Why standard often reaches its limits.
Efficiency in panel construction
Reduce process costs
Plug & Play on the assembly line: Forget the complex assembly of cut-outs and the time-consuming individual wiring on site. We deliver your panel fully assembled, wired on the back and with a central connector (e.g. heavy-duty or M12 distributor) – including bus connection to your system.
Design excellence
Brand identity
The face of your machine: The panel is the first thing your customer touches. We realize front panels in your company colors, with backlit logos and customer-specific anodized or powder coatings. With front panel materials adapted to your application from V4A to glass.
Intuitive user guidance
Ergonomics
Haptics meets high-tech: We combine touch displays with physical operating elements wherever haptic operation is required or safety-relevant requirements exist. The optimal arrangement of the switches according to your ergonomic specifications ensures fatigue-free work.
Maximum resistance
Environmental protection
Tough: Whether IP69K for the food industry or robust aluminum for machine tool construction – we choose the material and sealing concept to suit your location.
From simple panels to complex HMI.
Level 1
Design finish, custom screen or digital printing, laser marking of functional descriptions, custom key colors.
Level 2
Functional integration, installation of displays, emergency stop devices, RFID readers or key switches incl. complete internal pre-wiring on terminal blocks or connectors.
Level 3
Full-Custom, System & Modular Bus Integration. Complete redesign and intelligent networking.
Full-Custom System & Modular Bus Integration
Complete redesign and intelligent networking.
When standard geometries and conventional point-to-point wiring reach their limits, we develop comprehensive system solutions. This includes:
Electronic backplanes: Development of customer-specific circuit boards for housing buttons and switches to rule out wiring errors and minimize the construction depth.
Modular bus system (Schlegel concept): [Insert LINK] Integration of an intelligent node structure directly in the panel. Instead of controlling each control device individually, we use a modular bus system with certified industrial bus nodes (e.g. AS-Interface, CANopen, Profibus/Profinet Ethernet IP, IO-Link or EtherCAT).
Simple expandability: The system grows with your requirements. Additional command points can be integrated through expansion modules in the system without re-issuing the entire panel.
Minimal wiring effort: Only one bus line and the power supply lead out of the panel. This saves space in the control cabinet and reduces susceptibility to errors during final assembly.
Diagnostic capability: Through the bus connection, you receive status information directly at your control level, which increases the maintenance friendliness of your system.
In 4 steps to a ready-to-install panel
Analysis & layout planning
In close cooperation with you, we plan your individual operating interface. In doing so, we clarify all hardware requirements internally, the optimal placement of the components, the constructive design from the front to the rear wall as well as the interfaces to your control system.
Output: Initial layout design & interface definition.
Engineering & Prototyping
The panel takes shape.We create the CAD construction and, on request, a 1:1 functional sample (or 3D printing) in the form of a functional prototype to enable the installation situation and haptics for initial tests on the machine or your system.
Output: 3D data for integration into your machine model.
Quality & Certification
Certified safety.Every panel is tested for electrical safety and leak-tightness. We support you in complying with all relevant standards. For every application, you receive a detailed data sheet for commissioning and for assigning the command points in the bus or cable harness.
Output: Test report & certificate of conformity.
Series delivery & Logistics
Just-in-time to your assembly line.We produce your individual panel in series – including 100% final testing of all switching functions. Delivered ready to install, packed in standards of the electronics industry.
Output: Your finished custom HMI.You already have a housing and only need the assembled front panel? No problem. Our process scales with your needs – from sub-components to the overall system.
"The SCHLEGEL product series enables us to have individual control panels with standardized bus interfaces in an attractive design. Thanks to SCHLEGEL's innovative strength – also thanks to the professional cooperation for many years – an excellent solution for our SW control panels could be developed."
FAQ - Answers to your most important questions
What data is required for a custom application for an initial offer?
- Dimensions of the front structure by means of a rough sketch
- Number and design of the command devices
- The desired bus system or system connection
- Demand
From what quantity is a custom panel worthwhile?
Thanks to modern manufacturing processes such as CNC milling and digital printing in combination with 3D printing, individual front panels are economical from quantities as low as 1. For fully assembled and wired systems, the one-off engineering costs usually pay for themselves even with small series of 5–10 units per year through massive savings in your internal assembly time.
Which materials are available for the front panels?
We primarily manufacture front panels from aluminum (anodized or powder-coated), stainless steel (ground or bead-blasted) as well as various plastics and glass. The choice of material depends on the required chemical resistance, the mechanical stress and the cleaning cycles in your industry.
Are the panels delivered ready-wired for connection?
Yes, our spectrum ranges from a conventionally wired design with a cable harness and industrial-grade connector to a complex system connection via standardized industrial bus systems – so that the panel only needs to be connected to the machine.
How are labels and logos applied?
Depending on the requirements, we use multi-color sub-anodized printing (solvent-resistant), UV digital printing (for multi-color logos), laser engraving (abrasion-resistant) or classic engravings with color inlay. We choose the process to match the desired service life and the environmental conditions.
Can third-party components be integrated?
Yes. We install both our own command devices and components, displays or controls from other manufacturers selected by you. In this case, we take over the mechanical integration and, on request, also the electrical system integration.
How is the IP protection class ensured?
Depending on the design, sealing is achieved via circumferential seals (e.g. foam rubber or silicone), flat adhesive connections or special sealing frames for built-in components. We check compliance with the protection classes (e.g. IP65 or IP67) through standardized in-house test procedures.
Will I receive a sample before series production?
After technical fine-tuning, you have the option of ordering a prototype or a release unit to validate the fit, haptics and system connection to your machine.
How do you handle changes during the product life cycle?
Due to the 100% in-house development of the operating unit, all product-specific data is directly available. Adjustments can be implemented agilely and batch-specifically. We maintain version management to ensure the reproducibility of your specific configuration.
Can different interfaces be integrated into custom solutions?
Yes, Schlegel supports various bus systems and interfaces, e.g. Profibus, AS-Interface, IO-Link, CANopen, EtherCAT, Profinet, Ethernet_IP or even custom conventional wiring.
