Panel Mock Up

[BHunt]

Whats the best way to make a mock up of your future panel?

Brad

 

[Brandi]

We used XPanel to start with and then I drew it out to scale in Adobe Illustrator. I can send you the plain scaled drawing if you'd like. It contains exact locations of ribs and screw holes.

 

[rleffler]

You can use any of the CAD applications. I started with Autocad, but ended up using Visio because I found it easier to use.

If you are planning on using any of Aerosport Products panels, yo u get get the dxf files from Geoff.

I then superimposed actual bitmaps to produce a picture to share with friends.

You then can use the cad file to send to a cnc machine, water jet, or laser to cut your panels.

I also will use a version of the same cad file to produce panel labels. I haven't decided whether or not I'll use transfer decals or paint.

As you can see there are more than one way to do these tasks.

Bob

 

[Wesael]

Frugle?

Depends on you objective.

I just wanted a rough scale of the design to "drag and drop" the avionics/instruments into place and rearange them on the panel.

I used google skechup which is free. it will not open a .dfx file though from Geoff so I just imported the panel as a picture and drew an outline of the inserts in skechup then removed the "background" imported picture to leave the outline.

Then scaled the outline to size.

Then imorted pictures from the web of avionics that i was interested in and scaled them to size.

After that just drag and drop till you like it.

Keep in mind this is not good enough for sending out to you panel cutter/labeler. It is only for getting the "look" you like. I opted to do my own cutouts and labeling.

Have fun!

 

[Dvalcik]

Panel

See my earlier post under the reviews section

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=84451

I worked win Bill at up north aviation. He worked with me from drafts and created cad drawings in PDF forms. You can see the cad he created for my panel. He has produced the panel and it looks great.

http://www.upnorthaviation.com/

 

[Flyguytki]

Photoshop Also works

 

[Snowflake]

If you're at all worried about things not fitting as planned, go to a sign or plastics shop and have them cut a panel from 3/16" plastic of some kind. Should be more than durable enough for test-fittings. Most of them can work with the same DXF file you would take to a metal-cutter.

 

[sstellarv10]

I used Xpanel then after I got a design I wanted I brought the file to Staples and they printed me a full size version that I put in my plane to see if I was happy with the locations.

[/IMG]

 

[N8RV]

Panel Planner

I bought a copy of Panel Planner many years ago when I was ready to lay out my panel. I found it easy to use and quite accurate. It was handy because, in addition to accurate dimensional accuracy in getting things to fit in 2 dimensions, it also accounted for depth of the instruments, which is essential in the -8 due to a structural angle that can't be modified.

Here was my initial panel layout with Panel Planner ...

And, after some modifications by Stein to accomodate that structural angle behind the panel (the SL-30 just barely fits) ...

I have no clue how well the current version of Panel Planner works or how it compares with other products out there, but at the time it was a relatively inexpensive and easy way to lay out several panels and compare them.

 

[Snowflake]

Nice Throttle, Don... Where did you get that?

 

[az_gila]

If you're at all worried about things not fitting as planned, go to a sign or plastics shop and have them cut a panel from 3/16" plastic of some kind. Should be more than durable enough for test-fittings. Most of them can work with the same DXF file you would take to a metal-cutter.

You could also use a piece of clear acrylic plastic from Home Depot. Cut the holes with a fly cutter or Dremel and add parts to check for a rough fit.

This is good to get the 3D clearance behind the panel. Then you get your own true "glass panel"...

 

[Auburntsts]

Low-Tech solution

I did it the low tech way. To start with, I drew ref lines on the panel blank that comes with the kit. I then printed out accurate life-sized pictures of all my desired components and placed them on the instrument panel. Once I had things layed out the way I wanted, I verfied that everything was clear of the sub-structure and identifed where I'd need to cut the sub-panel for the radio stack. When I was finally satisfied with the layout, I used a combination of templates and dimensions available in the install docs to identify the cutouts. I then went at it with a Dremel and cut everything undersized, and then filed out to final size.

 

[Mike S]

Well, guess I gotta stick up for the low tech folks.

I cut out pieces of paper the correct size for all the goodies I wanted in my panel, labeled them with a pencil, and taped them in place on the panel blank, then sat in the plane and "flew" it while I worked out the fine details and sorted out the final location.

Lots of work with a drill, die grinder, coping saw, and file later, and I am quite happy with the result.

Here is the first power up.

 

[CharlieWaffles]

I used Front Panel Express (http://www.frontpanelexpress.com/). Their software is free and once its done you can send it off to them to get cut on the CNC. It even has a pricing feature as you go long.

As for the visual part, I printed out accurate size pictures of everything (most manufacturers have these published already). and then placed on the panel for the initial fitting.

 

[BobTurner]

Mike's "sit in the airplane and fly it" is an important step.
For example, I found that I wanted my EFIS lower than most people (I wear "progressive" bifocals).

 

[BHunt]

I used Front Panel Express (http://www.frontpanelexpress.com/). Their software is free and once its done you can send it off to them to get cut on the CNC. It even has a pricing feature as you go long.

As for the visual part, I printed out accurate size pictures of everything (most manufacturers have these published already). and then placed on the panel for the initial fitting.

How did you start with an RV-10 panel? I haven't found it.

 

[FresnoR]

So far Ive been using Microsoft Publisher. Just expand the page to the proper full-scale size. I simply cut and paste whatever avionics picture and than can expand it to full scale. It's nice because I can put in there ipads/ipods or other items that are typically not included in panel maker software.

 

[jimbower]

I love the "glass panel" look. I went the low-tech way too, after I tried one of the computer-based panel planning programs. My solution was to cut a panel out of thin Masonite and install all my gauges, switches, EFIS, etc. This also allows you to see how everything fits in back, which my panel planning software did not do. It must have worked, because when I was satisfied with the layout, I cut the aluminum panel and so far I'm happy flying with it.

Jim Bower
St. Louis
RV-6A N143DJ
Flying since 8/11

 

[vjwodack]

You could also use a piece of clear acrylic plastic from Home Depot. Cut the holes with a fly cutter or Dremel and add parts to check for a rough fit.

This is good to get the 3D clearance behind the panel. Then you get your own true "glass panel"...

Gill,
Seeing this makes me think about making my panel from plexi permanently. Of course, it makes it a lot more important to make the wiring and plumbing pretty.

 

[blahphish]

Gill,
Seeing this makes me think about making my panel from plexi permanently. Of course, it makes it a lot more important to make the wiring and plumbing pretty.

That is pretty neat looking!