A nearby friend requested me to make a laser cut and engraved faceplate for his build. He completed the MCP build with 737 DIY about a year ago and has been using it regularly. He wished to enhance its appearance by giving it a more professional look from the front. Adding a non-3D printed component to this design never crossed my mind since it was intended to be exclusively created at home using a printer.
After returning home, I worked on creating a design which was completed the following day using fusion software. The challenge I faced was designing a 3D-printed faceplate that could accommodate electrical components at varying levels. Through some brainstorming, I decided to divide the faceplate into two separate sections.
The encoders and bank angle switch are housed in a transparent 2mm perspex backplate. The centre portion remains clear to allow light to travel to the faceplate while the edges are painted to prevent light leakage. The faceplate, made of 3mm perspex, is painted grey and laser engraved to achieve a high-quality finish with intricate details. Both plates can be mounted using the same screws as the original 3D-printed faceplates.
The outcome was a neat and polished appearance with a possibility of being backlit in the future. To achieve this, one can simply insert LED strips in the backbox and use clear PLA instead of grey to create the backplate.
I have produced a limited edition of 20 modified plates that are available for purchase. These plates require a large amount of perspex due to the size of the components, which makes them time-consuming to produce with all the painting and engraving involved. If you are interested in obtaining a set of modified plates, they can be found on the webshop here.
Please take note that UK VAT has been excluded for several overseas countries.
Kind Regards, Karl
Hi Karl, are the laser engraving settings top secret or can you share with us?
Hi Karl. The panel looks great. I have a question - is it possible to purchase DXF files?