by beginners, but any serious EE knows about its importance, and most of it should be solved on the PCB - although there are application which might benefit from using the case as a an analog GND return path.

 

[Ozone]

> I found this CNC material selection guide helpful: ...

One should keep in mind that such tutorials and guides from manufacturers involved in this business are rarely neutral and unbiased. Just saying.
A general knowledge about EMI and RF is equally useful here.

> Do you consider heat spreading for high-load MCUs?

No. Heat generation by F0 MCUs is usually negligible.
Ambient temperature and associated reliability & data retention issues are of more concern.

Any lessons from industrial STM32 products?”

In general terms - the closer you design to the safety margins (usually for BOM costs), the higher the failure rate, and the shorter the life cycle.