Printing Control Panel

[Interocitor Steve]

How does obe go about manufacturing a front panel like thge one shown here.  I have looked for fabrication houses in the Richmond VA area, but I only see "electical panels" that are big enough ti step inside.

I thought maybe I could go to a printer and have him print a color picture.  I could glue the picture to a piece of aluminum and start drilling.  These seems like a lot of work.  Are there any small shops or solo CAD guys who woud do somethng this small?

All commemts are welcome.

=Steve.

[Jeff Davis]

I've heard of people using https://www.frontpanelexpress.com for retro front panels.

[Alan Cox]

On Sat, 27 May 2023 at 03:33, Interocitor Steve <ZO...@gladucalled.com> wrote:
>
> How does obe go about manufacturing a front panel like thge one shown here. I have looked for fabrication houses in the Richmond VA area, but I only see "electical panels" that are big enough ti step inside.
> I thought maybe I could go to a printer and have him print a color picture. I could glue the picture to a piece of aluminum and start drilling.

If you go the drilling route then lightly stick a cheap printed copy
of the final print on for drilling otherwise you are pretty much
guaranteed to trash the print whilst drilling and filing it. Print
also tends to suffer over time in ways that an etched and tampo
printed piece does not.

You can etch panels in brass or other materials (brass with black
paint in the half etch is beautiful but that's another story), and the
process is the same as a PCB but without the PCB bit in the middle.
It's etched to about 60% depth on each side so that any holes are
reliably etched through. It's possible to combine this with cut vinyl,
paint or some other printing arrangements if you need complex panels.
Not cheap though for a one off.


Alan

[Interocitor Steve]

Hello Allan,

I am hoping to have the panel made and then add the print on top and cut the print and install the parts.

Do you have a sample of what etched brass w/ black paint looks like?  It sounds cool.

=Steve.

[Interocitor Steve]

Right now I am looking at using a PCB house.

[Mark T]

Does anyone have experience of using the low cost 3018 CNC machines to engrave aluminium panels?

Maybe it could be modified to use fine tipped paint pens.

Also wondering if it could be used to drill 3mm to 6mm holes for LEDs and switches.