Custom Control Panel Faces...
Jed
Posts: 107
I anyone is interested, I have access to a laser engraver and can produce custom control panel faces. The material is clear with one color on one side. This surface material is engraved through to expose the clear material underneath, which can then be brushed in with craft paints to give multiple colors. When flipped over you have a nice smooth surface that can be easily cleaned with multiple color engravings/markings. You can also use a translucent paint and have the engraving light up if you mount LEDs behing the panel. I can also cut out any holes for mounting screws, switches, buttons etc. If anyone is interested PM me.
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Andrew Williams
WBA Consulting
WBA-TH1M Sensirion SHT11 Module
Special Olympics Polar Bear Plunge, Mar 20, 2010
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propmod_us and propmod_1x1 are in stock. Only $30. PCB available for $5
Want to make projects and have Gadget Gangster sell them for you? propmod-us_ps_sd and propmod-1x1 are now available for use in your Gadget Gangster Projects.
Need to upload large images or movies for use in the forum. you can do so at uploader.propmodule.com for free.
plus whatever shipping comes to.
If you're getting a better deal than this already, I can more than likely beat it depending on qty. PM me.
Example: You want 1 panel that measures 4"x6". $15 setup plus $4.80 (4*6*20¢). $19.80 plus shipping.
Example: You want 5 panels that measure 5"x7". $15 setup plus $7.00 per panel (5*7*20¢). $50 plus shipping or $10 each.
That pricing assumes you can send me a file ready and set up to size with what you want engraved/cut. The laser table I have access to is 12"x24" so that's the maximum panel I can produce at these prices. Also the pieces will come to you unpainted, you'll be responsible for paint filling the area you want colored.
I'll post example photos soon as I can.
What base colors are available?
James L
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James L
Partner/Designer
Lil Brother SMT Assembly Services
Are you addicted to technology or Micro-controllers..... then checkout the forums at Savage Circuits. Learn to build your own Gizmos!
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Tom Sisk
http://www.siskconsult.com
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If you have already cut the panel before......is there a setup fee for the second order, when it comes around?
Not that your prices are high.....they are very reasonable.....just a question.
James L
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James L
Partner/Designer
Lil Brother SMT Assembly Services
Are you addicted to technology or Micro-controllers..... then checkout the forums at Savage Circuits. Learn to build your own Gizmos!
White, Ivory, Grey, Silver, Black, Blue, Navy Blue, Red, Burgundy, Gold & Dark Brown.
Thickness is of material is .052"
I can read most popular formats. DXF, PDF, EPS, AI, Etc. The important thing is that the information in the file is saved as vector information rather than just a pixel based image. If all you can send me is pixel based I can still use it, but I'll have to basically redraw the file in vectors using your image as a template and there may be a charge for that depending on how long it takes me. When in doubt just send me what you can and I'll tell you up front if I'll have to redraw it.
The setup is per order of panel(s), regardless of whether the job's been ran before.
We would need just about every file extension which holds the information as a vector format, not as a raster based format.
This would be a good list to give to any potential customer. I can draw in at least 10 different formats, but need to know which ones will retain the vector information.
Be careful with PDF, for importing an image into PDF can cause problems, if the image was not vector to begin with.
James L
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James L
Partner/Designer
Lil Brother SMT Assembly Services
Are you addicted to technology or Micro-controllers..... then checkout the forums at Savage Circuits. Learn to build your own Gizmos!
AI, EPS, PDF, DXF, CDR, SVG. I engrave out of illustrator so AI would be the format of choice.
Yes, some file formats (most of the ones above) can hold both raster and vector elements. As long as you are designing in vectors and export to one of the formats above you should be ok. PDF is ok for vector info, like you've said though sometimes images come across "chopped" up.
Would the clear etched area be smooth enough for an LCD screen to shine through without distortion?
Do you know the dielectric constant of the plastic for some touch button calculations? 0.052" is a useful thickness.
Nice work! Would you be able to work with a GDSii files?
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Beau Schwabe
IC Layout Engineer
Parallax, Inc.
That I do not. The manufacturer does not either, at least the rep I talked to did not know. I'm expecting a call back from one of the engineers. The did tell me that the material is called "impact acrylic".
Thank you. I'll have to do some digging on that file format. I may be able to find a way to convert it if you're not able to export a postscript file. Could you send me a file to play with?
Those look nice! What kind of engraver do you use?
Thanks,
-Phil
The engraver is an epilog CO2 cold laser engraver. Engraves mosts woods and plastics great, I only wish I could cut through metal.
-Phil
I wish someone would start a service making custom plastic enclosures
with custom front panels. It could be done using one of those rapid prototype
machines that make custom plastic parts.
It's such a pain finding a way to make a project look professional.
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"Where am I? Where am I going? Why am I in a handbasket?"
It's really not that difficult. The key is to find a stock enclosure the right size that looks nice and to design the project around it. I favor extruded enclosures with PCB slots, because the panels are all flat. Then all you have to deal with is the panel design, which the OP has solved very nicely. Most people design a PCB, then go looking for an enclosure to fit it. That almost never works without some severe compromises. Stock enclosures: easy. Custom control panels: easy. Custom PCBs: easy. Custom enclosures: hard.
-Phil
Post Edited (Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)) : 10/24/2009 4:51:36 AM GMT
Can you Post a link to where you get Stock enclosures:
Thanks
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Sam
-Phil
For plastic you can get molds for around $500 - $700 per mold. IF you designed the box right you could have one mold create all the parts. Running the parts is an insignificant cost in the area of a few cents to a few dollars a part.
-Phil
Thanks for the link
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Sam
www.frontpanelexpress.com/
However in order to order from them you must use their software to design your panel.
They also sell enclosures but they don't do custom sizes, ut they have a decent range of "stock" enclosures.
Not used them yet but I found them a while ago when looking at possible options for a project.
Cheers,
Morrolan
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Flying is simple. You just throw yourself at the ground and miss.
"I think computer viruses should count as life. I think it says something about human nature that the only form of life we have created so far is purely destructive. We've created life in our own image."
Stephen Hawking
I ran across them a while back, but from what I could see they only do aluminum panels, which would not give the ability to custom paint the engraving yourselves nor back-light the engraving if you chose.
It's a higher watt commercial model.