How to Buy Rubber Keypad Switch

Over the years, the technology used in manufacturing machine components has undergone significant alterations. A rubber keypad switch is an electromechanical device widely put into operation as an alternative to a conventional plastic keypad switch used in equipment. The device is one of many critical phases of the human-machine interface for control systems and equipment.

It serves the increasingly specialized demands of industrial applications. End-users and commercial industries equally like it as a reliable and economical switching solution. Let us briefly look into their make and applications, and why they have replaced the traditional plastic keypad switches.

How is a Rubber Keypad Switch made?

The technology is such a switch that incorporates the compression molding characteristics of rubber. On pressing the button, the webbing uniformly bends, and the user feels a tactile and tangible touch. When the user removes his finger from the switch, the rubber webbing gets back to its neutral position responding positively.

A tactile layer is placed in between the rubber keypad and the printed circuit board layer to give an excellent tactile touch even with small buttons and marginal travel distances to achieve a good tactile feel.

How a Rubber Keypad Switch Works?

This gadget incorporates webbing material made of flexible yet durable and robust rubber around a center switch called an elastomeric keypad switch. The switch button lies on the top of the keypad. There is a conductive contact below the button, and below this contact, is a graphic circuit (also called a printed circuit board) contact separated with air.

Every button on a rubber keypad features rubber netting integrated around the printed circuit board, forming a bubble around the exterior. Such a bonding makes the button to act as an electric switch and crop an adaptable human-machine interface.

When the user presses the switch's surface on the keypad, it causes the webbing material to bend so that the switch’s conductive contact connects the graphic circuit contact. When this happens, the keypad detects and indexes this act as a button press.

The switch is made waterproof and supports backlighting and laser engraved graphics. It saves a lot of costs too. Due to such qualities, users prefer it over other materials such as hard plastic. Several industries engaged in automotive, agriculture, aerospace, manufacturing, medical, and even retail are using rubber keypad switch. That means this product is adaptable to almost any environment.

Buying Guide 

In general understanding, a switch is an electromechanical component in any appliance that makes or breaks an electric circuit. Buyers today come across a fantastic variety of selections in electromechanical components that incorporate the type of device and ergonomic reflections such as size, formation, and tactile feel.

But choosing the best solution requires considering various factors that may affect the product’s application, life, and cost-effectiveness.

 Working Environment

You should always take into account the type of environment where you need this switch. Different products have designs to work efficiently for specific places.

Makers incorporate various materials to power the use of the product and increase its added functions. Though adaptable to any working environment, determine whether the switch works well with either indoor or outdoor environments.

User’s Safety

Before buying the rubber switch, we recommend checking if the keypad switch is nontoxic, and harmless in safety against electrostatic discharge.

Better Human-Machine Interface

As an end-user, the primary concern should be the human-machine interaction while choosing the rubber switch.

Experience it yourself by pressing the keys to ensure that the keypad rubber switch is lightweight and gives you an excellent tactile feel, escalating the n-machine interface.

 Strength of the switch

Always ensure that the switch is waterproof, moisture-proof, dustproof, shock-absorbent, and remains stable over extreme temperature range because of their use in outdoor environments and applications where conventional keypad switches fail to work.

The keypad of the switch should have excellent physical properties extending its durability and reliability. Ask the vendor if repeated impacts and bending will not cause permanent deformation to the switch's keypad. It should also resist any chemical substance such as an oil. Such features will make its operational life longer.

Keypad Buttons Should be Ultra Responsive

The keys should be user friendly. If the keypad buttons' depth has a low profile, it means they are comparatively small or even flat with the keypad itself. This property should encourage you to consider them because you can use them in various machine control systems or other electronic devices due to their slim and compact design.

 Laser-engraved Markings on the Keypad Buttons

You may ask the vendor if the manufacturer has used laser etching technology to mark the graphics on the rubber keypad switch. Such highly versatile etching remains permanent on the keypad surface and remains visible on the switch's keys.

Backlighting within the Keypad Switch

It is worth noting that if the makers have engrained LGF backlighting within the keypad, the rubber switch will stylishly illuminate the laser-engraved surface even in relatively dark surroundings.

Have Sharp Corner Radius

The rubber keypad buttons' geometry matters a lot when you want a tactile response and better customization to your requirements. In addition, the rubber keypads having extremely sharp corner radius are reliably more easy and comfortable to use. Due to their straightforward design, they look far cleaner too.

Keypad Switch’s Reliance on Conductive Pills – the more qualitative, the better you will index your command.

The rubber keypad switch should have a strong dependence on the conductive pills attached beneath the switch buttons. Check it from the vendor if those pills contain gold or carbon-like conductive material. On pressing the keypad buttons, the pills will effectively push into the printed circuit board to complete the electric circuit.

Cost-effectiveness

The rubber keypad button is relatively an economical device and should somewhat be an inexpensive electrical switch and a cost-effective solution to your business.

Excellent After-Sale Service 

If you feel discomfort with the rubber switch’s ergonomic feature after buying the keypad switch, or it loses its soft touch, you should be able to get an immediate replacement.

Choosing the Right Manufacturer

Another important that requires consideration is that you opt for a reliable and experienced manufacturer. Since you would want quality,  thus only the best can deliver that.

Ensure that the manufacturer has the experience, along with the right staff. Read about their staff a bit to understand whether the company has the right kind of people on board.

Another thing that ensures a company would deliver quality is that it has the right certification. There are several certifications that a company would need to make sure that their products meet the highest industry standards.

Also, look into their customer service as this would give you an idea as to how important they consider their consumers are. A company has great customer service means that they are reliable and available to solve any problem that you might encounter.

Summary

Rubber keypad switch is the best choice for crafting a human-machine interface. However, before buying a rubber keypad switch, certain factors you cannot ignore certain factors for several reasons, especially if you want to have a natural tactile response.

It should have a highly elastic and ergonomic rubber material. It should also be exceptionally indestructible and made to use for work in harsh and extreme weather. The conventional keypads are prone to moisture ingress that invariably deteriorates the circuitry.

On the contrary, the rubber switch should be water and moist proof for creating circuitry. Thus, the keypad switch should support multiple backlighting options and laser engraving technology so that it may add a sense of aestheticism to your product. It should be easy-shaped to provide prodigious convenience for assimilating with the printing circuit board.