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plcdp

Panel pictures

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Hello, I would like to propose a panel picture thread. I searched the site and didn't come up with any prior threads like this. I like to make my panels look (hopefully) as good as they function and I am always interested in seeing other panel builders works and styles. These are my latest: I look forward to seeing other peoples work. plcdp By the way, in case you didn't pick up on it, blue is my companys color! Edited by plcdp

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Good looking panels! And blue is my company color as well, great idea!

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Thanks very much! plcdp

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Nice looking panel. I usually like to see heat generating devices at the top though. ( Power supply) See link below for another thread on the subject. Different forum. http://www.plctalk.n...hp?postid=55564 Edited by Mickey

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I have just made a facebook profile for my business, there are photos of my panelwork on there; http://www.facebook.com/pages/Matrix-Engineering/142895319108866

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Hello Sparky, Thats my first post in this forum, and you have it. Very neat panels, must be proud of what you are doing. I have small question , How you drill holes for button in stainless steel (is it?) It looks like a simple task , but last time I broke my Stepbit and couple of drill bits. Maybe you recommnend certain brand/material. I usually drill a pilot hole, then enlage it with step bit ,then with hidrolic pump cut the proper hole size. Thanks. Marwan

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Welcome to the forums Marwan. For my stainless steel panels, I use a hole-saw for small panels with just a few cutouts, and for the larger panels I design the layout in CAD and have them waterjet cut locally. If you are just making a pilot hole for a hydraulic punch, then you can get drill bits specially for stainless steel, they are more expensive than standard bits. Also try and drill them at a slow speed with high force. HTH - PG

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I do not do facebook. Facebook is a cheap alternative to your own web site, but you may miss some potential customers with it. Edited by RussB

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Stainless steel is actually relatively soft. It does however, self temper, meaning that if you apply heat it will harden quickly. If using any type of drill bit, you need to use a very slow speed, I cannot emphasize that enough. Some sort of cooling oil is a very good idea as well. One slip on the drill trigger will be enough to harden the steel and then your bit is scrap. We do alot of stainless for food and corrosive environments and with practice our guys are now able to get the nice curley-Q off the flutes of the bit when drilling through. Note: If you use too large a pilot bit at slow speeds on your final hole you risk breaking through the other side without making a hole and the bit will thread into your work. This is not a happy situation.

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I found the best way to deal with stainless steel enclosures is to take them to the local sheet metal shop to cut on their laser. I can have a typical 30 x 20 enclosure with an HMI and about 15 push buttons don for about $150 to $175. I think that is reasonable when you consider the stainless steel tooling cost and time to do it properly.

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Hi Russ, my business's facebook page is a public page so you do not need to have an account to view it. I also have a website, albeit just a domain reserved with a single page with some contact info and a link to the facebook page. Facebook is 100% free whereas to put the same content on my website could cost circa £120/year minimum. As I run my business in my spare time and work full time and to date have gotten work through word-of-mouth I am not too concerned that it may appear as the cheaper alternative. Also I find as time goes on more and more companies are not ashamed to have a "facebook presence". Regards, Patrick

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Hi to all, Good topic, Nice panel. But the standard for blue wire tray are for IS(Intrisicaly safe) signals so i don't think it will be appropriate to use it in non hazardous areas. and here are some works of mine. The big enclosure are for biotechnology project. and the smaller are for Oil in water sampling analyzer. waiting for reply. Best Regards, Greg.

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Forgot to add this guys, DCS system for Oil platform.

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Looking at all these well designed and built panels I only see one thing that concerns me. At the terminal strips how much clearance space are we leaving for Joe Relay Electrician when he must replace a wire that overloaded or was damaged at 3am. Sure with the panel held to a work table there was plenty of room for the builder to wire it, but when mounted 6 inches off the dirt floor in the back end of a saw mill that same panel is impossible to troubleshhot and make wiring repairs to cause the 2 inch cooling space is not the 4 inch hand space most grown men need to reach in and grab the wire. And pliers are not much help either. Didn't mean to rant and hi-jack. They are good looking panels and my sense of proportion may be off.
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Hi BobLfoot, you are absolutely right i think there should be enough space that grownup person could reach the wires any way, but some times the size of the enclosure dictated by customer or plant spaces. definitely should be space for most uncomfortable situations.

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Pardon my use of the phrase but I'm going to say it anyways... keep the "panel porn" coming. As a relatively new controls engineer I appreciate opportunities to ogle others' work.

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Have to agree with BobLfoot here, but not sure that 4" is needed between the terminal and wireduct. One thing to do that helps is to use the hi-rise dinrail.

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We also use the high rise rail quite a bit, especially on jobs where the terminals are double tiered it makes it easier to read the labeling on the bottom tier. Has anyone had opportunity to use the rail mounted tray that panduit is pushing? It looks nice in their displays at the shows, but real world isn't always the same. Anything to be wary of? installation headaches ect?

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Hello, Just finished a project and here is the panel. The panel is too tall to get in one shot so I got a top and bottom shot. -Dave

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