Modular control panel using electromagnets?

[Jakobud]

This is probably not a new idea or anything, but has anyone ever attempted to make a modular control panel that used electromagnets to hold the individual panels in place?  Any examples out there?  I've been trying to come up with a good and simple way of doing a 2-Player modular control panel that be easily converted to "expand" or something into enough room for 4 Players...

[Slippyblade]

I'd think the amount of power needed to give an electro-magnet enough power to hold the cp in place would be pretty harsh.  Maybe use electros to throw pins that hold the panel?  Kinda home brew solenoid I guess?

[lamprey]

I don't know if it'd work, but you might be able to use the magnets on Featherboards. For example:
http://www.woodmagazine.com/woodworking-tips/techniques/safety/tablesaw-insert/

As for expandable CPs (not with magnets), there are a few around. Here are a couple examples:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=111163.0
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=90099.0

[NickG]

I may be remembering wrong, but I think someone tried regular rare earth magnets with some success.  Some use gravity and align-pins,  A few have utilized heavy-duty velcro.  I use giro-bolts, and I setup a pair of electric screwdrivers as motors to open and close them.  It was a decent setup, but I am building more cabinet to reduce need to interchange-ables.

[Slippyblade]

I like to use the rare earth magnets out of dead hard drives as closures on my CP's.

[Jakobud]

I'd think the amount of power needed to give an electro-magnet enough power to hold the cp in place would be pretty harsh.  Maybe use electros to throw pins that hold the panel?  Kinda home brew solenoid I guess?

Actually you wouldn't need a any power at all. Just use an electro-magnet that is attracting to your cp by default and then power it to reverse the polarity and release the cp panels.

[telengard]

This is probably not a new idea or anything, but has anyone ever attempted to make a modular control panel that used electromagnets to hold the individual panels in place?  Any examples out there?  I've been trying to come up with a good and simple way of doing a 2-Player modular control panel that be easily converted to "expand" or something into enough room for 4 Players...

This sounds cool.  How strong are these magnets?  My modular panel is held down with screws for stability (I'm a rough player unintentionally, I get too excited) but something like this would make it a wee bit easier to swap modules.

[EMDB]

This is probably not a new idea or anything, but has anyone ever attempted to make a modular control panel that used electromagnets to hold the individual panels in place?  Any examples out there?  I've been trying to come up with a good and simple way of doing a 2-Player modular control panel that be easily converted to "expand" or something into enough room for 4 Players...

Fixating is not the main problem. You should find a good way to connect the buttons / sticks / leds to a single encoder in the cabinet itself.

[Jakobud]

This is probably not a new idea or anything, but has anyone ever attempted to make a modular control panel that used electromagnets to hold the individual panels in place?  Any examples out there?  I've been trying to come up with a good and simple way of doing a 2-Player modular control panel that be easily converted to "expand" or something into enough room for 4 Players...

This sounds cool.  How strong are these magnets?  My modular panel is held down with screws for stability (I'm a rough player unintentionally, I get too excited) but something like this would make it a wee bit easier to swap modules.

Well you can buy any strength of magnets you want. I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to find magnets that are hold the panels together over the force of you playing. I just don't know exactly what "strength" of magnet to look at, without any reference.

[Nephasth]

Use mother ---smurfin---' cap screws. ---gosh-darn---, how complicated do you need to make this ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---? Don't like the looks of beautiful hardware? Use latches in your CP.

[SavannahLion]

Use mother ---smurfin---' cap screws. ---gosh-darn---, how complicated do you need to make this ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---? Don't like the looks of beautiful hardware? Use latches in your CP.

Relax.....

Just because they're talking about magnets in the context of holding CP's in place doesn't mean that is the only application that's used.

Even if no one uses magnets to hold their CP, ever. It doesn't mean that someone reading this thread might come to a realization that they can solve a different problem by using magnets. With that epiphany, we might see a really cool new cabinet design that uses magnets in some portion of the design.

[Generic Eric]

Use mother ---smurfin---' cap screws. ---gosh-darn---, how complicated do you need to make this ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---? Don't like the looks of beautiful hardware? Use latches in your CP.

Relax.....

Just because they're talking about magnets in the context of holding CP's in place doesn't mean that is the only application that's used.

Even if no one uses magnets to hold their CP, ever. It doesn't mean that someone reading this thread might come to a realization that they can solve a different problem by using magnets. With that epiphany, we might see a really cool new cabinet design that uses magnets in some portion of the design.

Marquee holder.

[yotsuya]

Use mother ---smurfin---' cap screws. ---gosh-darn---, how complicated do you need to make this ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---? Don't like the looks of beautiful hardware? Use latches in your CP.

   

[DeLuSioNal29]

Personally, when it comes to my arcade builds I stay clear from magnets whenever possible.  I don't want that thing near my hard drives.  I sometimes store portable ones in my CP, but in more compact builds I don't even want to change it being near my internal ones.

D

[yotsuya]

Personally, when it comes to my arcade builds I stay clear from magnets whenever possible.  I don't want that thing near my hard drives.  I sometimes store portable ones in my CP, but in more compact builds I don't even want to change it being near my internal ones.

D

 

[DeLuSioNal29]

Please elaborate.

[Nephasth]

It means he agrees. Is there an emoticon 101 handbook we can hand out to mods during their inauguration?

[yotsuya]

Please elaborate.

Yeah, I agree with you on this 100%. Keep magnets away from hard drives.

[Jakobud]

Yeah that has been my only concern on this idea.

[telengard]

Yeah that has been my old concern on this idea.

Actually, now that I think about it, strong enough magnets could also disrupt the video display.

[Jimbo]

Interesting... I'm currently investigating using an electromagnet as a brake for my motorised rotating control panel design...  I figure something that can hold 25KG would potentially be strong enough. Something along these lines... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201123846280

I'd be putting some shielding around it if I end up using something like this, that's for sure.

Solenoids are the other idea I've been toying with... but then its down to sticking pins into holes and I think accuracy will be pretty difficult to stop 100% of the movement.

[Jakobud]

From what I've read in my investigations is that a normal SATA HDD will be affected by sitting near an electro magnet. However, an SSD will not be affected by sitting near an electro magnet. However there is the possibility of the SSD being damaged when the polarity of the magnet is changed (ie, when it is engaged/disengaged). The amount of possible damage depends on "how quickly" the change takes place. I will experiment with this and see what kind of dangers there really are. If an SSD is at the bottom of the cabinet I can't imagine some little electro magnets near the CP affecting it.

[billthecat]

You could possibly use something like the mechanism in a gate/door that can be opened remotely.  Basically, an electromagnet that pulled a bolt back when you wanted to change out the CP.  So it would only be on while you were switching, and it would be very low power when it was on.

Something like these for the left and right sides of the cabinet:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J4BJX9U/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IJ67O1A/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and then a simple catch that you'd screw into the underside of each CP.

[DaOld Man]

How about a catch like a door has. Just push the panel in place and it locks, then to remove it, have a solenoid pull the bolt(?) back to release the panel, and you could have springs that push the panel up so you can grip it and pull it away.
Of course you could also use bicycle brake cables to locate the solenoid away from the CP or anything else.

[dkersten]

I just picked up an electromagnetic door catch that runs on 24volts and only uses .015 amps to power.  It is going to be used to hold a door open that has spring hinges, and I am using a generic RF 24v momentary switch to remotely turn it off for a moment to get the door to release.  This is for an executive office where the boss might need to close the door during a conversation or phone call and doesn't want to get up, walk around the desk, to the door to close it.  I have had an electric motorized door closer for a while now, but it failed and the company went out of business, and the only ones I can find are designed for doors with power opener/closers on them.  So I will use this setup in place of that.

The magnets are pretty strong when charged, has a rated strength of about 35 lbs of force, but you can get stronger (usually need 110 or 220v for stronger though).  When disconnected, the magnet doesn't just go away, however, the coil seems to hold the charge until you apply some force to whatever is stuck to it.  This is an issue for my application, so I will use a spring in conjunction with it to keep it just barely latched, that way I don't have to set the hinges too strong and have the door swing shut hard.  I can see this working if you used it to secure a hinging CP.  A single momentary button could be mounted anywhere on the cab as a release, and if you had a spring in there, pressing that button would just release it and allow it to pop up a little.  Actually not a horrible idea.  It isn't like the magnet is crazy strong and is wiping hard drives that sit a few feet away.  The field is noticeable at a few inches away but otherwise pretty weak really. 

[Jimbo]

With my rotating CP setup, I have a similar issue with the electromagnet holding some remnant magnetism after switching off the 12V supply.  I have a choice of either building in a degausser, but hopefully my plan of mounting the magnet on a bracket with rubber grommets will be enough force to pull the magnet away from the brake disk.