Years ago, instrument manufacturers adopted the DIN standard for panel mounted instruments, with standardized panel cutout dimensions for controllers, recorders, and other boxed mechanical devices.

And while the cut-outs are a standard size, the area occupied by the instrument’s bezel, its footprint, is not. Some bezels extend quite far beyond the cut-out, others barely extend beyond the cutout. 

So, you need to pay attention to both the cutout and bezel specs when you’re planning a first-time install or a replacement upgrade. A designer who lays out a panel needs to be aware of how close one panel mounted instrument can be to another.

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