Printing on to a Front panel

[RJFreeman]

You can check out the details at https://www.github.com/stdbx/series100. 

Chip, I get Page not found on that link.

Regards
Richard

[miguelvp]

delete the dot at the end and you'll be fine.

[Dave Turner]

At work, (for low volume runs) we used to use a straight through dot matrix printer with a special carrier to print full colour labels on CDs. I haven't tried it but it might work just as well for panels.

[devanno]

For those who want to print labels and adhere them... this device (comes in different sizes) may be just the ticket.  It's built for "scrapbookers" .. and will take items up to the thickness of a US nickel.    What you do is print what your label is to look like, and then pull it through this device... it gets sandwiched between two layers of material.  You burnish down around the edges of your label, and pull apart... excess adhesive is pulled away with the top layer and you end up with a label that is now adhesive only on the label backside itself. http://www.amazon.com/Xyron-Create---Sticker-Machine-Assorted/dp/B0001DU6RS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421012284&sr=8-1&keywords=Xyron  Using this you could use any kind of opaque label material and quickly adhere it to your project. 

Another solution (I think mentioned above) is either ink jet or laser waterslide decal paper.  You print on it, cut it to size and then use a fixative on it... and apply it like any other decal.  Instructions are to print, fix, apply... but I found that if you fix the whole sheet (especially on the ink-jet ones), the water tends to let the excess ink bleed a bit, doing the fixative after trimming the decal closely to size solves that problem, or at least drastically reduces it.  One thing to note... light colors need two decals (or more) overlaying to get an opaque lettering result.  Once applied, an overcoat of some form of lacquer will help "harden" the result.   

If you're going to use waterslide decals, the decal backing can cause a light reflective haze where there is no printing.  The typical modeler's approach is a good coat of glosscoat to the base, let dry, use a wetting solution (Microsol, I think it is, have a two step product) to clean the surface and help the decal adhere... then soak the decal in distilled water, apply to the surface... as it dries, microsol setting solution will soften the decal and you can prick any bumps with a fine needle to let the air out... when all is dry, another coat of gloss, followed by dullcoat to completely remove the visible film problem.  One advantage to this is that decals can go over textured or curved surfaces.

[prasimix]

Another way is to cut and engrave panels from acrylic glass. There are materials which have a different color on the outside than on the inside, so if the laser removes the top layer, the inner color comes out.

There are services like Ponoko/ or Formulor which allow to upload SVGs, select the material, calculate the cost and order online.

Please let me know if acrylic glass in general that can be ordered on Formulor has such structure that outside is different from inside or there is some specific brand/material that is shown on the picture above? Also what's about opposite: black outside, white (or any other color) inside?
Thanks in advance!

[prasimix]

Huh, I think that I found one black with white core: It' 1.6mm thick under Acrylic GS 

[0xdeadbeef]

Yep, used that as well (after the silver one with black core was gone), looks great.

[Edit]
I recently saw that they now also have some 3mm materials with two colors. There seems to be a silver (and gold) one with black core in the 3mm section.
Doesn't fit for me though, as I'd need 2mm. 1.6mm is a bit too thin, but works quite well.

[Pjotr]

So I guess the old way of laser printing on a full page sticker an covering with the sticky side of a self adhesive lamination sheet is too "old school". Fast and cheap.

Yes think so This was printed mirrored on transparent self adhesive polyester sheet for laser printers and attached at the back of 2mm polycarbonate sheet. Artwork was coloured in afterwards with artists acrylic paints on the back of the panel (thus on the toner side of the print). This only works with water based (acrylic) paint, otherwise the toner will bleed.

[Howardlong]

Hmm, that should go up to 11, it's one louder you know.

[Pjotr]

Hmm, that should go up to 11, it's one louder you know.

Didn't help that much I found worthwhile

[prasimix]

Yep, used that as well (after the silver one with black core was gone), looks great.

[Edit]
I recently saw that they now also have some 3mm materials with two colors. There seems to be a silver (and gold) one with black core in the 3mm section.
Doesn't fit for me though, as I'd need 2mm. 1.6mm is a bit too thin, but works quite well.

Hi, what engraving "strength" did you use for texts: light, medium or heavy?

I'm also wondering does any laser cutting service (hopefully Ponoko/Formulor) offer cutting/milling under some angle to make i.e. countersink on screw holes?

[0xdeadbeef]

Hi, what engraving "strength" did you use for texts: light, medium or heavy?

I always used "heavy". You can have a look at the SVGs I use(d) for ordering.

I'm also wondering does any laser cutting service (hopefully Ponoko/Formulor) offer cutting/milling under some angle to make i.e. countersink on screw holes?

Formulor doesn't that for sure and I doubt that any laser cutting service does. There are milling services though which offer stuff like that, e.g. Schaeffer. I toyed with the idea to order there 1st, but it's much more expensive. Actually I liked their "Frontplattendesigner" (front panel designer) quite a lot before I discovered QCad.

[prasimix]

Hi, what engraving "strength" did you use for texts: light, medium or heavy?

I always used "heavy". You can have a look at the SVGs I use(d) for ordering.

I'm also wondering does any laser cutting service (hopefully Ponoko/Formulor) offer cutting/milling under some angle to make i.e. countersink on screw holes?

Formulor doesn't that for sure and I doubt that any laser cutting service does. There are milling services though which offer stuff like that, e.g. Schaeffer. I toyed with the idea to order there 1st, but it's much more expensive. Actually I liked their "Frontplattendesigner" (front panel designer) quite a lot before I discovered QCad.

Excellent! Many thanks for link. You are using QCad to generate svg instead of Inkscape or similar editor?

[0xdeadbeef]

Excellent! Many thanks for link. You are using QCad to generate svg instead of Inkscape or similar editor?

I'm using a mixture. I design the panels with QCad, then export it to SVG and do some conversions according to the Formulor conventions (line width, color) in Inkscape.
Actually I tried to design a panel in Inkscape but found it to be a pain in the rear for exact design. With QCad it's piece of cake and also tricky stuff like arranging several pieces on one plate is easy.
If you check my example, you can see that I arranged three panels on one plate. At least for Formulor, reducing the number/length of lines to be cut also reduces the costs.

[prasimix]

At least for Formulor, reducing the number/length of lines to be cut also reduces the costs.

Thanks again. I'm still not familiar with Formulor policy, does it mean that more lines generate more costs? Also I still didn't find how much cost shipment.

[0xdeadbeef]

Regarding the cutting costs: yes every cut and engraving adds some costs. You can upload your SVG and select a material and they tell you what the costs will be.
E.g. you can see that the simpler front plate was quite a bit cheaper than the more complex and engraved backside.
As the material (181x181mm, black with white core, 1.6mm) costs 6,79 €, you can see that the cutting/engraving costs are pretty relevant.

Regarding shipping costs, there is a FAQ page. I'm not quite sure if the prices are correct though.
I just received something (acrylic case) last week and paid 5,90€ for shipping but according to this FAQ it should have been 7,90€.