Silicone keypad design and assembly takes a lot of components, working parts, materials, coatings and inks to result in a cohesive unit ready for sale. Working with silicone is easier than with other materials due to its tactile yet durable construction. Let’s go over the ABCs of silicone keypad terminology that you should know.
A is for…
- Actuation Force:This is the force needed to collapse the web of a rubber keypad in conjunction with polydome, metal dome, mechanical switch or rubber.
- Air Channel:Air paths on the bottom of the rubber keypad allow air to pass through when you depress the rubber.
- Alignment Hole:Used to position keypad in enclosure, this is a through hole in rubber keypad construction.
B is for…
- Base Matte:Also known as mat, this is a silicone sheet material that connects all keys on a rubber keypad.
- Bezel:This is the plastic or metal faceplate or cover that secures a keypad to a printed circuit board or switch.
- Bosses: These aresmall posts used to positively align rubber keypads in bezels or assemblies.
C is for…
- Compression Set:This measures a material’s ability to recover its original size and shape after it has been compressed under prescribed conditions.
- Conductive Rubber:This is a silicone keypad that has been coated with conductive material.
- Color Matching:This is the visual and electronic analysis of a mixed silicone rubber material vs. a supplied color sample.
D is for…
- Diaphragm / Web:This is a thin hinged area that allows flexion of rubber keys.
- Durometer:This measures hardness of silicone rubber.
K is for…
- Key Height:This is the distance from the bottom of a keypad to the top surface of a key.
L is for…
- Legend:This is a printed graphic, such as symbol, letter or number, that appears on the top of the rubber surface.
- Life:This is how many actuations must occur before the rubber diaphragm or web ruptures.
R is for…
- Reversed-Out Graphics:These graphics allow rubber color or masking color to be visible through the top surface printing of a keypad.
P is for…
- Positive-image Graphics:This is single or multi-color printing on top of the key surface.
S is for…
- Stroke / Travel:This is the distance from the contact surface of a rubber part to a surface.
- Swell: This is an increase in volume of rubber when it comes into contact with petrochemicals for a set period of time.
T is for…
- Tactile Feel:This is the response of rubber while you are depressing the key. For tactile rubber keypads, this is an important function of diaphragm web geometry.
- Tear Strength:This measures the resistance of rubber to tear forces, calculated by dividing the maximum force load by the thickness of the rubber.
W is for…
- Wear or abrasion resistance:This is the resistance of a particular ink or coating to manual wear and tear, or the number of cycles that can be performed before wear is noticeable.
So now that you know the 21 keywords involved in silicone keypad assembly, you can understand the process our engineers go through to design and manufacture your silicone design. To learn more or to ask about our process, contact us at 757-887-8488.
