Front Panel Manufacture

[fc3000]

Hi all.
Can anyone point me to a cheap panel manufacture.

I need one for my project, 100mmx100mm approx.
Some people have made a PCB with just silkscreen on it.
Is that OK?

Regards

[fourfathom]

Hi all.
Can anyone point me to a cheap panel manufacture.

I need one for my project, 100mmx100mm approx.
Some people have made a PCB with just silkscreen on it.
Is that OK?

Regards

A pcb panel can look pretty good. Here's one of mine: https://turnislandsystems.com/tis-1279-clock-distribution-buffer/
I used jlcpcb and the price is about 25 cents ea, shipping is much more than that. Be sure to tell the pcb vendor to not put their job # on the panel silk screen. If I am trying to make the panel look more professional I run a permanent marker oraround the board edge, or use a stamp-pad. These panels have been quite rugged.

[Kim Christensen]

A pcb panel can look pretty good. Here's one of mine: https://turnislandsystems.com/tis-1279-clock-distribution-buffer/

Is that using the aluminum PCB material or just the standard? Looks nice.

[fourfathom]

That's pcb with the blue soldermask. Two-sided, groundplanes, plated through holes.  The aluminum boards are white with black silkscreen, no other options when I last checked.

[wilhe_jo]

Aluminium PCBs usually have white/black silk screen without addition costs. This really gives nice panels.

Just consider that the insulation layer in not stripped when removing copper...

I also did fr4 wif black/white silk.
Works nicely as well and looks pretty
This usually costs a little more than standard green.

For early prototypes I tend to use green FR4 panels... This gives me some visual guidance on the HW revision. Very helpful when you have several revisions on the shelf.

Regards

[jpanhalt]

An engineer (aka Clough42) has a whole series of YT's on making an electronic leadscrew for a lathe.  I bought one of his kits, and the faceplate is a very vice PCB probably made by an inexpensive manufacturer in China.

Here's a link to one of his videos:

If a picture would help, I can add that later.

John

[fc3000]

I like your panel I think I will do the same.
Regards

[newto]

. Be sure to tell the pcb vendor to not put their job # on the panel silk screen.

You can tell JLC to put the job# on the back by putting "JLCJLCJLCJLC" on the silkscreen layer and save 2$ too. I usually try to put them on panel rails or under large components when I can.

[fourfathom]

. Be sure to tell the pcb vendor to not put their job # on the panel silk screen.

You can tell JLC to put the job# on the back by putting "JLCJLCJLCJLC" on the silkscreen layer and save 2$ too. I usually try to put them on panel rails or under large components when I can.

There's a specific option on the order page where you can select which side for the job # (or none at all).  On a few of my panel boards I have different legends for the front and back -- the hole pattern is symmetrical so I can have faceplates for two different designs or a front and back plate, all on one PCB.