Re: Separate front panel PCB, or use right-angle switches and displays?

From: John Fields (jfields_at_austininstruments.com)
Date: 09/27/04 

Date: Mon, 27 Sep 2004 12:16:41 -0500

On Mon, 27 Sep 2004 13:12:39 GMT, "Steve S" <me@privacy.net> wrote:

>I'm trying to decide the best approach for a new design (consumer audio
>product). For a similar product in the past, I used two PCBs:
>
>1) Main PCB, mounted horizontal in the unit, containing 90% of the
>circuitry, double-sided with components mainly surface mount on one side. It
>also includes right-angle coax sockets and a DC socket that go through and
>attach to the rear aluminium panel.
>
>2) Front Panel PCB, mounted vertical in the unit, attached behind the front
>panel using glued standoffs glued. It contained 3 x 6x6mm tactile buttons
>and 4 x 0.7" seven-seg LED displays. This is a double-sided PCB, with all
>components through-hole. FWIW the front panel is quite small - 1" high, by
> 5" wide.
>
>I want to simplify and reduce the manufacturing costs for a new design of
>product similar to this (quantities of 2-5k per year). So I'm considering
>using just one PCB, attaching right-angle 7-seg LED displays and tactile
>buttons to it for use as the front panel.
>
>As I see it, the pro's of this approach would be:
>a) Only one PCB
>b) Less components - ribbon cable and header
>c) No need to mount to front panel
>
>The con's would be:
>a) Harder to source right-angle displays and switches, and more expensive
>b) Excess force on a connector on the rear panel would push front panel
>switches and displays forward into the front panel
>
>The rear connectors are screwed to the rear panel by one screw each, but I
>think that last point may still be a concern - coax connections can be very
>tight and attract a lot of user force sometimes.
>
>Does anyone have any thoughts as to the best approach in order to minimize
>manufacturing costs without causing problems down the line? 

---
Use an adhesive overlay with membrane switches (or tactile domes) and
transparent areas for the displays to shine through as your front
panel and mount your PCB behind it, coplanar with it, on standoffs
molded into the rear of the front panel or on standoffs secured to the
rear of the front panel with flat head screws which will be covered by
the overlay when it's stuck down. Provide a pigtail on the rear of the
overlay which goes through a slot in the front panel (which makes it
invisible from the outside of the device) and plugs into a header on
the PCB, and you're done!
   
-- 
John Fields

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