At Superior Aircraft Components we do everything in-house.  Our instrument panels are all  Designed, Cut, Powder Coated and Printed all in-house.  We also produce thermoformed replacement plastics right here at our facility.  Everything is don here on site, even our advanced mold making process.

Superior Aircraft Components has been making Instrument panels since 2018.  

The best software for panel design often depends on specific needs and preferences. AutoCAD is widely used for its precision and versatility in creating detailed designs. Other popular options include Panel Planner, which is tailored for aviation panel design, and Hangar Flying, which integrates various design features. Evaluating the needs of your project and exploring trial versions can help determine which software is the best fit for you. Other CAD software can be used however compatibility may be limited with other software or production machinery. This is another reason we prefer AutoCAD.

The first step is to request a Quote, once you receive a quote for your panel it will be valid for approval for 90 days. Once approved we will send an invoice for 20% of the total. After your deposit is received we will start your design within 2 weeks workload permitting. When your panel is ready to ship you will receive your final invoice.

We will install all radio rails and other riveted parts before we powder coat and ship your new panel. We use aluminum angle for radio rails and offer slotted rails at an additional cost. If you require special rails like Quickrax or RadioRax you must inform us and supply them for us to attach during the process.

We suggest you discuss this with our installing AP/IA. Your panel will be shipped without mounting holes so you can achieve the best fit possible. Out powder coat finish can be safely drilled without damage to the finish. See our how to here.

We will send you a PDF drawing for you to review and approve before we manufacture your new instrument panel. To keep your project moving the most efficiently we suggest reviewing your project in it’s entirety and submit all revisions at one time. Submitting revision individually can result in additional use of time and additional cost. Once your CAD hours have been used. We will send you an email informing you that you have run out of time and each additional revision will be $150 to be added to your final bill.

We print all text and graphics on your panel using the latest direct to substrate printing technology. Anything you see on your computer screen can printed on the panel. Colors may vary since each screen will display colors a little different and the printer uses ink and not light to produce it’s image.

Your panel will be manufactured from 6061 T6 Aluminum for it’s stiffness and corrosion resistance. Upper panels will be manufactured from .090 and lowers form .050. Unless otherwise requested. We have .020, .032, .040, .050, .063, .090, .125 in stock.

We typically ship your panel within a few days of approval. The design process is dependent on several factors it can be accomplished in as little as a week or as long as a year.

No, we do not color match however we can help you choose a color that is very close. Since we use powder coat color matching is expensive and time consuming. However, we have access to over 6000 colors and we are sure to fine something that work.

Yes, however, you will need to provide the hardware you would like powder coated. Due to the various sizes, and lengths we do not stock hardware other than what we use in-house

No, unfortunately acrylics occasionally get damage during shipping. The good news is that a piece of tape is usually all it takes to continue fitting your panel. However if your acrylic is severely damaged then you may need a replacement.

Yes, our process is very accurate and acrylics sent back for scanning will match your corrections with a high degree of precision. We even cut test cardboard panels to ensure the scan matches your corrections. We encourage you to take your time and be precise with marking or modifying your acrylic test panel.

The acrylic is the perfect time to notify us of corrections needed. If the changes are simple you can mark up the pdf drawing and email back to your designer. For more complex revisions you can send the acrylic test panel back to us for scanning and revision.

The best way to assure a proper fit is to request an acrylic test panel. This will allow you to check the profile fit as well as any instrumentation and interferences in the aircraft.

Due to our high quality standards most panels will be rejected. Our process focuses on high quality production that is difficult to match without the right equipment. For example rivets that are visible are not acceptable. Metal that is not flat on top can not be accepted due to our printers requirements. Hand cut panels are not acceptable as they will need to be reverse engineered to make a digital copy enabling accurate printing.

You are welcome to send CAD files for our team to review. In most cases we will still need to modify your files to work with our process. For example, cutting programs, Powder Coat tolerances, and our printing methods, etc. In our experience it doesn’t save much time if any so the cost is usually the same.

We manufacture instrument panels for all planes. We have over 700 aircraft templates and 3000 instruments; if we do not have your plane in our database, one of our AutoCAD designers can design it for you. You may also send in your old panel and we will scan it into our system using our large format 2D scanner

Although we have done thousands of panels for virtually every model aircraft, each install is custom for the equipment you are installing. Also, every plane is a little different as they were all built by hand with different options even within the same make and model.

You can start designing your panel at anytime, however, detail drawings can not be produced before your plan arrives at the avionics shop. Your installer will have suggestions and will know what specific equipment will be used for your particular install.