Circuit Panel

Well before I could lay any track, I had to work out where my separate circuits were going to be isolated, as I am using DC the whole track would be electrified, and only one loco could be sitting on the track without disaster! So insulated joiners are used to do this, and isolate sections, chosen by the end user.

The diagram has to be drawn up correctly in a program like Adobe Illustrator, ProDesktop, or Corel. Then saved for the program Euroa Secondary College uses, with there Roland CNC machine, Dr Engraver- which requires a .BMP file.

The CNC machine cut the diagram out and the holes for the switches, but it didn't show up easily for the eye to tell the difference between where it had cut and where the original plastic was left.

That meant hours of painting and masking to get a smooth well done paint job of the lines, I was pushed for time and didn't want to do it this way. So what then was done was I went to Splash Gecko http://splashgecko.com.au/ where I have done work experience and with Signage Vinyl and board I used Flexisign to cut my design into the vinyl. This was laid on the corflute board with app tape-technical words! :) to allow the vinyl to be applied. I then cut out the holes for the switches and super glued and hot glued the switches in!

So a simple circuit diagram was not that simple!

Circuit diagram drawn in adobe illustrator, saved as a .BMP file for the Dr Engraver Software that works with CNC

Vinyl cut tracks, onto corflute sign panel, switches holes cut out manually.

The panel is then bolted to the sign of one of the moduls and can come off in transport and when the modules are placed away in the case.

Cheers
Mark