Hello,
I am developing a gadget that will have a membrane switches keypad. Has any of you dealt with companies that make custom membrane keypads? I have concerns about initial costs and lead time. I would appreciate any information on this subject.
Thanks. T.
It's a bit expensive, expect setup/tooling to be in the $thousands for anthing remotely sophisticated. Lead time should not be an issue. Get some quotes from suppliers. They'll want to know the size, specifications (there are hundreds of variations), number of colors, surface finish, lead length and termination, required windows, etc. A drawing and artwork is best, but if you can find a similar item to what you want, ask for a quote on that.
Best regards, Spehro Pefhany
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Hello,
I have just finished designing a product that uses a six button keypad that measures 2.256" x 1.237", I sourced this in China and USA. The best pricing I got is: QTY
500 $2.45 1000 $2.16 2000 $2.13 5000 $1.66Tooling and art charges total was $1500.00 lead time 6 weeks for samples and 6 week for production.
Kevin
I had an application for a membrane keypad for something we built in-house for our own use. There was a demand for the things but a very limited market.
We wanted something that looked good and was water-oil-dirt resistant. Membrane keypad was the ideal answer but the tooling for molds was expensive and the device was still evolving so a newer model would in design before the first one sold.
We found some tiny pushbutton switches that are used for on-board reset buttons etc. They have a plastic housing and sharp positive "feel." Price was 10 cents for the small one and 40 cents for the larger one (I forget the vender, but they are pretty common).
A local sign shop came up with thin flexible vinyl plastic and produced the graphics for it. It was just a matter of designing the enclosure to hold the plastic sheet with the switches just under the plastic. Cheap, worked very well, no tooling costs, and the design can be modified with just a different enclosure, circuit board and new graphics.
The sign shop could turn out any size graphics and was all automated. Arrange it on a computer screen, and a X-Y plotter gizmo cuts out the vinyl. They transfer and adhere to the substrate sheet with adhesive until they are fused together. The thing was designed for large signs, but would make characters down to .5 centimeters.
Silk screening would have worked for the lettering too, but the sign shop solved our problems and the savings wouldn't have been that great.
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I read in sci.electronics.design that default wrote (in ) about 'Membrane Switches', on Thu, 29 Sep 2005:
Me, too. I made a new board that way for a chess game whose membrane pad had worn out through use.
-- Regards, John Woodgate, OOO - Own Opinions Only. If everything has been designed, a god designed evolution by natural selection. http://www.jmwa.demon.co.uk Also see http://www.isce.org.uk
Hmm, I've seen articles lately about some new electrostatic and capacitor sensor chips. I don't recall makes or model numbers, but there was an article on Capacitive Sensing Technology in the September issue of Circuit Cellar.
Might be able to skip the pushbuttons entirely and just laminate plastic over a piece of circuit board with etched patterns. (Of course, there will be no click or other positive feedback... may need a beeper for that.)
Best regards
Bob Masta dqatechATdaqartaDOTcom D A Q A R T A Data AcQuisition And Real-Time Analysis
A couple solutions...
1) QProx makes the capacitive touch sensor IC. Works very well for production and DIY touch panels. 2) XYMOX has excellent quality "stock" membrane switches in many configurations:
Just got a snail-mail ad from Nameplates For Industry.
They make all kinds of custom labels, front panels, and other laminated plastics, and their ad says they make membrane switches. Might be worth a look...
Best regards,
Bob Masta dqatechATdaqartaDOTcom D A Q A R T A Data AcQuisition And Real-Time Analysis
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