EuroSynth Specification

Mechanical Specification

  1. Module panels should be a whole-number multiple of 1HP (5.08mm or 0.2"). HP, sometimes referred to as TE, stands for Horizontal Pitch.
  2. All panels should have 2 fixing points on the left-hand side of the panel and their dimensions and location are shown in the drawings below.
  3. Panels wider than 10HP should have an additional 2 fixing points on the right-hand side of the panel and their location is defined as a fixed number of HP from the left-hand fixing points
  4. Front panels should, in general, be 2.5mm in thickness. This will maintain a level of uniformity across the face of a system.

Click for larger image

To allow for manufacturing tolerances the table below details the 'Actual Panel Widths' for each size.

Front Panel Dimensions


Panel HP

Width

Actual Width

Centre Point

Fixing Point

1

5.08

5.00

2.50

NA

2

10.16

9.80

4.90

NA

3

15.24

14.90

7.45

NA

4

20.32

20.00

10.00

NA

5

25.40

25.10

12.55

NA

6

30.48

30.20

15.10

NA

7

35.56

35.30

17.65

NA

8

40.64

40.30

20.15

NA

9

45.72

45.40

22.70

NA

10

50.80

50.50

25.25

43.06

11

55.88

55.60

27.80

48.14

12

60.96

60.70

30.35

53.22

13

66.04

65.70

32.85

58.30

14

71.12

70.80

35.40

63.38

15

76.20

75.90

37.95

68.46

16

81.28

81.00

40.50

73.54

17

86.36

86.10

43.05

78.62

18

91.44

91.10

45.55

83.70

19

96.52

96.20

48.10

88.78

20

101.60

101.30

50.65

93.86

21

106.68

106.40

53.20

98.94

22

111.76

111.50

55.75

104.02

23

116.84

116.50

58.25

109.10

24

121.92

121.60

60.80

114.18

25

127.00

126.70

63.35

119.26

26

132.08

131.80

65.90

124.34

27

137.16

136.90

68.45

129.42

28

142.24

141.90

70.95

134.50

29

147.32

147.00

73.50

139.58

30

152.40

152.10

76.05

144.66

31

157.48

157.20

78.60

149.74

32

162.56

162.30

81.15

154.82

33

167.64

167.30

83.65

159.90

34

172.72

172.40

86.20

164.98

35

177.80

177.50

88.75

170.06

36

182.88

182.60

91.30

175.14

37

187.96

187.70

93.85

180.22

38

193.04

192.70

96.35

185.30

39

198.12

197.80

98.90

190.38

40

203.20

202.90

101.45

195.46

41

208.28

208.00

104.00

200.54

42

213.36

213.10

106.55

205.62

43

218.44

218.10

109.05

210.70

44

223.52

223.20

111.60

215.78

45

228.60

228.30

114.15

220.86

46

233.68

233.40

116.70

225.94

47

238.76

238.50

119.25

231.02

48

243.84

243.50

121.75

236.10

49

248.92

248.60

124.30

241.18

50

254.00

253.70

126.85

246.26

51

259.08

258.80

129.40

251.34

52

264.16

263.90

131.95

256.42

53

269.24

268.90

134.45

261.50

54

274.32

274.00

137.00

266.58

55

279.40

279.10

139.55

271.66

56

284.48

284.20

142.10

276.74

57

289.56

289.30

144.65

281.82

58

294.64

294.30

147.15

286.90

59

299.72

299.40

149.70

291.98

60

304.80

304.50

152.25

297.06

61

309.88

309.60

154.80

302.14

62

314.96

314.70

157.35

307.22

63

320.04

319.70

159.85

312.30

64

325.12

324.80

162.40

317.38

65

330.20

329.90

164.95

322.46

66

335.28

335.00

167.50

327.54

67

340.36

340.10

170.05

332.62

68

345.44

345.10

172.55

337.70

69

350.52

350.20

175.10

342.78

70

355.60

355.30

177.65

347.86

71

360.68

360.40

180.20

352.94

72

365.76

365.50

182.75

358.02

73

370.84

370.50

185.25

363.10

74

375.92

375.60

187.80

368.18

75

381.00

380.70

190.35

373.26

76

386.08

385.80

192.90

378.34

77

391.16

390.90

195.45

383.42

78

396.24

395.90

197.95

388.50

79

401.32

401.00

200.50

393.58

80

406.40

406.10

203.05

398.66

81

411.48

411.20

205.60

403.74

82

416.56

416.30

208.15

408.82

83

421.64

421.30

210.65

413.90

84

426.72

426.40

213.20

418.98

104

528.32

528.00

264.00

520.58

126

640.08

639.80

319.90

632.34

168

853.44

853.10

426.55

845.70

The industry standard EuroCard system (from which EuroRack was derived) uses an M2.5mm module fixing screw. EuroSynth, however, will remain with the M3 fixings found in most EuroRack systems. Ideally, the panel should have a slotted hole as shown here

This slotted hole allows for the inclusion of a nylon bushing that acts as a retainer for the Thumbscrews which are also the preferred module fixing option as they allow for quick and easy installation/removal of modules, do not require any tools and, being retentive, cannot be easily lost or misplaced.

Fonts

There some arguments in favour of unifying fonts across the EuroSynth platform to provide both an aesthetically pleasing 'look' to a system, as well as provide easy-to-read text for the various panel controls.

Currently, EuroSynth uses Arial Normal with the following font sizes:-


Module Code

Bold 10pt

Module Name

Bold 12pt

Manufacturer Name

Bold 8pt

Control Labels - Large

Normal 9.8pt

Control Labels - Small

Normal 8pt

Module Depths

The 19" sub-rack allows for modules up to 160mm deep. This still applies to many Tower-style EuroRack frames including our Construct-A-Rack Tower family.

There is, however, a growing trend towards shallower enclosures, often called skiffs. Although excessively shallow skiffs can create problems due to the limited internal space which can seriously impact of air-flow around the modules and any internal power supplies, as well as provide problems squeezing module cables in to the limited space, it is prudent to define an optimum module depth to assist with case manufacturers maximizing the internal layout and space for modules.

The EuroSynth specification proposes a nominal module depth of 60mm when measured from the inside face of the front panel to the most extreme point on the module. It is recognised though, that some modules will just not be able to meet this depth restriction, usually as a consequence of requiring a large number of circuit components while having narrow front panel.

PCB Dimensions

For modules using PCBs mounted parallel to the front panel, the maximum PCB width should be no greater than the HP width of the front panel minus 2mm and can be determined using the following simple formula :-

PCB width = (Panel Width (HP) * 5.08mm) – 2mm.

The maximum PCB height should be no greater than 110mm. This will ensure that the module can be installed in any 3U EuroCard compliant rack.

Email:  elby-designs@bigpond.com
© Copyright 2000. All rights reserved.     Revised: August 17, 2023