Instrument Panel

[blakrapter]

Hello everyone. I found eMachineShop a long time ago and have been waiting on a project that I can use them with. Well, I *might* have one now.

I am trying to create an instrument panel for a vehicle. I am building a vehicle for wheelchair access and of course everything is automated, therefore, I have a LOT of switches. We plan to fill one of the pockets in the center console for the switch/instrument panel. Ideally, I would like to have the switch labels transulcent white with the panel face black. This would allow me to put a light behind it and the text would light up at night just like the factory dash does.

The proper way to do this is screen printing as far as I can tell. However, the first quote offered was more than I want to pay. This is a one off project, so setup costs are high. I considered laser or water jet cutting a thin sheet of metal with the letters and then placing the translucent white plastic behind it for a similar effect. But I am afraid the cut radius will be too large. The letters are only 1/8" tall, making most of the letter "bodies" only 0.020" thick...

What do you think? What is my best option?

Thanks!

[Tech2]

The only thing I can think of that might satisfy your requirements and price goal is to use photo chemical milling or waterjet to create the text light mask although you would have to use stencil-style letters. Waterjet might be lower cost but has a kerf width of about .03 which for .125 high letters would require use of the rounded Mill font.