How to mount PCB in angled enclosure - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: lemmings
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 18, 2018, 10:14:52 pm
content: Hey Everyone,I have a very nichey DIY product I design and manufacture. For the last couple years I've used a custom built case made from laser cut acrylic screwed together with spacers. However, I want to switch to a pre-built enclosure from Takashi Enclosures:http://www.takachi-enclosure.com/data/c16-17/CF.pdfThe problem is though I don't know the best way to mount the current PCB inside of these enclosures. My product has 1 PCB with knobs on the top and midi jacks out of the back. Basically I want it to look exactly like this product here:http://dtronics.nl/images/dt300_n2.jpgYou can see that this product there are no mounting screws on the top and neither on the back. So how did they mount the internal PCB on an angle so the faders are aligned with the top panel and the MIDI jacks on the back aligned with the back panel?Any help here is greatly appreciated, thank you!

author: sokoloff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2018, 10:35:47 pm
content: The main PCB is likely mounted to the "top" of the enclosure. For the MIDI ports, I'd guess it's cheaper for them to use a small rear panel daughterboard and interconnects/flying wires.For a box with that shallow of a slope, they might be able to mount the DIN jacks right on the main PCB and just trust that no one will notice/care about the small angle, but it's probably cheaper to use a daughterboard.From there, having no visible screws to fasten the bottom/back to the top is no particular challenge. I search for a teardown photo and couldn't find one. You might look for a forum where that device is used and ask if anyone has teardown photos to be sure.

author: sokoloff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2018, 10:41:31 pm
content: Or ask DTronics how they did it.https://www.facebook.com/dtronicsNL/http://www.dtronics.nl/They give off a vibe of "small company with enthusiast owners/workers" so they might help.

author: rstofer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2018, 06:14:55 pm
content: Why couldn't they just have posts molded into the top panel as both spacer and attachment point. If you disassembled the unit, would you be surprised to find a half-dozen screws holding the PCB to the front panel?I imagine it could be possible to mount the connectors to the PCB at a slight angle and it would never be seen. Or a daughterboard as mentioned above. Maybe with a flat cable to the main PCB.

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2018, 04:02:03 am
content: There's a video of the boards being manufactured on youtube. They're basically the same size as the top panel. I'd guess they are aligned and held in place by molded in attachment points on the side panels with whatever additional support is needed from the bottom.

author: SL4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2018, 04:35:00 am
content: Having worked on many similar types of pro gear, I'll guarantee there are threaded standoffs (facing down from the front panel, or up from the base), and daughter boards for the connectors with similar mounting points - either spot-welded to the base, or back-facing from the rear panel.

author: Bassman59
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2018, 06:43:03 pm
content: Quote from: lemmings on May 18, 2018, 10:14:52 pmI’ve been looking for an enclosure like this forever.

author: SL4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2018, 10:25:33 pm
content: Just noticed in the photo - they provide a 'slide' panel or screwed panel.If you have controls fixed to the front panel - they MUST be attached to the front panel, or they couldn't slide past the buttons/;shafts etc.Also i=f those are aluminium(?) - your standoffs will either be (captive) pressed in, or screwed from the front - with a decal or dummy (printed) face-plate over the top

author: Gregg
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2018, 08:36:43 pm
content: For limited quantities, you could make an aluminum plate that your boards mount to via standard threaded standoffs and countersunk screws and epoxy it to the underside of the box.