Membrane Switches

KEYPADS: Membrane Switches

We have a long-term experience in customized membrane switches of over 30 years. So please invited to our experience and know-how in this field and kindly contact us for your project.

Membrane switches are a widely used switch technology in the electronic industry and you will find it in all kind of applications such as industrial, automotive, measurement, medicine, military, agriculture, consumer products and many other applications.
The membrane switches have a very thin and economic design. You can get it in all shapes, graphic design and colours as per your requirements.

A membrane switch typically has 4 or more layers. The upper layer (overlay) of a membrane switch is the graphic interface between the user and the machine. This layer material is normally PET or PC and it is transparent. On the bottom of this layer is a printing as per customer designs.
The keys on this upper layer could be embossed like rim, pillow, dome, multi-level emboss or with epoxy on key. Also possible is an epoxy on each key to get a better tactile feeling.

In some applications an ESD shield is needed this can be done by silver/carbon printing over the top of the circuit or an aluminum foil layer.

The middle layer is a spacer layer also to fix the metal domes which generate the click feeling. With the metal domes you can vary the actuation force. Alternative you can do polydomes if requested.

The other critical layer is a printed circuit layer. This layer can be made of PET, FPC or PCB. Contact between two traces can be made through a printed shorting pad in the key area on the upper layer or through a metal dome that stands on legs.
Due to front foil you can integrate viewing windows. In general membrane switches can also backlighted by EL-foils nowadays by Light Guide Films (LGF) with LEDs. Signal LEDs also can be integrated on the circuit layer.

Nowadays you can get membrane switches in combination with a silicone keypad, so you have the haptics of the silicone keypad and the advantage of a membrane switch like contact over a tail.
Features:

  • High reliability and a long lifetime (>1 000 0000 clicks possible)
  • Flexible design (size colour, printing, embossing)
  • Clear windows can be integrated
  • Backlighting possible
  • Signal LED`s could be integrated
  • High precision silk-screen printing
  • Very thin/compact structure
  • Contact by tail with different connectors (ZIF, Pinheader, Female, ...)
  • 3M adhesive materials
  • Up to IP68 protection possible

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