Capabilities
From the first sketch to a tested, ready-to-install panel: design, laser engraving, backlighting, assembly, wiring and testing all happen in our own workshop in the Netherlands.
Everything under one roof
Most control panels pass through several suppliers: someone draws it, someone else cuts and engraves it, and the wiring is done at the yard. Every hand-over is a chance for mistakes and delays.
At Dashtech the whole chain is in one workshop. The engineer who draws your panel follows it through engraving, assembly, wiring and testing. That keeps communication short, quality consistent and lead times predictable, whether you order one panel or a series of fifty.
In-house capabilities
Design and engineering
Layout, electrical design and 3D visualisation, revised until you approve it.
Laser engraving
Sharp, permanent text, symbols and logos on acrylic, aluminium and stainless steel.
Backlighting
Even, dimmable illumination in any colour, with RGB and blackout options.
Assembly
Switches, breakers, chargers, gauges and sockets fitted and secured.
Wiring
Numbered leads, harnesses, terminal strips, fuse boxes and bus bars.
Testing and documentation
Every circuit tested; every panel supplied with its wiring diagram.
1. Design and engineering
Every project starts with a drawing. We work from whatever you have: a photo of the current panel, a cardboard template, a hand sketch, a DWG file or a list of functions.
- Layout advice: grouping by function, logical order, room to grow
- Electrical design: loads, protection and cable sizes per circuit
- 3D visualisation so you see the panel before it is made
- Revisions until the design is exactly right
- Approved designs stored for repeat orders and spare panels
For boat and vehicle builders we can work from your CAD data and align panels with your styling, colours and logo across a model range.
2. Laser engraving
All text, symbols and logos are laser engraved. The result is crisp, permanent marking that does not fade in sunlight, peel off or wear away with cleaning.
On Reverso acrylic panels we engrave the rear face. The marking sits behind the surface, so it cannot be felt on the front and is fully protected from wear, fuel and cleaning agents. Aluminium and stainless steel panels are engraved on the front.
Any font, any symbol and your own logo are possible, at no extra cost per character.
3. Backlighting
A backlit panel is readable at night without a torch and looks finished in every light. Behind rear-engraved acrylic we fit an opal diffuser, so the light is spread evenly across every label instead of showing bright spots.
- Any colour, matched to the LED rings of the switches
- Dimmable, so the helm stays dark at night
- RGB on request, switchable between colours
- Blackout mode for operational and defence use
The LED rings of the push buttons can show switch status: lit when on, dimmed or off when not in use.
4. Panel materials
The material sets the look of the panel and where it can be used. We help you choose based on location, exposure and the finish of the surrounding area.
- HiGloss Reverso, 5 mm
- Deep gloss, rear engraved, backlighting possible, all colours
- UniMatte Reverso, 6 mm
- Matt, resistant to fingerprints and scratches, backlighting possible
- Dash Line Elite Gloss, 4–10 mm
- Gloss surface, matt engraving, no backlighting
- Dash Line Elite Matte, 4–8 mm
- Matt surface, black engraving, no backlighting
- Anodised aluminium, 2–4 mm
- Rigid, suited to large panels, backlighting possible
- Brushed stainless steel 316
- For the most demanding conditions, laser engraved
Finishes and colours
5. Components and assembly
We build with NorTide Marine components, chosen for sealing, current rating and a consistent look across the whole panel. Everything is fitted, aligned and tightened in the workshop.
What we integrate
Push buttons
IP67, stainless or black, LED ring in five colours, latching or momentary, up to 20 A without relays.
Push buttons with breaker
Switch and thermal circuit breaker in one housing: 5, 10 or 15 A.
Circuit protection
Panel-mounted thermal breakers, glass fuse holders or a separate fuse box.
Charging and power
USB-C and USB-A chargers, 12V sockets.
Monitoring
Voltmeters, tank gauges and alarm buzzers, for example for a bilge alarm.
Your own equipment
Openings for displays, radios, engine instruments and controls from any brand.
6. Wiring
A panel can be supplied at the level of preparation that suits your project, from a bare panel for your own electrician to a complete plug-and-play unit.
- Bare panel with common negative
- Input leads to an existing fuse box
- Fuse box and wiring
- Terminal strip and wiring harness
- Fuse box, terminal strip and harness
- Complete with fuse box, terminal strip and bus bars
Wiring is done by hand with tinned marine cable, with each lead numbered to match the diagram. Harnesses are bundled and finished neatly, so the back of the panel is as tidy as the front.
7. Testing and documentation
Before a panel leaves the workshop, every circuit is checked: each switch, breaker, indicator and light, under power. Faults are found on the bench, not on board.
Every panel is supplied with a wiring diagram showing each numbered lead, its function and its protection. That makes installation straightforward and saves time later when something needs to be traced or added.
The process
Request
Send dimensions, a photo, sketch or DWG and a list of functions.
Proposal
Layout proposal and an itemised, fixed price.
Design approval
Digital design and 3D view, revised until you approve.
Production
Laser engraving, assembly and wiring in our workshop.
Test and delivery
Every circuit tested; shipped with its wiring diagram.
Production
- One-off panels
- For refits, prototypes and individual boats or vehicles
- Series production
- Per model for boat, vehicle and machine builders
- Repeat orders
- Identical to the approved design, stored indefinitely
- Prototype
- First article for approval before series production
- Voltage
- 12 V and 24 V DC
- Shipping
- Throughout Europe and beyond
Lead times
Lead times start once the final design has been approved.
- Standard
- Up to 4 working weeks (average 3)
- Spring season (April – June)
- Up to 5 working weeks
- Express
- 2.5 weeks, +25%
- Extreme
- 1 week, +50%
Frequently asked questions
Can you work from my existing panel?
Yes. A photo with the outer dimensions and the position of the mounting holes is usually enough. We reproduce the outline so the new panel fits the existing opening.
Which file formats do you accept?
DWG, DXF and PDF drawings, as well as photos, sketches and cardboard templates.
Can I see the panel before it is made?
Yes. You receive a digital design, and on request a 3D view. Nothing is produced until you approve it.
Can you match the colours of my boat or brand?
We can match backlighting and LED colours, and choose panel material and colour to suit the surrounding finish. Your logo can be engraved in the panel.
Do you supply panels without wiring?
Yes. Every level is possible, from a bare engraved panel to a fully wired unit with fuse box and bus bars.
Can you build larger series?
Yes. Approved designs are stored and every order is identical, which suits boat and vehicle builders ordering per model.
Discuss your project
Send us a drawing, a sketch or a photo of your current panel. You will speak directly with the engineer who designs your panel.