Panel (outsourcing)

Outsourcing panels

Panel companies

Cutting, drilling and inscribing

Europe

• Schaeffer AG, well-known maker of low-production metal front panels, provides Front Panel Designer program free. Engraving and paint-filling are available.

UK

• The Beast UK Ltd
• Re:Synthesis, Moog Modular Compatible Synthesiser Panels.

USA

• ALCO Metal Fab Inc., electronic sheet-metal specialist. Can do powdercoating and screenprinting.
• Front Panel Express LLC, and Canada. Well-known maker of low-production metal front panels, provides Front Panel Designer program free. Engraving and paint-filling are available. Is a division of the German firm Schaeffer, which offers a similar service in Europe.

Painting and printing

Metal printing is a commonplace process that prints color ink on aluminum, which is then anodized into place. The result is a very high-resolution artwork, better than screenprinting, and tougher than other methods because the anodized oxide coating is very tough and protects the artwork.

Many companies offer this service. They typically do not perform drilling, punching, or other sheet-metal fabrication; such operations would have to be performed by a sheet-metal specialist or by the manufacturer. Most "Dotcom" and all Doepfer module panels are made with the metalprint process.

Europe

• KBA

UK

• Metallurgy 4

USA

• Bay Photo
• Image Wizards
• Metal Mural
• Nor-Cal Powder Coating, powder coater with considerable experience in electronic sheet-metal coating.
• Chemi-Graphic, offers screenprinting and chemical etching on metals or other materials.

See also

• Panels (homebrew)

References

• Manufacturing by Eric Barbour, Muff's Modules & More wiki, Jan 2012

External links

• Schaeffer, Front panel Designers tips and tricks, electro-music.com forum, Oct. 2007