5 Facts About Silicone Rubber Keypads
Not all keypads are made of hard plastic. While plastic keypads are used in countless consumer and commercial applications, silicone rubber keypads have become a popular alternative. Also known as an elastomeric keypad, a silicone rubber keypad is an electrical switch featuring silicone rubber webbing. In this post, we're going to reveal five facts about silicone rubber keypads, some of which may surprise you.
#1) They Produce Natural Tactile Feedback
If you've ever used a silicone rubber keypad, you may recall the "popping" sensation it produces. With their silicone rubber construction, they offer natural tactile feedback to improve user satisfaction and overall input accuracy. Pressing a button on a silicone rubber keypad causes the button to deform, and when you release the button, it "pops" back up, thereby producing natural tactile feedback.
#2) They Support Laser Etching
Silicone rubber keypads support laser etching to achieve stylish, highly visible keys and legends. During this process, a controlled laser beam is used to burn off the top coat layer of paint, allowing a lighter color to show. Next, a backlight is embedded within the keypad to selectively illuminate the laser-etched surface.
#3) They Have a Sharp Corner Radius
The corners of silicone rubber keypads are very sharp, with those offered at Nelson Miller yielding a 0.5-millimeter corner radius. Why does this matter? With a sharp corner radius, silicone rubber keypads are easier - and arguably more comfortable - to use than conventional plastic keypads.
#4) Pigments Can Be Injected Into the Keys
Colored pigments can be injected into the keys of a silicone rubber keypad to achieve one or more custom colors. When pigment is added to a key, the key's color changes to reflect that of the pigment. It's a highly effective way to customize the color and appearance of a silicone rubber keypad. Of course, colored pigment typically isn't used if the silicone rubber keypad has a laser-etched surface that's illuminated with backlighting.
