Frontpanel express pricing

[desol]

Just thought i'd put this out there guys. I spent a week or so laying out a frontpanel in frontpanel express, not really knowing the software that well, but nonetheless, i hacked my way through it. In the end, the frontpanel looks great(i think, the only problem was the price. $204.00! I thought...i can see how one off's would be a little more expensive but this is ridiculous.

So...

After fooling around with the software a bit and speaking with some more knowledgable folks, it turned out that there was ALOT i was doing wrong from a cost effective standpoint.

First off, when using Frontpanel express you want everything to be in HPGL engravings/.plt format. Bear with me, i'm no expert. My particular layout was full of 'individual' objects which are ridiculously expensive in terms of the tooling used, changed, etc. After spending some time using various configurations and seeing the price differences, i think it's pretty safe to say that the cost effectiveness realized for your project is single-handedly affected by your ablilty to use the software efficiently.

I'm just estimating now, but from what i can sort of figure, the cost of this panel, just because of using HPGL engravings, etc...is going to go from $204 to roughly $120(or less). Yet both schemes look identical..

There's alot you can do with the software, to make your panel more affordable..

Cheers,
D.

 

[madriaanse]

Nice discovery!! So do you design 1:1 scale in Corel and convert to HPGL? What about drilled holes?

Thanks,

M.

 

[desol]

Nice discovery!! So do you design 1:1 scale in Corel and convert to HPGL? What about drilled holes?

Thanks,

M.

Yes, the HPGL stuff is in Corel. I'm still figuring out how to do this properly. According to Joe at frontpanel, i think the drill holes only need to be expressed as a + within the HPGL engraving...again i'm just beginning to figure this, so don't quote me on that. They're going to be updating their website soon with tutorials concerning all of this, so that people can be more informed. Also, they have a scale generator there that automatically outputs a .plt file.....instead of 35 objects making up a given scale, which again is alot cheaper.

D.

 

[keefaz]

i think the drill holes only need to be expressed as a + within the HPGL engraving...

Only if you want to drill the holes yourself I think. Else it may mess up with their CNC machine, see:
[quote author=Frank Röllen]
(Christoph Fromme (“Chris Toff”) point out that the hpgl engravement has a superimposition with the drillings. I removed the drill points on HPGL because of manufacturing problems at schaeffer)
(schaeffers cnc willl freak out and you’ll get an email before manufacturing the panel *sorry Frau Christiane Hensel@schaeffer*
[/quote]
http://www.nrgrecording.de/html/schaeffer.html

I don't know if Frontpanel express and Schaeffer offer same type of CNC service. I know they use the same software though

 

[Skylar]

That's really odd. I've had the opposite experience.

Every time I've imported plt data, it has driven the price up dramatically.

For instance,
I once did an entire panel in HPGL from Corel Draw, imported into FPE.
The pricing was over $300.

I redrew the panel with regular drill holes and the tools built into FPE, and the price dropped to less than $150.

 

[keefaz]

It's weird, for my part I experienced a big price drop in FPE when using HPGL scales,
I did not use Corel Draw though, just .eps from illustrator converted in .ps and then in .plt with pstoedit (yes it's a bit long )
Did you follow the FPE instructions for corel export ?
http://www.frontpanelexpress.com/fileadmin/pdf/tips_tricks/HPGL.pdf

 

[Jonte Knif]

I did a very fast try. I have this mastering EQ with a lot of knobs and scales. I draw just 16 of them in Corel and imported to Front Panel Designer. (I use Schaeffer.) I compared the prices to the same amount of scales in "native" format.

just the scales:
43 euros as "native". Fill in 17e.
12 euros in HPGL format. Fill in 10e.

Now, I don't understand the price difference in fill in, but the pricing for single pieces of numbers or text in FPD makes the price of complex panels skyrocket. Previously I've used HPGL in logos and special marks only, but I guess I have to use HPGL only. Also the fonts in Front Panel Designer are mostly horrible.

Using Corel _will_ make the design process a bit more difficult, but it's worth it, I guess.

 

[Skylar]

It's weird, for my part I experienced a big price drop in FPE when using HPGL scales,
I did not use Corel Draw though, just .eps from illustrator converted in .ps and then in .plt with pstoedit (yes it's a bit long )
Did you follow the FPE instructions for corel export ?
http://www.frontpanelexpress.com/fileadmin/pdf/tips_tricks/HPGL.pdf

Yes, I did follow those directions!

I'll have to try again with your method.

 

[Svart]

I've figured out many tricks to FPD just using the software.  First trick is to use fewer tools.  make sure all of your engravings use the same tool.  Then make sure you are using the thinnest panel you can use.  Don't use infilling if you don't need to.  Place periods for the hole and drill them yourself when you get the panel. 

These are just some of the ways to save money.  You can easily knock up to 40$ off if you do things like this.

 

[desol]

Yep. Back to the drawing board!

 

[kazper]

I've noticed that before myself.

I think it depends on what your doing etc..

If you import a word, and then compare it to using the software text tools as provided, it can go either way in costs depending on the style and text used.

What kills you I think is the scales. If you import them over typing them out, overall the imported one will be more cost effective once you add up the cost of the characters.

You can't get excited with the infill also, the more colors the more cost.. But sometimes it's worth it.

Overall FPE is a awesome option to use.

 

[mcfarlane_audio]

has anyone done their own infill?? after seeing this im trying to go back and cut cost on my mastering sontec panel, and the infill is $70!! haha

im guessing your just using thinned out white paint then wiping down the panel?

interesting thread

 

[desol]

Well, there was one guy here who suggested placing a clear sticker on the panel before engraving, then after engraving...filling with paint and then removing the sticker. I asked Joe at Frontpanel about this and he said it wouldn't work as they use an alchohol solution to clean as they engrave, and it would basically destroy the sticker.

 

[Svart]

I've done a type of infilling on hand made panels where I used punches for the lettering.  I just used a thinned paint and a squeegee, like you would with silkscreen printing.  I let the paint dry and then used a cleaner to wipe off whatever small amount was left.  It worked just fine.

 

[PRR]

An old quickie trick for infilling is wax crayons. Scrub crayon into engraving, polish the excess off the surface.

Yes, it may come off in heat or heavy use; but in deep engraving it lasts quite well. And re-infilling is cheap/quick again.

And colors you will never see at a panel-shop, not even most paint-shops.

$0.99

$5.99 - a childhood friend

$20.95

 

[kazper]

Finally a option to have my logo in Salmon!!!

 

[Ptownkid]

Wouldn't that option hypothetically last a loooooooong time with a good thick clearcoat?

 

[Svart]

the clearcoat would probably not "stick" to the wax.  most paints will just "pull away"(don't know the correct term..) from something like wax on a surface.

 

[Kingston]

a basic medical syringe with a needle (you can get all kinds of sizes) and some revell (or equal) model paint works really well for infilling.

Cheap and as accurate as it gets. needles aren't reusable with these paints, but they're very cheap anyway.

I doubt even Schaeffer can get them as clean and accurate as this technique.

 

[Svart]

needles are available by prescription only in the good ole US..  :