Hi,

I was wondering if anybody had consider designing a PCB which could be used as a front panel for the uBITX? The PCB vendor would be able to route the rectangle for the display and the holes for the volume, encoder and audio connections. I know, what size to pick would be a problem but make the design so it could be adapted for several cases.

Silk screen could be used for the labels and it would look very profession. Now, here the big advantage. On the reverse side you could put SMD designs. There are lots of PCBs being done at the minute, but many of them could be incorporated on the reverse of the front panel.

In stead of rats nest wiring to all the controls, tracks could be place to just beside the controls and short jumper wires from the tracks to the control. As the audio would be available, there is the possibility for DSP by adding a Teensy or a Red/Blue Pill using surface mounted headers. I think you can see where I'm going with this.

There are a lot of really talented designer who are already producing PCBs and maybe it's a big ask to do this. Maybe it could be a cooperative venture for a couple of designers?

Then, don't stop there - there always the back panel with SWR bridges, tuners etc, and use the copper as a heat sink for the finals in to the bargain.?

Cheers

Reid Gi8TME/Mi0BOT

Why stop at just the front panel?

A complete case could be laid out with matching pads at the edges to solder the boards together to make a complete box with custom silkscreening for the proper labels on the front and back, uBITX logos on the sides (is there an official logo?) and a board layout graphic on the top with board sections labeled by function.

On 5/6/2018 11:44 AM, Reid Campbell wrote:

Hi,

I was wondering if anybody had consider designing a PCB which could be used as a front panel for the uBITX? The PCB vendor would be able to route the rectangle for the display and the holes for the volume, encoder and audio connections. I know, what size to pick would be a problem but make the design so it could be adapted for several cases.

Silk screen could be used for the labels and it would look very profession. Now, here the big advantage. On the reverse side you could put SMD designs. There are lots of PCBs being done at the minute, but many of them could be incorporated on the reverse of the front panel.

In stead of rats nest wiring to all the controls, tracks could be place to just beside the controls and short jumper wires from the tracks to the control. As the audio would be available, there is the possibility for DSP by adding a Teensy or a Red/Blue Pill using surface mounted headers. I think you can see where I'm going with this.

There are a lot of really talented designer who are already producing PCBs and maybe it's a big ask to do this. Maybe it could be a cooperative venture for a couple of designers?

Then, don't stop there - there always the back panel with SWR bridges, tuners etc, and use the copper as a heat sink for the finals in to the bargain.?

Cheers

Reid Gi8TME/Mi0BOT

Reid Gi8TME/Mi0BOT

Your idea for front and rear panel circuits is interesting, especially for those who

have a CNC Mill that is capable of routing printed (routed...?) circuit boards.?

There might even be a small business potential for such people because they

can make one-off custom boards for each customer.? Also might be interesting for

someone to publish CAD drawings for typical front and rear panels with the idea

that customers would edit these drawings and submit them to a person with

CNC Milling capability to make the boards.? There are several CNC driver

programs available on-line so that the customer could see his/her boards being

machined in simulation mode before they are submitted for manufacturing.

There are many more such programs available on-line.

CNC based techniques are interesting as either CNC-machined or CNC-printed 
panels.

But, why stop with just machined front and rear panels.? Why not machine SMD
circuits into chassis side, top, and bottom panels, making the chassis the actual
circuit board.

Arv K7HKL

_._

I think I saw a front panel pcb being used. With the function buttons and audio in and out. ?Think someone posted it to this group?

Btw, hey Atouk!!!!

Joe

KD2NFC?

Just done a search and it came up in a post from Jerry, /g/BITX20/message/46671 with a similar suggest. Guess nobody took it up.

Here's an example of the front panel as PCB technique being used:


Mike Bryce mentioned that you need to look out for the fab house mill-mark:
/g/BITX20/message/46675

Jerry