I'm working with FPE to get our panels in anodized colors @ 1.5m. Have ???'s

[sensorium]

Hello,

I am working with Joe at FPE to design new panel layouts so that we can use their anodized aluminum colors (currently only available in 2mm) to fit in the PT-10 case. 

The rear panel design will have a 4mm wide .5mm deep bezel around all 4 corners so that it will slide into the channel on the back of the PT-10 case

The front panel will have a 15mm wide and .5mm deep bezel around all 4 corners to clear the lip/corner brackets on the PT-10

My questions are:

Will simply machining this edge out allow the tactile switches to protrude 1.5mm as they should?  Or will other components interfere with this?  If there is other interference, what other holes would need to be machined out .5mm so that this 2mm thick panel will lay as flush to the components as a 1.5 does?

After this design is completed, I will share the FPD files with everyone so that we have more options available through FPE in their anodized panel colors.  Thanks!

[sakodak]

The bezel will be on the back?

[me=sakodak]raises hand[/me]

Could you put the bezel on the front, and then machine down the holes so that the switches protrude?  I think that could look awesome.  You could do the same for the knobs and LCD panel (not so much for the LED holes).

It would probably be too expensive, though :(

[Wilba]

I've used a 2mm red panel on one MB-6582 I made, the only difference was the switches were 0.5mm lower, so only protruded 1mm instead of 1.5mm using the standard 10mm spacers (i.e. 13mm-10mm-2mm=1mm instead of 13mm-10mm-1.5mm=1.5mm). Switches were still very pressable, and the extra 0.5mm panel thickness was not noticeable when put into the PT-10 case. IMHO routing the back of the panel is a waste of money, since it doesn't address the switch height issue at all, and the way the PT-10 case is designed, an extra 0.5mm actually brings the panel flush with the case edge rather than being 0.5mm lower than the case edge. So I would suggest just working out how to make 9.5mm threaded spacers :) and your problem is solved. I was going to do this with the one I made, but since the switches were functional at 10mm gap, I just left it as-is... I intended to file down 10mm spacers with Dremel and griding disc. You could in theory route 0.5mm blindholes on the back for the regular 10mm spacers to fit into, but again this is expensive - any extra work on the rear side of the panel adds $20 minimum.

For the rear panel, routing the edge to make it fit probably wouldn't be that more expensive since it's a cheap panel anyway, and since the PCB is designed to touch the rear panel, you actually need the bezel routed on the front (artwork side) of the rear panel, so the rear side (non-artwork side) of the rear panel is aligned with the channel edge.

[sensorium]

Ok, so it seems I can leave the front panels untouched.  As for the rear panel, how wide should the outer-edge bezel be to fit perfectly into the channel?  Since the bezel would be on the artwork side, I'd like to get as close as possible to avoid a silver border.

[Wilba]

Can't you work that out from the PT-10 datasheet?

It seems to show the rear "hole" size (i.e. where it overhangs the panel) as 8.474" x 1.960" (215.24mm x 49.78mm).

The rear panel size (both the blank one supplied with the PT-10 and the FPD files I supply) are 8.580" x 2.070" (217.93mm x 52.58mm).

You do the math. Oh wait, I already did it in my head: 1.345mm on vertical edges. 1.4mm on horizontal edges.

Add 0.5mm wiggle room.

Any exposed silver border is easy fixed with a black Sharpie.

Just looking at the case, even this bezel is perhaps not needed... that channel is a little wider than 1.5mm, I reckon a 2mm panel would fit there.

You really should just get a PT-10 case first and have a look for yourself.