Securing front panels

[jasonallenh]

Hi everyone,

Does anyone have a preferred off-the-shelf bracket for securing a front panel to the lid/bottom of a rackmount chassis? I'm thinking of a right-angle bracket with a threaded hole on each side. I am working with FPD front panels and the mounting points at the extreme sides don't keep the panel from flexing in the middle.

Thank you!

 

[beatnik]

This is an option

https://www.farnell.com/datasheets/3677015.pdf
This is another option but shipping to USA might be expensive

https://shop.frontpanels.de/navi.php?a=260
On both parts if you drill out the hole towards the front panel you could mount them on a concealed stud behind the front panel thus no screw head visible on the front panel, just a little neater detail.

In my experience welded studs on aluminium panels don't work very well, sometimes they just remove very easily. Works somewhat better on steel.

 

[ruffrecords]

I use a different version of the Ettinger blocks Abby mentioned to attach my module front panel to their plug in PCB. I find they work very well so they should be good for your application too.

Cheers

ian

 

[jasonallenh]

This is an option

https://www.farnell.com/datasheets/3677015.pdf
This is another option but shipping to USA might be expensive

https://shop.frontpanels.de/navi.php?a=260
On both parts if you drill out the hole towards the front panel you could mount them on a concealed stud behind the front panel thus no screw head visible on the front panel, just a little neater detail.

In my experience welded studs on aluminium panels don't work very well, sometimes they just remove very easily. Works somewhat better on steel.

Hey! that's great. I'll see if I can find that ettinger part in the US. I'm not sure what you mean about adding a stud- I have very little metalworking experience beyond drilling holes in this stuff =D

 

[jasonallenh]

Ok, so for anyone else in the US that runs into this, the Ettinger blocks are available through Newark

However, I went with this bracket because it's quite a bit cheaper and has a 4-40 threaded hole, which matches my metric ton bag of 4-40 screws

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Keystone-Electronics/621?qs=TMDrOSIpnUfAfkkUiPM7iA==
Only one of the holes is threaded though. I intend to use a pop rivet to permanently attach it to the bottom side of the chassis, then screw into it through the front panel (unless someone has a better idea.......I'm happy to be wrong on here)

 

[beatnik]

Since you mentioned FPD I assume you are using Front Panel Designer.
There is an option in the tool bar named "insert stud/Standoff" basically it gives the option to place a treaded insert on the front panel that you can use to attach components including the mounting brackets / cubes.
These inserts mount on a blind hole on the rear side of the front panel so basically there isn't a visible screw on the front panel.

 

[jasonallenh]

Since you mentioned FPD I assume you are using Front Panel Designer.
There is an option in the tool bar named "insert stud/Standoff" basically it gives the option to place a treaded insert on the front panel that you can use to attach components including the mounting brackets / cubes.
These inserts mount on a blind hole on the rear side of the front panel so basically there isn't a visible screw on the front panel.

Dually noted! Anything that makes me do less metalworking is a bonus.