When it comes to creating new products, silicone rubber keypads are a popular choice for military devices. They can withstand the rugged environments that have become the expected design requirement standards for most military operations. Function and efficiency are always important elements in creating military keypad molding.
One element that is important in military keypad molding is the ability to attach silicone rubber products to polyester switches. This is a problem that once plagued the custom silicone molding industry. The type of adhesive typically used to put together various layers of products with keypads is acrylic. Unfortunately, traditional acrylic adhesive is not effective with silicone rubber keypads. Think of it in terms of putting transparent tape on a wet surface. It doesn’t stick. For many years, other methods had to be used to make sure that the keypads and the products would hold together. There were several mechanical solutions involved, such as screws and clips, that did the job. The problem was, they weren’t really cost-effective and they were somewhat time consuming.
Several years ago, SiTECH came up with a solution that took the time and money out of bonding with military keypad molding. It’s called Si Prime™. We use this coating with any 3M™ brand 350 series acrylic adhesive that’s Hi holding. The bond between the custom silicone molding and the surface are strong and reliable. it outperformed other adhesives in an independent lab test.
Once the Si Prime™ coating has been added, the bonding strength increases over time. Aside from military keypad manufacturing, SiTECH can use it on a variety of different products. One reason it works so well in rugged environments is because Si Prime™ can resist high humidity and extreme temperatures. It has a shelf life of two years.
Silicone rubber keypads can also function well in rugged environments, making those with cover pads or other items more useful in inhospitable conditions. Unlike plastic, the silicone rubber doesn’t become brittle and break easily. Unlike metal, silicone rubber doesn’t become so hot that it melts or burns other items around it.
To learn more about how you can use Si Prime™ with custom silicone molding from SiTECH, visit our Si Prime™ page of our website or contact our office at (757) 887-8488.
