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Modular controls panel discussion

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DougHillman:

--- Quote from: FractalWalk on March 12, 2004, 03:38:48 pm ---I've got absolutely no experience with modular designs, but if i were to design one, I would probably have all the module freely sit on rails that are secured by a single bar on the front of the panel that hinges up and down. The back of the panel would be slotted to hold the module's "lip" in place.

That way you have only one fastener to open/close at a time and swapping modules would be quick.  

--- End quote ---

I'm pretty sure I've seen this done somewhere.  Can't remember exactly what I thought of it though.  Hopefully if it rings a bell, someone can post a link.

This is an idea that has some promise, as I could probably make it pretty unobtrusive.  I could deal with one Dzus fastener or something similar being visible to lock the front retaining bar in place.

NoOne=NBA=:
My swappable panels were held in with a piece of metal that slid under wood in the back, and roller-type cabinet catches in the front.
That made them completely tool-less, and allowed them to be swapped in a matter of seconds.

While that worked fine for the swappable panels (because they sat on top of the sides of the control area, and couldn't go down), it won't work for the modules I'm building because they need something to keep them from falling into the control panel area.

The only problem I had with the method above is that the cabinet catches had to be bent back into place occasionally, to prevent the CP from jiggling forward and back.

DougHillman:

--- Quote from: NoOne=NBA= on March 12, 2004, 04:12:19 pm ---My swappable panels were held in with a piece of metal that slid under wood in the back, and roller-type cabinet catches in the front.
That made them completely tool-less, and allowed them to be swapped in a matter of seconds.

While that worked fine for the swappable panels (because they sat on top of the sides of the control area, and couldn't go down), it won't work for the modules I'm building because they need something to keep them from falling into the control panel area.

The only problem I had with the method above is that the cabinet catches had to be bent back into place occasionally, to prevent the CP from jiggling forward and back.

--- End quote ---

Those cabinet catches were exactly what my GF was describing.  She couldn't tell me what they were used for and I couldn't figure out what the hell she was talking about though. :)  Now I get it.

Is there any reason you couldn't make a CP frame like I'm doing with inside ledges for the cabinet latches on the modules?

NoOne=NBA=:
I re-framed on the front and back, inside the CP area, so that I would have something there to hold the T-nuts I'm using.
I opted for the screw-in approach because it seemed more permanent to me.
Using the cabinet-style connector bolts, it's not really that big a deal to me to screw/unscrew them with my cordless screwdriver to swap them.

NoOne=NBA=:
Here's what I was using to hold on my swappable panels.



Here's what I'm going to.



The 6-port jack at the back is where the modules that go to the I-pac will plug in.
There is also a USB hub tucked in against the front wall, that will be used for trackballs, spinners, and such.

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