Control Panel Design

Control panel design is important to the operation of countless machines that are used every day, from complex industrial equipment to simple microwave ovens. A well-designed control panel will not only provide many years of reliable use, but also feature an intuitive layout that makes the device it controls simple to operate.

Control Panel Types

No one style of control panel is right for every device. As such, there are numerous types of control panels available, each suited to a particular control application. Perhaps the most common varieties are membrane switches and rubber keypads. Membrane switches, like those commonly found on electronic exercise equipment, for example, feature a single, relatively smooth panel with specific buttons delineated by colored outlines; they often include slightly raised bumps under each button to help users find the “just right” place to push to activate the button. Rubber keypads, like those on a typical television remote control, feature separate buttons for each function of the device, with similar functions generally grouped together and often differentiated by specific colored buttons. Other control panel varieties include digital touch screens and thin metal panels similar to membrane switches, among myriad others.

Custom Control Panel Design

Because every machine is different, so, too, must the control panels for those machines be different. While simpler devices, such as the above-mentioned microwave ovens, can use similar or identical control panels across multiple models—even those made by different manufacturers—more complex equipment requires specialized control panels designed specifically for that equipment. Control panels can be customized in numerous ways to make them perform properly. The function, layout, aesthetics, materials, and even the mounting system of a control panel can be adjusted as needed to fit the performance needs of the machine as well as the available space.

Control Panel Designers

• Dyna-Graphics offers complete control panel design capabilities, as well as custom manufacturing. The company provides ready-to-use control panel assemblies designed and built to meet the unique needs of any customer application.
• Electri-Cord