Maker Panel Specification¶

The Maker Panel specification defines a modular panel system for maker projects. Inspired by the Eurotrack synthesizer standard, Maker Panel adapts the concept for general-purpose control panels using standard T-slot rails with M5/M6 twist nuts for mounting.

Design Philosophy¶

Maker Panel prioritizes:

Modularity: Panels can be easily added, removed, or rearranged
Compatibility: Standard dimensions ensure all compliant panels work together
Accessibility: Open specification allows anyone to design panels
Flexibility: T-slot rails enable tool-free mounting and repositioning with standard M5/M6 nuts

Visual Guide¶

Panel Dimension System¶

WIDTH (HP Units)
├─ 1 HP = 5.08 mm (0.200")
│
├─ 4 HP  = 20.32 mm  ┌──────┐
├─ 6 HP  = 30.48 mm  ├──────────┐
├─ 8 HP  = 40.64 mm  ├──────────────┐
├─ 12 HP = 60.96 mm  ├──────────────────────┐
├─ 16 HP = 81.28 mm  ├──────────────────────────────┐
└─ 20+ HP configurable


HEIGHT (U Units)
│
├─ 1U = 44.45 mm (1.750")    ┌─────────┐
│  (Unit spacing)            │         │
│                            │ Compact │
│                            │  Panel  │
│
├─ 3U Panel  = 128.5 mm      ┌──────────────┐
│  (5.059" panel height)     │              │
│                            │  Standard    │
├─ 3U Space = 133.35 mm      │  Panel       │
│  (5.250" rail spacing)     │              │
│                            │              │
│                            │              │
│                            │              │
│
└─ Custom heights available

Panel Depth Profile¶

FRONT FACE (Bezel)
        ↓
        ┌─────────────────────────────────┐
        │                                 │  ↑
        │  [Control Elements]             │  │ 60mm MAX
        │  0 0 0  [Indicators]            │  │ Depth Limit
        │  o o o  [Connectors]            │  ↓
        │                                 │
        └─────────────────────────────────┘
                        │
                    ────┴──── 10mm min clearance behind panel
                        │
            ┌───────────┴───────────┐
            │   PCB / Electronics   │
            │   (fits within 60mm)  │
            └───────────┬───────────┘

T-Slot Rail Mounting System¶

              M3/M4 Screw (typical)
                     ↓
              ┌───────────────┐
            ┌─┤   T-Nut       ├─┐
            │ └───────────────┘ │
            │   Panel Mounting  │
            │        ↓          │
        ┌───┴───────────────────┴───┐
        │    PANEL (3mm max)        │
        │  0    [Elements]     0    │
        │                           │
        └───────────────────────────┘

Panel on Rail Assembly¶

SIDE VIEW - PANEL MOUNTED ON RAIL SYSTEM

            ┌─────────────┐
            │ Top Rail    │
            └─────────────┘
                  │
    ┌─────┬───────┴──────┬─────┐
    │ T-Nut   T-Nut    T-Nut   │
    │     ^        ^        ^  │
    │ ┌───┴────────┴────────┴───┐
    │ │      Panel (3U)         │
    │ │   ┌─────────────────┐   │
    │ │   │ 0 0 0 0 0       │   │  ↑
    │ │   │ [CONTROLS]      │   │  │ 128.5mm
    │ │   │ 0 0 0 0 0       │   │  │ (3U Panel)
    │ │   │ 0 0 0 0 0       │   │  ↓
    │ │   └─────────────────┘   │
    │ └───┬────────┬────────┬───┘
    │     v        v        v  │
    │ T-Nut   T-Nut    T-Nut   │
    └─────┴──────┬───────┴─────┘
                 │
            ┌─────────────┐
            │Bottom Rail  │
            └─────────────┘

    ↑                           ↑
    └─── 133.35mm (3U Spacing) ─┘
         (Rail mounting centers)

    ← 5.08mm → (1 HP width unit)

Mechanical Specifications¶

Panel Dimensions¶

Width¶

Panels follow a horizontal pitch (HP) system:

1 HP = 5.08 mm (0.200 inches)
Common panel widths: 4 HP, 6 HP, 8 HP, 12 HP, 16 HP, 20 HP, 24 HP
Panels can be any multiple of 1 HP

Height¶

Standard panel heights:

1U = 44.45 mm (1.750 inches) - Unit spacing
3U Panel = 128.5 mm (5.059 inches) - Standard panel height (allows 2.5mm clearance per rail)
3U Spacing = 133.35 mm (5.250 inches) - Rail mounting centers (3 × 1U)
Custom heights are allowed but should maintain T-slot compatibility

Depth¶

Standard panel depth: 60 mm from front surface
Recommended clearance behind panel: 10 mm minimum

Maker Panel Rack System¶

Unlike traditional Eurotrack which uses grooved rails, Maker Panel uses standard T-slot rails with M5/M6 twist nuts for mounting. This approach enables tool-free, repositionable mounting while using widely available, off-the-shelf components.

Rack Specifications¶

Rails are designed to work in both orientations (horizontal cross beams or vertical side rails):

Slot height: 6.2 mm (0.244 inches) - Accepts 3mm panels with clearance
Slot width: 19.125 mm (0.753 inches) - Half of 1U minus support width [(44.45 - 6.2) / 2]
Support width: 6.2 mm (0.244 inches) - Structural support between slots
Support spacing: 44.45 mm (1.750 inches) - 1U intervals, creates two slots per U
Rail material: Laser Cut Metal or Plastic or 3D Printed
Rail height: 11mm

Design rationale: Slots spaced at 1U intervals (44.45mm) work for both vertical structural support and horizontal panel mounting. For horizontal rails, panels mount across multiple slots. For vertical rails, the 1U spacing provides consistent mounting points.

Rail Configurations¶

A rail consists of alternating slots and supports, with supports spaced every 1U (44.45mm). This creates two slots per 1U interval. Optional mounting holes can be added on either side for structural assembly.

The same rail design works for both cross beams (horizontal) and side beams (vertical): - Cross beams: Panels mount horizontally across multiple slots, aligning with HP widths - Side beams: Vertical mounting uses 1U-spaced slots for consistent panel positioning

Rails are used for sides and cross beams, while panels are mounted between cross beams.

Rail as cross beam (horizontal orientation)

              Rail 
             Height                    < Slot width: 19.125mm >
            <  |   >                   
    ↑       ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
            │      ┌───────────────┐  ┌───────────────┐  ┌───────────────┐      │      ↑
Rail Height │  0   │               │  │               │  │               │  0   │  Slot Height
            │      └───────────────┘  └───────────────┘  └───────────────┘      │  6.2mm
    ↓       └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘      ↓
                                   <  >
                                  Support
                               Width: 6.2mm
                   < --------- 44.45mm (1U) --------->
                   (Support + Slot + Support + Slot)

Rail as Side Beam (vertical orientation)

  Rail 
 Height              Support: 6.2mm
<  |   >                  ↓
┌──────┐               ← ─ ─ →
│ ┌──┐ │ ←────┐          ↑
│ │  │ │      │      19.125mm
│ │  │ │     Slot     (Slot
│ │  │ │     Width     Width)
│ │  │ │      │          ↓
│ └──┘ │ ←────┘       ← ─ ─ →
│      │ ← Support (6.2mm)
│ ┌──┐ │              ↑ 44.45mm ↓
│ │  │ │              ↓  (1U)   ↑
│ │  │ │             ← ─ ─ →
│ │  │ │
│ │  │ │
│ └──┘ │
│      │ ← Support (6.2mm)
│ ┌──┐ │              
│ │  │ │
│ │  │ │
│ │  │ │
│ │  │ │
│ └──┘ │
│      │
└──────┘

Pattern repeats every 1U (44.45mm) with two slots per U interval

Mounting Hardware¶

              M3/M4 Screw (typical)
                     ↓
              ┌───────────────┐
            ┌─┤   T-Nut       ├─┐
            │ └───────────────┘ │
            │   Panel Mounting  │
            │        ↓          │
        ┌───┴───────────────────┴───┐
        │    PANEL (3mm max)        │
        │  0  0  [Elements]  0      │
        │                           │
        └───────────────────────────┘

T-slot compatible nuts (M5/M6 twist nuts or drop-in style)
Standard M3 or M4 screws for panel attachment
Panels should include mounting slots or holes compatible with T-slot spacing (25 mm centers)

Panel Material¶

Recommended materials:

Aluminum: 2mm-3mm thickness (most common)
FR4/PCB: 1.6mm thickness (for electronic panels)
Acrylic/Polycarbonate: 3mm thickness (for transparent panels)
3D Printed: PLA, PETG, or ABS (ensure adequate rigidity)

Electrical Specifications¶

Power Distribution¶

Maker Panel does not mandate a specific power distribution system, but common options include:

Bus strips behind panels (e.g., +12V, GND, -12V for analog circuits)
USB-C PD distribution
Individual power connections per panel

Connectors¶

Recommended connector types:

Qwiic/StemmaQT: For I²C low-current signals
Screw terminals: For power connections
USB-C: For highspeed data and power connections

Design Guidelines¶

Clearances¶

Minimum edge clearance: 2 mm from panel edges
Mounting hole clearance: 3 mm diameter minimum for M3 screws
Component clearance: Ensure no component extends beyond maximum depth

Labeling¶

Use clear, legible labeling for controls and connections
Recommended minimum font size: 8pt for labels
Consider silkscreen, engraving, or UV printed labels

Aesthetics¶

While aesthetics are subjective, consider:

Consistent visual design across your panel set
Alignment of controls and indicators
Professional finish (smooth edges, no sharp corners)

File Format Standards¶

When sharing panel designs, include:

Mechanical drawings: KiCAD, DXF or SVG format
3D models: OpenSCAD, 3MF, STEP, or STL format
Electrical Schematics: KiCad format
Bill of Materials (BOM): Markdown tables
Assembly instructions: Markdown

Compliance Checklist¶

To be Maker Panel-compliant, your panel should:

[x] Use width in HP units (1 HP = 5.08 mm)
[x] Include T-slot compatible mounting points (M5/M6)
[x] Not exceed 60 mm depth from front face
[x] Have 2 mm minimum edge clearance
[x] Include clear labeling
[x] Provide mechanical drawings in open format
[x] Document any electrical specifications

Variations and Extensions¶

The Maker Panel specification is intentionally flexible. Variations are encouraged as long as they maintain basic compatibility:

Custom heights: For specific applications
Extended depth: For complex assemblies (document clearly)
Integrated systems: Multi-panel assemblies
Powered rails: Custom power distribution systems

Reference Designs¶

See the Gallery for example panels that follow this specification.

Questions and Clarifications¶

For questions about the specification or to propose extensions:

Open an issue on the GitHub repository
Contribute to the discussion in existing issues
Submit pull requests for specification improvements

Version: 1.0
Last Updated: February 2026
Maintained by: Ranch Hand Robotics and the Maker Panel community