Panels with electronics

[PittsburghLever]

Hi,

Potentially a stupid question: I am trying to find vendors that sell A320 panels with electronic components including any PCB needed. I am not sure if CockpitSonic does that in their hardware option. Do you guys know if they do, and if there are other vendors that do so such that the "only" work that I would have to do is to solder all the components in place?

[Jackpilot]

Right North of you..
http://www.flightdecksolutions.com/ac_type.php?id=3

[PittsburghLever]

Thanks for the reply. What I am not sure about is whether FDS have options where you can get the PCB and all needed components for self-soldering. Do you know if that is the case?

[Jackpilot]

FDS sells the panels (backlighted) and all the hardware ( SWITCHES ROTARIES ANNUNCIATORS ETC) which are needed for each panel.

What do you mean by PCB?.... Interfacing cards?

There is no pcb behind panels switches, rotaries, etc, wires have to go from there to the interfacing boards
They have little PCB's on annunciators to avoid burning the Leds, that's about it.
And all the plug and play devices like MCP EFIS Radios do not need any "soldering" they are just plugged in.
JP

[Buddym]

Right Boaz, it would be nice to get real PCBs for this stuff, it would make installation so much cleaner, and a lot more reliable IMHO. I know some of the guys on the OC team have made PCBs for the A320 glare, but not real production runs. I had emailed Angel and Louis over there a few times, never got anything firm going on getting panels or Gerber files

Also, due to the physical and mechanical differences between components any given PCB would almost need to be paired with a built-to-match panel, since mounting hole sizes, etc vary greatly. I designed PCBs for my A320 glare panels but did not have them built due to cost.

BuddyM

[ian@737ng.co.uk]

hi guys.........
veroboard - 'the cheap alternative'
i'm building my own circuit boards on this. quite good stuff really. can be cut and trimmed to just about any shape and size.
one side has a copper strips running along it to which you solder your components and cut
where needed.
most components have a pin pitch of 1/10" (or multiple). this is punched out at 1/10" so fitting the bits to it is a breeze.
here's an example
http://www.737ng.co.uk/project23.jpg
hope that helps you out.
regards ... ian

[PittsburghLever]

Just a follow-up question (revealing my ignorance when it comes to cockpit building)

There is no pcb behind panels switches, rotaries, etc, wires have to go from there to the interfacing boards

So, the panels you'd buy have means of fastening LEDs, switches etc on the panel itself?

[phil744]

Yeah, there are three main parts to the panel, the lightplate (the fancy bit that lights up) the back lighting PCB that has the LED/bulbs for the panel illumination, normally these attach to the light plate via screws and and the backplate that is normally 1.5mm aluminium, things like rotarys, pots and switches bolt to the backplate then you just connect there outputs to whatever interface board you are using, the only time you will need an additional PCB really is for attaching 7 segment LED displays but that can be done without.

[Jackpilot]

Usually there is a backer panel, plastic or metal on which you install the switches etc in the ready made holes.



Then you put the panel itself over the assembly.



Then you place the assembly where it is supposed to go, (MIP Overhead frame' pedestal frame...)These on the picture are backlightable panels which means that the backer panel is transparent where the panel legends are in order to be able to put a light source behind

New generation backlighted panels (IBL for FDS) include the little lights in the panel itself and the backer panel can be metal.



As for the leds they are to be contained in annunciators which you slide in the proper openings of the panels.



Really obvious when you have it all in front of you.