misc. modular hardware

[Feifer]

Okay, so I don't know what this piece is called, so I couldn't do a search for it, but I've seen on a lot of modulars when they've been put in a case they have some kind of railing that holds 2 face plates together. Seems like a good idea, like it would keep it from flexing a little and protect the edge. Can someone tell me what this piece is and where I can get it?
Thanks

ps... example here

[Tim Servo]

Unless I miss my guess, what you're actually seeing is a bent over 'lip' along the edges of each face panel rather than a separate piece. On the larger 5U panels like you've shown here, that bend really helps make the panel stiffer and helps eliminate flexing. The black portion and lettering on the panel is usually created with a photochemical or anodizing / etching process, and then panels are drilled and formed after that process. The area where the panel is bent to form the lip is usually left uncoated because the black coating would show small cracks after the edges were bent over. Some manufacturers also use the lips as a bracket to hold the PCB (I do the same thing with my home brew 3U panels - works great).

Cheers,

Tim (and a stiff panel is a happy panel) Servo

[elektro80]

Yup... the panel is bent..

Blank panels: http://synthesizers.com/q131.html

Those lips on each side are indeed making the panels much stiffer.

You can see such a panel better here:

( from the synthesizers.com site )