Long skinny channel strips

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Hi again

I personally don't feel it that good sorry (I try to help)
I think you have to go with 3mm (anodized stronger?) fur such long panel
Be careful about angle bracket distance from side, you don't want the side screw head to end outside your front panel ! I have doubt with your picts?
Next easy test, punch or drill big holes for pot and rotary switches, let say two row (+10mm and -10mm from center line), 8 and 10mm hole each 40mm, with 20mm offset between row (or according to your layout if already set). As a 110mm fader cutoff...

IMHO you should go with 2.5mm U shape and punched for generic hole spacing for all option/modules, then add a 5mm frontpanel which can be fixed only by all screw from pot and rotary switches in a sandwich way
Your U shape can be more narow than 40mm (front panel layer take care of this) allowing to set PCB from side to fit alignment with back connector, no change at euro design.

At the end maybe it won't be more expensive?  but you'll have a strong and nice mechanical design, which your electronic design deserve !

If you have "difficulties" at your side around mechanical integration I'm sure you'll find efficient help here to have something great at first run...

Best
Zam
 
zamproject said:
Hi again

I personally don't feel it that good sorry (I try to help)
No problem. Your posts are always constructive
I think you have to go with 3mm (anodized stronger?) fur such long panel
see later
Be careful about angle bracket distance from side, you don't want the side screw head to end outside your front panel ! I have doubt with your picts?
Yes, the holes in the prototype are just by eye (not measured). In the real thing they will be 6.37mm in from the edges (hole size 2.6mm)
Next easy test, punch or drill big holes for pot and rotary switches, let say two row (+10mm and -10mm from center line), 8 and 10mm hole each 40mm, with 20mm offset between row (or according to your layout if already set). As a 110mm fader cutoff...
I will do this. I do not have any 10mm holes in my design. The largest are 7.4mm.
IMHO you should go with 2.5mm U shape and punched for generic hole spacing for all option/modules, then add a 5mm frontpanel which can be fixed only by all screw from pot and rotary switches in a sandwich way

Your U shape can be more narow than 40mm (front panel layer take care of this) allowing to set PCB from side to fit alignment with back connector, no change at euro design.

At the end maybe it won't be more expensive?  but you'll have a strong and nice mechanical design, which your electronic design deserve !
There are several minor difficulties with this, such as some controls will not fit a 3mm thick panel,  but the major issue is, is it necessary? The PCB on one side and the steel screen on the other serve the same function as the U channel. Until I can demonstrate that the current design does not work I will stick with it because it is so very flexible.
If you have "difficulties" at your side around mechanical integration I'm sure you'll find efficient help here to have something great at first run...

Best
Zam
This is certainly a great place for good advice. No doubt about that.

Cheers

Ian
 
You'r probably right Ian, you have the material in hand, I just speculate seeing the assembly.

If it fit your need and modularity follow this route  ;)

Is it's necessary to have U shape ? NO, just an approved and strong design  :)

Of course I mean 0.5mm (not 5...) frontpanel sandwich (but you get it).
What component don't fit 3mm FP ? it's easy fixable by larger punch at U shape to only fix at 0.5mm cosmetic layer,
or the opposite, lager milling at 0.5 FP to inlay counter nut.

By the way, I just measure the panel of the 169 we talk in another topic.
I confirm 420mm
U shape is 1.5mm alu
FP is 1mm anodized alu

Best
Zam
 
@Zam

The original EELA modules are U shaped steel with the holes for all variants punched in. On top of the U shape goes the front panel with the module specific holes and legend, just as you described earlier. I had originally thought I might just adapt my design to use this metalwork but it is too simple for the functions this mixer needs to have - although I may review this again because it would be a shame to waste some ready made mechanics (and I am pretty sure I have enough for at least one mixer).

An alternative is to fit some extra extrusions across the mixer and split the length into two modules - say 175mm for the fader modules and 200mm for the EQ and routing module. I know for sure the scheme works over 6U (266.7mm) so it will be fine over these smaller distances.

Thanks for the info on the 169. That is a very tall module!

Cheers

Ian

Cheers

Ian
 
I have decided to put this idea on the back burner for now - there are plenty of other things I need to do first.

I did review using the existing EELA modules metalwork and it does look as though this would be a practical solution. The existing holes do impose some restrictions but I think there is enough flexibility to fit in all the required controls. I have four EELA frames and 18 modules worth of mechanics which should be enough for two mixers. It will take me a year to build the Glensound and these two EELA frame based mixers so there is no rush to come up with a long term solution.

Thank you to everyone who contributed.

Cheers

ian
 
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