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Stortech Electronics can now offer a keypad manufacturing service to industrial OEMs.
This custom design service for keypad development and manufacture offers the chance for customers to specify a variety of key parameters from the outset, and covers the full range of options commonly used in silicone rubber keymat design.
Using existing production capabilities from overseas, Stortech ensures a swift turnaround time on tooling, from initial samples and prototypes through to final production.
Keymats are in use in many places today, the most common applications being mobile phones, calculators, door entry systems, alarm panels and remote handsets.
This service has the capability and flexibility to specify designs from the smallest two-key keypads as typically used in alarm keyfobs, to small computer keypads with no less than 50 keys.
Where keymats are exposed to harsh environments, protection comes in the form of plastic injection keycaps or epoxy and acrylic coatings.
These are set on top of the silicon rubber base.
This process is ideal to ensure increased durability as required in a mobile phone.
Another option offers a two-shot moulding technique for dual hardness applications on the same keymat.
This is where the customer can specify one rubber hardness for the base and a different one for the keys.
The option of a backlit keypad can be adopted through the use of a semitransparent baseplate.
This is created with the help of a laser etching technique.
In vandal-resistant applications soft rubberised keymats can be enhanced with a metalised finish to provide a highly visual effect and when combined with a protective coating over a customer's own alphanumeric artwork, it provides a durable and hardwearing product.
Occasionally, design specification may require an ergonomically controlled action.
For example, the tactile nature of a keyboard may dictate that operators require a positive clicking action to the feel of a key movement.
This is particularly useful in the case of security applications where false keying could produce an accidental alert.
 

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