Wilba Posted August 3, 2007 Report Share Posted August 3, 2007 I have got a quote back from Front Panel Express:MB-6582 Frontpanel $71.52 eachMB-6582 Rearpanel $19.84 eachThat's for 70-80 pieces.This can be considered the default option for panels, and is a significant saving over the one-piece prices of $108.33 and $29.76, but hardly a great deal.I am getting a quote from a local (Australian) manufacturer of panels, with white silkscreen artwork on black anodized aluminium. I am expecting them to be more oriented towards small production runs and charge more by a fixed setup cost and cheap per-panel cost. Maybe at 70 pieces, this would bring the per-panel price down under Front Panel Express.If anyone else has a good source for panels, then contact me so I can get a quote from them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slorrin Posted August 3, 2007 Report Share Posted August 3, 2007 i said 78 in the other thread, but i meant 71.Wilba, approximately what did the parts cost to populate your PCB? I'm trying to budget for the fall.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilba Posted August 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2007 I've published a full parts list on the wiki.I can't give estimates because:a) I live down under where everything costs a little moreb) I buy things in bulk so I don't even know myself what mine cost (nor do I care) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaRssA Posted August 3, 2007 Report Share Posted August 3, 2007 nice!let us know when you are taking orders... I'm in for two of each.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Altitude Posted August 3, 2007 Report Share Posted August 3, 2007 Have you tried the HPGL trick for all the engravings? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilba Posted August 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2007 It was too much hassle to do this previously (I'm not an Autocad expert) and as far as I know would not really reduce the cost much. Instead, I am keen to get a competitive price for silk-screened panels and use nicer artwork, which I'm preparing now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasha Posted August 3, 2007 Report Share Posted August 3, 2007 I have got a quote back from Front Panel Express:MB-6582 Frontpanel $71.52 eachMB-6582 Rearpanel $19.84 eachThat's for 70-80 pieces.This can be considered the default option for panels, and is a significant saving over the one-piece prices of $108.33 and $29.76, but hardly a great deal.I am getting a quote from a local (Australian) manufacturer of panels, with white silkscreen artwork on black anodized aluminium. I am expecting them to be more oriented towards small production runs and charge more by a fixed setup cost and cheap per-panel cost. Maybe at 70 pieces, this would bring the per-panel price down under Front Panel Express.If anyone else has a good source for panels, then contact me so I can get a quote from them.Well, I send you PM today but you didn`t replyed. I think I can make pretty good deal here. Wether is Rowmark laserable material or anodized aluminum. I been to one company few hours ago to check their panels. They have pretty good prices. 500x 1000mm 1.5mm thick anodized panel cost about 40EUR. CNC millig of each panel should be less than 10 EUR, I expect 5-6 comparing to what I payed for my Endorphin case (including their powdercoated material). For marking, I think it is most economical solution laser engraving, but maybe even screenprinting. I can check. If these panels are made out of speciall laserable plastics, whole process could be even cheaper and much more easier to do as it is everything done in one company instead of 3 for aluminum panels. Check http://www.rowmark.com/ for more info about their great material. Also, some Waterjet cutting is also an option for some quantity.This is all from me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaicen Posted August 3, 2007 Report Share Posted August 3, 2007 Anybody else think that's actually not a bad price for a silkscreened panel?? If we can go cheaper, i'm all for it but I could live with that to be honest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidBanner Posted August 3, 2007 Report Share Posted August 3, 2007 Sasha - what's the name of the company (or even better a url)?I need to get a panel done and I'm searching around for a decent place.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasha Posted August 3, 2007 Report Share Posted August 3, 2007 Hi Davidd. Here are the webpages, but I dont believe it can be helpful to you, as they are located in Serbia, and domestic companies cannot sell to foreign countries, they can only export. If you are company maybe you can try. :-\ Good luck!The company that doing CNC milling: http://www.petmk.co.yu/The company that supplies anodized aluminum and other Rowmark products: http://www.granatir.co.yu/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wicked1 Posted August 3, 2007 Report Share Posted August 3, 2007 What's the HPGL trick? I'm quite proficient in AutoCAD, and would be happy to help out.My girlfriend is an architect (for when I run into something I dont know how to do), and I do all my panel layout (and garden and landscaping layout, and home renovation layout, and just about everything I do layout) in autocad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Altitude Posted August 3, 2007 Report Share Posted August 3, 2007 Anybody else think that's actually not a bad price for a silkscreened panel?? If we can go cheaper, i'm all for it but I could live with that to be honest. 130$ ? Thats INSANE EXPENSIVEA 12"x12" (thats 30.48 cm square) 1mm black anodized aluminum plate is $8.88 in quantities of 1, would take a CNC machine about 5 minutes to cut out all the holes, and a reasonable machine shop would charge no more than $30 to do the work provided they got a suitable CAM file. A single color silkscreen should be a setup fee and maybe a few dollars a piece. I am positive we can get this done cheap. Wilba, do you have a CAD file? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twin-X Posted August 3, 2007 Report Share Posted August 3, 2007 Wilba, do you have a CAD file?Yes he has. But he is still working on it.No instead of everyone panicing. Just calm down we are not in a rush.I am getting a quote from a person on tuesday for silkscreened panels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Wellington Posted August 4, 2007 Report Share Posted August 4, 2007 Just calm down we are not in a rush.It's all about the instant gratification! ;DI have the FPD file and I have converted it to DXF. There's also a newer version of the panel that may be preferable...I *will* be manufacturing my own panel, so that means I'll have the CNC programming and silkscreen done. If everyone can be patient until later this year, I'll be able to fix you up.EDIT: Woohoo, my first post!Doughttp://www.analognotes.comhttp://www.stoogepanels.comhttp://www.dougwellington.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaRssA Posted August 4, 2007 Report Share Posted August 4, 2007 I am an educated CNC miller... I know what a pain in the ass it is to make this kind of product... I'll be more then happy to pay the price mentioned!!!!I really mean it... you'll have to try it yourself to know... using a CNC milling machine for this is hell on earth... I hope the companies focusing on front panels use other ways to create them... which they probably do (did someone say laser-cutting?).. which is probably why they cost more then your avarage milling-job...the price aren't bad... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stryd_one Posted August 4, 2007 Report Share Posted August 4, 2007 Welcome aboard Doug!I think you might be the first person ever to visit the chat first, and post afterwards :)It's all about the instant gratification! ;DLOL you sound like you've done this before ;)the price aren't bad...It's not terrible, and the quality is reallllly good. I'm sure Wilba will agree that his frontpanel is not far short of perfect. That said, these cats are mad bargain hunters.... Patience ;)Is it ready yet? ;D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilba Posted August 4, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2007 130$ ? Thats INSANE EXPENSIVEA 12"x12" (thats 30.48 cm square) 1mm black anodized aluminum plate is $8.88 in quantities of 1, would take a CNC machine about 5 minutes to cut out all the holes, and a reasonable machine shop would charge no more than $30 to do the work provided they got a suitable CAM file. A single color silkscreen should be a setup fee and maybe a few dollars a piece. I am positive we can get this done cheap. Wilba, do you have a CAD file?$130 is the one-off price, like what I paid Front Panel Express. It's paint-filled engraved artwork, which is where most of the cost is.I would love to find this magic shop that would charge raw material cost + $30.They certainly don't exist around here, typically there's a setup cost of $300 involved.I can/will make the DXF files available, when they're finalized (i.e. once I confirm it matches the PCB and the LCD hole is the right size etc.)If anyone has suggestions for places to get quotes from then speak up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Wellington Posted August 4, 2007 Report Share Posted August 4, 2007 I am an educated CNC miller... I know what a pain in the ass it is to make this kind of product... I'll be more then happy to pay the price mentioned!!!!I really mean it... you'll have to try it yourself to know... using a CNC milling machine for this is hell on earth...Hmmm, why do you say that? I started CNC stuff back in the mid-80's, and I think it's just gotten easier...Doughttp://www.analognotes.comhttp://www.stoogepanels.comhttp://www.dougwellington.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huck Posted August 4, 2007 Report Share Posted August 4, 2007 wilba as always am excited about this project and am looking forward to the build. 100 per set of panels is not bad at all, 130 for the one off is a good price too. i am in for 2 however the thing goes down. I know that a good silkscreen will last years as i have had it on dj mixers that have taken a beating and still look good. i could not imagine that you would rub on this thing with your fingers(or whatever else you rub on it with) more that you rub a dj mixer. silkscreen can wear off but it is not easy. i would not mind engraved and filled for some more money either. but at the end of the day i will roll with whatever. thanks for all the work. i am lazy.please also solder mine and case it up before you send it since you are probably not too busy. thanks a ton for the project!shane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilba Posted August 4, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2007 So if we go with silkscreen, I thought we might as well take advantage of it.Here's a proposal for alternate artwork:http://members.optusnet.com.au/~wilba6581/mb-6582/MB-6582_frontpanel_alternate.pdfNote the only major difference is the inverted labels for the control groups (i.e. black text on a white background). All lines and other text is identical to the original panel in FPD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Wellington Posted August 4, 2007 Report Share Posted August 4, 2007 Welcome aboard Doug!Thanks! Fun to be here. I have *lots* of ideas for projects!I think you might be the first person ever to visit the chat first, and post afterwards :)Well, I knew the cool people would be hanging out there! ;DLOL you sound like you've done this before ;)Heehee, I've learned with the best! I was so impatient to have my own panels that I even bought the whole stooge panel business! The nice thing about that is when I make panels for myself, I don't have to charge setup fees if anyone else wants one... 8)Doughttp://www.analognotes.comhttp://www.stoogepanels.comhttp://www.dougwellington.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilba Posted August 4, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2007 I *will* be manufacturing my own panel, so that means I'll have the CNC programming and silkscreen done. If everyone can be patient until later this year, I'll be able to fix you up.If people were that patient, then you would be the best choice, but as people have already waited a long time to get the PCBs, they are anything but patient now!I advise waiting until we actually have PCBs in hand before ordering or making panels from the published FPD files (or DXF files) as I am slightly paranoid and won't be happy until I hold a PCB and a panel printout together and guarantee they match. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davo Posted August 4, 2007 Report Share Posted August 4, 2007 So if we go with silkscreen, I thought we might as well take advantage of it.Here's a proposal for alternate artwork:http://members.optusnet.com.au/~wilba6581/mb-6582/MB-6582_frontpanel_alternate.pdfNote the only major difference is the inverted labels for the control groups (i.e. black text on a white background). All lines and other text is identical to the original panel in FPD.I like it. My only concern is over durability of the silk-screening. The stock front panel of my Paia Fatman was so bad that I could chip paint simply by reaching for a knob and having my fingernail hit the panel. Have you considered reverse-engraving on perspex/plexiglas? Look at http://www.timefracture.org/D16pics/d16front2.jpg for an example of such a front panel. See also http://www.timefracture.org/D16docs/D16_Design_Notes.html. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilba Posted August 4, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2007 Perspex/plexiglas would be too flexible at 1.5mm (the required thickness).I also am concerned about durability... I'm keen to go with what the majority want, if people prefer expensive, durable, paint filled engraved artwork or cheaper, less durable, silk-screen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Wellington Posted August 4, 2007 Report Share Posted August 4, 2007 I also am concerned about durability... I'm keen to go with what the majority want, if people prefer expensive, durable, paint filled engraved artwork or cheaper, less durable, silk-screen.If you're concerned with durability, shouldn't you stay away from anodize then? Go ahead, drag the edge of a quarter along your anodizing, I dare ya! ;DDougP.S. No, don't really do that with the quarter - I had a quite well known bass luthier demonstrate to me just how hard "hard anodize" was by putting a big gouge in it with a screwdriver... :o :-[ :'(http://www.analognotes.comhttp://www.stoogepanels.comhttp://www.dougwellington.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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