It is easier than ever to produce projects with nice enclosures thanks to 3D printing and laser cutting. However, for a polished look, you also need a labeled front panel. We’ve looked at several methods for doing that in the past, but we enjoyed [Accidental Science’s] video showing his method for making laminated panels.
His first step is to draw the panel in Inkscape, and he has some interesting tips for getting the most out of the program. He makes a few prints and laminates one of them. The other is a drill guide. You use the drill guide to make openings in the panel, which could be aluminum, steel, plastic, or whatever material you want to work in.
The laminated print goes on last with just enough glue to hold it. Is it a lot of work? You bet it is. But the results look great. There are a number of things to look out for, so if you plan to do this, the video will probably save you from making some mistakes.
There are many ways to get this job done. We’ve asked you for ideas before and, as usual, you came through. If you want a different take on laminated panels, there are a few different tips you can glean from this project.
When printing something make sure to check if your printer keeps correct dimmensions. In my case, to achieve accurate results from my laser printer I have to scale page with using 101,4% factor. Otherwise printed panel (or toner-transfer PCB, or cutout in aluminium or whatever) would be too small in one dimmension. Length seems to be perfectly accurate.
I did this for a switch panel on my old Jeep… all manually, of course – being prior to laser cutters and 3d printers. Lots of careful drilling, shearing, Dremel-ing, and filing. The hardest part was getting the backlit labels right. I chose printing on transparency sheets with a common printer – as I did for circuit masks. To get the label opaque enough, I had to print them twice over the same sheet. Alignment of the multiple passes was a painfully repetitive “broad side of a barn” process. Finally got them all satisfactory for the purpose.
The most annoying task is making round scales. There are plugins and tools for that but adding values/text most of the time is a manual job…
This is a nice method. I’m lazy. I have PCBs made, with solder resist and silkscreen colours as I need. Much easier. But multicolour panels like in the video aren’t possible.
With the pcb method it’s possible to have electronics on the back, and/or screening. Can have various FR4 thicknesses, and even aluminium if required.
It’s very cost effective for low volumes. The results look great, and are super precise. I’ve even been known to have edge plating for some extra bling!
https://jlcpcb.com/resources/multicolor-silkscreen-pcb
+1 ….. PCB panels every time ….. super easy and look great.
QCAD is a better choice for drafting, IMNSHO. Inkscape is for “artistic” drawings and SVG, QCAD is for technical drawings and DXF.
‘Professional-looking’?
I once had a boss who was always going on about us being ‘professional looking’.
He was the worst manager I ever had the displeasure of working for.
Pure marketer, trying to run a coding and IT team.
Beware any industry that sells pure commodities, marketing always rules there…
Anyhow:
I got another job, then made the worst mistake of my working life.
I accepted their counter-offer, almost doubled my pay.
He told the entire department they weren’t getting a raise because I had taken the entire ‘raise budget’.
Of course I heard about it.
Told them all I had taken 180% of the ‘raise budget’.
They should all jump up and down until their balls dropped, then find a better job.
Only the lesbian took my advice…
I was gone anyhow, 6 months later.
They intended to ‘use me up’ for a year then fire me, so I did nothing (but ferment trouble) and found yet another offer.
The big raise meant my next new job was much better paid.
Wasn’t that bad a mistake, I guess.
Anyhow, beware anybody who says ‘professional-looking’, actually ‘professional’ is much much better.
Actually professional is writing on the front panel in sharpie/barefoot in the office.