I'm thinking about investing in a software design program. Does anybody have a recommendation? I'm leaning toward panelplanner.com, but curious about cheaper options as well. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

It depends on what you are doing. Are you doing your personal plane or do you have a CNC machine with plans on offering this service?

I have the ability, with open source modelling software (CAD-Style) to design and lay-out dimensional correct panel designs. I can render photo real output for preview, and also send .stl files directly to any company with CNC or similar for 3d printing / creation.

If you're interested, shoot me a message. I could work from napkin drawings, or photos of what my be similar to what you're looking for.

- Joseph

Contact Bill at Up North Aviation.. He'll do the layout for you as well as the cutting. He's excellent to work with. I had him cut my RV-8 panel. It was the best money I've spent.

http://www.upnorthaviation.com/other-aircraft1.html

Chris

Thanks for all of the replies. To provide more info, I have a Supercub, a 185 and an RV-8 that I would like to rework the panels on. I would just like the ability to play around with the panels on the software and then shoot the file off to someone with CNC ability to blast out the blanks.

.
Here is a nice little simple paper put out by Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, California. Perfect title , I have linked to the downloadable PDF

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" Instrument Panel Design "
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407
June 2012

http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1090&context=aerosp

I also have found some aircraft panel design software programs. Can anyone comment on them ? Anyone used them ? I can say that for free, it is hard to argue about the price.

http://www.xpanelsoftware.com X-Panel 5000 79.95

http://www.rocketdownload.com/program/xpanel-407318.html X-Panel 4.0 Free

http://www.panelplanner.com Panel Planner $285.00

http://front-panel-designer.software.informer.com Front Panel Designer 4.4 Free

Figure out who you will contract to cut your panel and ask them what file format they can work with. Then make sure that your software can produce one of those file types. I use Turbo CAD, and have had this issue. Tried to draw some steel plate and have the steel supplier cut it to size for me. Failed.

Hendo wrote:I'm thinking about investing in a software design program. Does anybody have a recommendation? I'm leaning toward panelplanner.com, but curious about cheaper options as well. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Layout is pretty simple. Reverse engineering your old one and developing a complete panel system is far more important.


Tim

I downloaded Xpanel and have been paying with it. It's pretty cool and easy to use. Also easy to add equipment to it that isn't already in the library. Trial version doesn't let you save or export anything but it have been fun to mess with. If I can find a local company with a CNC waterjet I think it will be worth paying for access to export the file and have it cut out on a waterjet.

So what is the story with creating a new panel - I read competeting statements, some say for certified aircraft it's just a log entry - while others say you need a 337 and field approval.

If you are just replacing a sheet metal panel (rearranging, adding or removing components) it's considered a minor alteration. ( logbook entry, equipment list and weight and balance) If there are structural changes, than it becomes a major alteration requiring an STC or field approval. Some IA's get their panties all in a twist over this because ther're afraid of their own shadow, but avionics shops do it all the time. Standard everyday deal no problem.

I used xpanel (paid version) for the big picture design on my panel. For the cnc ready drawings, I used solidworks. Xpanel was great for "what if" and playing around with different equipment/layouts quickly. Once I figured out what I wanted, like Tim said, most of the work was reverse "drafting" the current panel so the water jet cut new one would fit. Since there's probably a lot of people on here this applies to, SolidWorks is super cheap ($30 if I remember) if you have a DD214. It's a student license, so as long as your not using it to run a business...

If any of you have designs with dimensions and stuff and all you need is an actual CAD file made for the waterjet, PM me and I'll make one for you in exchange for a small BCP donation, workload permitting. Not offering full design services, but if you have a dimensioned sketch and need it digital, let me know. I have full SolidWorks and use it daily so I can output whatever files you need pretty quickly.

-asa

Do you have to account for powder coating when sizing the cutouts - or more likely the screw holes? Also what is the consensus on keeping the shock mounting of the panel - or just mounting it flush to the structure?

fredy wrote:SolidWorks is super cheap ($30 if I remember) if you have a DD214. It's a student license, so as long as your not using it to run a business...

If you have a EAA membership, Solidworks is free there as well.

I just had a panel powder coated a few weeks ago for my 180. The powder coater said allot for 5 thousandths of an inch for the thickness of the coating. That's pretty minimal.

corefile wrote:Do you have to account for powder coating when sizing the cutouts - or more likely the screw holes? Also what is the consensus on keeping the shock mounting of the panel - or just mounting it flush to the structure?

I'm not in the panel business nor am I going to change my panel soon, but I did a little exploring about it some time ago. Two things I learned:

1. With most modern Pipers (PA28, etc.), the panel is structural. Best to have it done by a shop that already has passed muster with the FAA in the past.

2. The depth of the instruments and avionics is one of the more difficult items to plan for. It seems that to minimize the face plate size, some manufacturers create really deep boxes to get all the bits and pieces stuffed in there. Many older airplanes are less accommodating of that depth, because when they were first manufactured, avionics weren't as big a deal as they've become.

For instance, older 172s (original through D) and other older Cessnas (not sure which ones) use a yoke connection system that prevents standard depth radios from being stacked. It's essentially a T shaped structure, as opposed to the U shaped structure of newer models. That's why you'll see a short upper stack of a couple of radios with others scattered off to the right or left. Mine's a good example of that.



Not visible is the ADF panel, hidden by the right side yoke, which actually resides in much of the area of the glove box, with a new smaller glove box beside it. When I bought it, I had hoped to have it mounted under the #1 radio, because it's pretty thin and I thought it would fit based on what I could see of the panel and the face plate size. But there's some structure between the top of the tach and MP gauges and the bottom of the radios which sticks up a quarter inch too high and can't be cut. Of course, with ADFs going the way of the dodo bird, it's not something I use all that often any more, so its location isn't a big deal.

It'd be nice if all that was necessary was to plunk the boxes where they appear to fit based on face plate size, but what's behind the panel will dictate a lot of where they can go. For you guys building your own, that would be something to consider. For certified airplanes, it can be a difficult issue.

Cary

Totally true. I've got a large blank plate that I can't fill with what I want to put in there because I have a structural tube behind the panel that's in the way!

CamTom12 wrote:Totally true. I've got a large blank plate that I can't fill with what I want to put in there because I have a structural tube behind the panel that's in the way!

Ya those pacers are a pain. They have some tubing in bad spots. Really messed with some plans I had for a buddies bushmaster panel...

A1Skinner wrote:

CamTom12 wrote:Totally true. I've got a large blank plate that I can't fill with what I want to put in there because I have a structural tube behind the panel that's in the way!

Ya those pacers are a pain. They have some tubing in bad spots. Really messed with some plans I had for a buddies bushmaster panel...

This pacer seems to have a pretty slick panel... what more could you want in a little PA20?




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