A320 WX panel

Update March 16: I have created a version of the top panel which is optimized for backlighting. It can be found under the profile “Top panel – optimized for backlighting”. This new version reduces the thickness of the blue/grey layer and adds a thin black layer to reduce light bleeding. Then a third transparent layer is added to act as a diffusor for the light. This achieves a much more even lighting of all the text of the panel. To print this new version of the panel, you need an AMS with blue/grey for the top layer, black and white as well as transparent PLA. The grey layer in the file has to be printed with transparent PLA! The profile is for a 0.2mm nozzle but can also be printed using a 0.4mm nozzle.

This is an A320 WX panel for flight simulation. This panel can be made fully functional and integrated into the simulator using Mobiflight. Backlighting is also possible as the panel includes a hole for a DC jack to connect an LED lightstrip.

It is possible to print everything using a 0.4mm nozzle. If you want finer details on the upper panel, then it is recommended to print the upper panel with a 0.2mm nozzle (see second print profile).

To make this a fully functional panel, you need the following things:

• 2 10K potentiometers

  https://de.aliexpress.com/item/1005006226961042.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.17.6f6b1802idGqA8&gatewayAdapt=glo2deu

• 1 rotary switch (1 pole 8)

  https://de.aliexpress.com/item/4000700243796.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.11.6f6b1802idGqA8&gatewayAdapt=glo2deu

• 1 3-pin ON-ON locking toggle switch (Salecom T8013) for the PWS switch and 1 3-pin ON-OFF-ON locking toggle switch (Salecom T8014) for the SYS switch. (diameter ¼ inch)

  https://de.aliexpress.com/item/1005001356175064.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.82.438a1802hnaJML&gatewayAdapt=glo2deu

• 2 3-pin ON-ON standard handle toggle switch (Salecom T8013) for the MULTISCANS and GCS switch (diameter 6.35mm)

  https://de.aliexpress.com/item/1005007756051814.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.77.438a1802hnaJML&gatewayAdapt=glo2deu

To connect the upper panel with the bottom panel, you first need to glue the 8 white locks to the upper panel using super-glue (see picture). The halo rings have to be printed in transparent PLA and they fit into the holes for the switches (no glue required). After fixing the locks, the upper and lower panels can be clipped together.

For further assembly instructions please refer to the exceptional YouTube channel „The Cockpit Printer“ (this is not my channel but I can highly recommend). There you can see how to wire the panel and connect it to the simulator using an Arduino and Mobiflight and also how you can add backlighting to the panel.

To successfully print the upper panel with a 0.4mm nozzle, you must ensure very good first layer adhesion, because the initial layer width is reduced to 0.35mm in order to get finer text. If you struggle to print the top panel, then try to reduce the initial layer width in the Quality tab to 0.5mm (default value). It is recommended to print the panel with a layer height of 0.2mm in High Quality mode.

Credit goes out to both “The Cockpit Printer” on Youtube and Patreon for his excellent tutorials on how to create A320 panels and also to Mark Ayton (MANTOGA) for letting me use his WX panel knobs in my design. Please check out his other awesome A320 print files here on Makerworld and at https://www.printables.com/@MANTOGA_180331.