PDP-11/44 Front Panel Variants

[NF6X]

In my pile of PDP-11/44 chassis, I noticed that one of their front panels is different from the others. Its metal backing wraps around the edges of the plastic panel, and it has "-01" added to the end of its part number. I wonder why this design change was made?



More pictures are on my web page: http://www.nf6x.net/2014/01/pdp-1144-front-panel-variants/

 

[tradde]

In my pile of PDP-11/44 chassis, I noticed that one of their front panels is different from the others. Its metal backing wraps around the edges of the plastic panel, and it has "-01" added to the end of its part number. I wonder why this design change was made?

View attachment 17003

More pictures are on my web page: http://www.nf6x.net/2014/01/pdp-1144-front-panel-variants/

My 11/84 has the same front panel wraps as the 11/44 -01 version.

 

[NF6X]

Thank you for your data point. I wonder whether it was just a design revision to prevent the panel from getting broken when handling the heavy unit, or if it was done for some specific application? I may be making a big deal about a trivial thing, but I'm just curious.

 

[tradde]

Thank you for your data point. I wonder whether it was just a design revision to prevent the panel from getting broken when handling the heavy unit, or if it was done for some specific application? I may be making a big deal about a trivial thing, but I'm just curious.

I am thinking it was added
to protect the edges of the panel. I've never thought about iy.

 

[NF6X]

I doubt I would have even made note of it if I didn't have chassis with and without the edge guard sitting in the same pile. It just made me wonder whether there's anything special/different about one style vs. the other that old hands might know about.