Ever wonder what goes into manufacturing a Gates Underwater Video Housing? We did, so we took a trip to San Diego to answer that question for ourselves. Gates Underwater Products has long been known for their durable and dependable housings, the following article will show you what goes into the manufacturing of their housings and what makes the Gates name synonymous with reliability and durability.

Design

To begin, the housing goes through an initial design phase, which includes taking very detailed and accurate measurements of every aspect of the camera. This information is input into the design software, so the team can determine exactly what they want the housing to look like and how it will function. All Gates housings use mechanical controls, so this portion of the design is crucial.

Once a design is chosen, the Gates engineers will begin working on a prototype. The process used for making prototypes is exactly the same as that used for the final product. Prototypes allow them to test the product and incorporate changes well before the housing goes into production.

Machining

Each housing is machined out of a solid block of 6061-T6 Aluminum, as shown in . 6061 is the grade of aluminum, and T6 is the temper process which imparts strength. Without the T6 temper, the aluminum would be much softer and flex under pressure. The T6 temper is a necessary component of achieving the 450ft depth rating, which all Gates housings have.

The machining of these aluminum blocks is done on a CNC (computer numerical control) machine. The CNC is operated by a computer "controller" that reads G-code instructions and drives a machine tool, which selectively removes metal according to the design parameters entered into the machine. Not only is the main body of the housing created during this process, but the holes for controls are also completed. Using CNC for this step ensures the accurate placement of controls.

Compared to extrusions and castings, which can have porosity and warping issues, the machining process allows Gates to maintain very close tolerances with very high accuracy between each part.

Assembly

Once the machining process is complete, the aluminum sections of the housings undergo a Type III hard black anodize finish. (Anodizing uses controlled electrolytic oxidation to develop an aluminum oxide coating on the surface of an aluminum sheet or finished part. The resultant coating is dense and file-hard.) Of the three major types of anodizing, Type III produces the best wear performance and is highly heat resistant.

Once anodized, the housings are delivered to the assembly room for control placement and final assembly. During the final process, all housings controls are manipulate with a camera installed, to ensure proper control placement and operation.

Testing

After assembly is complete, every housing is tested to ensure structural integrity. The housings undergo three separate tests; Once in water and twice under a vacuum. During the vacuum tests, the controls are manipulated to ensure o-ring integrity and control operation.

Summary

Although new features and improvements are designed into virtually every Gates video housing, the manufacturing process remains basically the same. This enables Gates to maintain the highest level of quality between housing models and ensures that, regardless of which model you buy, your Gates housing is guaranteed to be reliable and durable. That's why they say: