Everything to know about Membrane Keypad:

Posted by markwahl barg on March 15th, 2019

In the keyboard world, there are two main technologies: one called membrane and the other mechanical. While mechanical keyboards were widely used at the beginning of microcomputing, they were gradually replaced by membrane keypad models whose main attraction is their low cost and low noise. However, keyboards mechanical keys had not said their last word, thanks to technological developments. And it is especially in the world of gaming that they have become and are still today an asset and a reference for the player.

The membrane keyboard:

It consists of multiple layers of polyester on which are printed circuit board. As for the keys, they can be of different shapes and sizes, just like the material that constitutes them. There are soft, erased and hard keys. Operations of keypads are very simple and easy and so, even medical device manufacturers have also started using membrane keypads in their devices.

The operation is as follows: pressing a key will deform a first membrane that will come into contact with a deformable plastic pad which also serves as a spring. In turn, the pad contacts the circuit that transmits the information to display the corresponding character.

Design of Membrane Keypads:

The design is quite simple as it has been designed with silicone rubber keypads which make it possible to contain manufacturing costs. This technology also offers two major advantages: the striking is almost silent and the use of a membrane ensures certain tightness which is not to displease the addicts of coffee and other dangerous beverages for this type of device of capture.

Advantages of membrane keypads:

• Silent.
• Cheap price.
• Submersible.
• Easy and soft to use.

Today membrane keypads have a good life thanks to their low cost but there was a time, the mechanical keyboards were very used.

As you know, the big difference between mechanical keyboards and membrane keypads is that mechanical keyboard uses a spring-loaded micro switch for each key while membrane keyboards use a silicone layer to change the impedance of a printed circuit board.

A very sober and neat design:

Different keypresses depending on their location: the keys closest to you are harder, the keys pressed the most are alternately different pressures, keys pressed with index and middle finger are hard.

Usually, all mechanical keyboards are noisy and make louder sounds while working on it. On the other hand membrane keypad is very silent. That is one of the reasons why today many Touch screen technology devices started incorporating membrane keypads.

If you want to make any devices with Membrane keypads, do not miss to contact printec-ht.com.