Your manufacturer for customized membrane keyboards
We have been your manufacturer of high-quality products for more than 20 years membrane keyboards and decorative films. We attach great importance to comprehensive advice and provide you with dedicated support in the design of your individual membrane keyboard.
The membrane keyboards are manufactured in own production facilities, including class 1000 cleanrooms. We implement even the most demanding processing and assembly processes.
Matching case?
In addition to high-quality membrane keyboards as input elements, we also manufacture all matching components, like a tailor-made one Housing, one perfectly tailored to your requirements cable assembly and the required evaluation electronics.
Versatile uses for membrane keyboards
Membrane keyboards are the ideal input keyboard for devices that need to be robust, easy to clean and resistant to dirt and water. From medical technology to industrial automation, as a manufacturer of membrane keyboards with our own production, we offer solutions for almost all industries. Here you will find a selection of membrane keyboards that we have manufactured for customers from various industries:
Advantages of membrane keyboards
Why choose a membrane keyboard?
Membrane keyboards offer an exceptional variety of design options. Their flexibility in ergonomics and design opens up endless possibilities for use in electronic devices. This versatility makes them the first choice in areas where dirt and water resistance as well as easy cleaning are required. Their compact and robust design extends their applicability to numerous fields. As a manufacturer of membrane keyboards, we have the know-how and technology to develop tailor-made solutions for a wide range of applications.
Further advantages of membrane keyboards
- Compact and lightweight
The slim shape of a membrane keyboard makes it ideal for space-saving designs. - Easy integration
Membrane keyboards are perfect for combining with LEDs, signaling devices and displays. - Customizable tactility
Actuation force in the range of 40g to 750g enables specific tactile sensations. - Creative design freedom
Almost limitless design options are available. - Water and chemical resistance
The closed surface of a membrane keyboard protects against liquids and chemicals. - Excellent longevity
Designed to withstand over 1 million switching cycles, a membrane keyboard resists wear and damage better than mechanical alternatives. - Low noise
Membrane keyboards are quieter than mechanical keyboards, ideal for noise-sensitive environments. - Flexible customizable
A membrane keyboard can be easily adapted to specific requirements. - EMC shielding
Protects against electromagnetic interference, both incoming and outgoing. - Cost efficient
Often the cheaper option compared to mechanical keyboards.
Structure of a membrane keyboard
The structure of a membrane keyboard consists of: five basic parts: Decorative film, upper and lower switching film, spacer film and adhesive film. Each of these elements plays a crucial role in the structure and functioning of the membrane keyboard.
Decorative film
The outermost layer is the decorative film membrane keyboard Not only protection against abrasion, but also an attractive design. The usability is optimized by printing from the back and the optional embossing, whereby silicone or other materials can be used in addition to polyester.
switch foil
The switching foils, consisting of an upper and a lower layer, are the heart of each membrane keyboard. They contain conductor tracks, switching points and ensure the necessary interaction. Metal snap disks or direct printing on the contact surfaces can represent innovative alternatives. Instead of polyester, the material polyimide, also known as Kapton, is also recommended.
spacer film
The distance foil, also known as a spacer, isolates the upper switching foil from the lower switching foil. Thanks to precise recesses at the contact points, it enables precise functionality and supports the necessary actuation mechanism in models with metal snap disks.
Tactility and ease of use
The combination of tactile feedback, personalized design and robust protection makes the membrane keyboard the first choice for a wide range of applications, from medical technology to industrial automation, and underlines its central role in modern input technology.
Concise tactility and high actuation forces
Metal snap disks are used in membrane keyboards to provide a distinctive tactile feel and powerful operation. When you press a key, the disc lowers and thus creates contact with the conductor track. Metal snap disks are available in various sizes and shapes and allow for flexible design. In particular, illuminated buttons use snap disks with a central cutout for LEDs, which highlights the lighting of each button individually.
Precise control and durability
The force required to trigger the metal snap disks is between 40g and 750g, depending on the model. This allows the feedback to be precisely adjusted depending on user preference. In addition, these components achieve an impressive service life of up to 10 million cycles, which makes the membrane keyboards particularly durable.
We also offer the integration of Dual touch metal snap discs. These metal snap disks can detect two different levels of force and close two electrical circuits in a single switch. Light pressure makes initial contact, but does not provide any tactile feedback. Applying more pressure engages the dome and closes the second circuit, providing the familiar tactile feedback of traditional metal domes.
As a manufacturer of membrane keyboards, we advise you in detail on the subject of metal snap disks and help you find the optimal solution for your input system. We are happy to provide samples upon request.
Improved feel thanks to individual embossing
Individual embossing of the keys on a membrane keyboard not only ensures a visually appealing look, but also improves finger guidance and offers noticeable tactile feedback. By specifically embossing the keys, a haptic orientation is created on the surface, which not only enables intuitive operation, but also significantly reduces incorrect entries and thus significantly improves the user experience.
A variety of embossing options for every requirement
When it comes to embossing options, there is a wide range of options available, ranging from classic dome embossing, which enables tactile feedback even without metal snap disks, to special terrace and frame embossing for smaller keys. This diversity allows each membrane keyboard to be tailored precisely to the specific needs and desired design of each individual area of application. As a long-standing manufacturer of membrane keyboards, we are able to use high-precision embossing processes and realize individual designs.
A class of its own
Capacitive membrane keyboards cleverly use the capacitance properties of the human body to register input. This innovative technology, embedded under a visually appealing decorative film, enables touch-intensive interaction with the device. In our modern production facilities we can produce customer-specific, capacitive membrane keyboards.
How capacitive membrane keyboards work
Thanks to conductive foils that are equipped with integrated capacitive sensors, capacitive membrane keyboards enable highly precise touch detection. As soon as a finger touches the surface, the evaluation electronics registers the change in capacitance at this point and converts it into an electrical signal. This enables quick and accurate implementation of user input.
Robustness and durability
A feature of capacitive membrane keyboards is their exceptional robustness and resistance to environmental influences such as dust, dirt and moisture. In addition, they are characterized by their flatness and the absence of mechanical wear parts, which gives them a significantly longer service life. This makes them an ideal solution for applications that require a high level of reliability and durability.
Integration and ease of use
In addition to their robustness and longevity, capacitive membrane keyboards also offer advantages through their compatibility with other technologies. They can be seamlessly combined with touchscreens, LCD displays or LED lighting, significantly increasing the usability and functionality of the end product. These synergy effects make it possible to design innovative and interactive user interfaces that meet the requirements of modern applications. As a manufacturer of capacitive input units, we advise you in detail on this topic.
Protection types of membrane keyboards
By integrating a polyester film coated with aluminum or copper into the construction of the keyboard, reliable protection against unwanted electromagnetic signals is guaranteed. This special shielding not only protects against external interference signals, but also minimizes the propagation of electromagnetic interference from the keyboard itself, thereby significantly improving electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) within the area of use.
For models with integrated displays, EMC shielding is taken a step further by applying segmented shielding to both the keyboard and traces. This approach ensures comprehensive interference reduction and promotes trouble-free and precise operation in sensitive application areas. As a manufacturer of modern membrane keyboards, we advise you in detail on the various protection options.
As an experienced manufacturer of membrane keyboards and associated housing solutions, we are your ideal partner to provide you with comprehensive advice and support on this topic.
Features of membrane keyboards
Membrane keyboards combine a wide range of features to ensure user-friendliness and optimal operability. These include innovative lighting options, the integration of control elements such as rotary encoders, viewing windows for displays, touch panels, practical insert pockets for flexible labels and robust support plates for stable installation.
Lighting options for a membrane keyboard
LED backlighting
The integration of LEDs directly into the switching membrane enables effective backlighting of membrane keyboards. By using special adhesives and seals, the LEDs remain fully functional even in environments with strong vibrations.
LGF (Light Guide Film)
The LGF technology uses light-refracting films to achieve even illumination of the entire keyboard area with just a few LEDs. This technology is ideal for devices with limited space, allows individual color design of each key while maintaining the flat and flexible design of the membrane keyboard.
vanish effect
A highlight of the LGF technology is the disappearing effect, in which key labels are invisible when switched off and only appear when illuminated. This opens up new possibilities for design and sets aesthetic accents.
Duraswitch technology
By integrating rotary encoders and cursor controls using Duraswitch, membrane keyboards can be manufactured cost-efficiently and in a space-saving manner. The combination with flat piezo buzzers enables a compact design.
Keyboard & touch panel
The combination of keyboard and display technologies is an effective method to Strengths of both systems to use.
A complementary keypad next to the touch display improves the user interface by providing quick and easy access to frequently used commands or predefined parameters. The haptic feedback the membrane keyboard reduces user errors and thus increases operational safety. Integrated snap disks provide both tactile feedback and audible click feedback when the buttons are pressed.
For the Integration of touch screens Various techniques are available:
One method is to punch out the area for the display, another is to embed a viewing window into the membrane keyboard. The specification of these windows can be customized for gloss, matt finish, anti-reflective coating, scratch resistance, UV resistance and color. The combination of film and display is achieved using a highly transparent adhesive layer that ensures light transmission of over 99%. This bond creates a uniform surface that is chemical resistant, liquid and dust sealed, increasing suitability for use in food processing, laboratories and medical applications.
Specialist article on the topic: Membrane keyboards – the perfect addition to touch
Practical solution and quick customization
Insert pockets in membrane keyboards allow easy and quick adjustment of the key labels, ideal when changing device functions or for multilingual applications.
Ideal solution for front mounting
For reinforcement, the membrane keyboard is mounted on tailor-made support plates, using aluminum plates as standard, which may be equipped with press-in bolts for easy installation.
The membrane keyboard is then glued to the entire surface of this carrier plate, which also makes it possible to integrate a complete assembly, including the display and circuit board. Depending on the installation situation, this can also be achieved with an integrated seal to further increase protection and functionality.
Design options of membrane keyboards
Membrane keyboards offer a wide range of design options to meet different requirements in terms of functionality, aesthetics and feel. The design of a membrane keyboard has a significant influence on its user-friendliness.
A well-designed interface enables fast and precise entries, which is particularly important in areas where speed and precision are important. In addition, the design contributes to the aesthetic appeal of the final product. Colors, shapes and textures play a role in brand identity and can contribute to customer loyalty.
Membrane keyboards are printed on the back. This achieves a particularly long service life for the print and the print is protected from abrasion and wear. The common methods are:
Screen printing
Screen printing is characterized by its... cost and the possibility of permanent and durable labels to generate. This process applies paint directly to the film through a fine-mesh screen, allowing for precise and vibrant results. This method is ideal for producing membrane keyboards that need to be both durable and visually appealing, and supports a wide range of colors and designs.
Digital printing
Digital printing technology is ideal for creating membrane keyboards with Color gradients and photorealistic graphics, as it offers extensive flexibility in the design process. It is particularly advantageous for prototypes, one-off items and small series, because it eliminates the need and associated costs of creating screen-printed templates. This makes digital printing a cost-effective and flexible solution for the production of individually designed membrane keyboards.
Membrane keyboards with silicone keys offer one non-slip surface , and a high-quality tactile feel. The option of replacing the classic decorative film with a silicone layer opens up new possibilities for implementation individually shaped buttons. From intuitively designed guide elements to Braille labels to precisely shaped cursor keys - the possibilities for personalization are almost unlimited.
This flexibility makes the keyboards not only aesthetically pleasing, but also very versatile in their functionality. In addition, such keyboards particularly robust and resistant, making them ideal for use in harsh environments. The surface coatings are specifically adapted to the requirements to ensure optimal performance.
Epoxy finishing offers an effective method to three-dimensional buttons to create. Instead of relying on traditional embossing, an epoxy material is carefully applied to the key surface.
This approach not only creates a special noble and shiny surface, but also gives the keys a raised look and ensures a pleasantly soft feel. In addition, the epoxy coating offers a safe Protection against abrasion and scratches. The design options are almost unlimited and can be individually tailored to specific requirements.
Development & construction of membrane keyboards
Your manufacturer of individual membrane keyboards with comprehensive expertise
With our many years of experience in the production of membrane keyboards, we guarantee you a comprehensive, complete service. Our engineers not only support you in the design and construction phase, but also provide you with comprehensive advice on selecting the optimal materials. We would be happy to provide you with targeted suggestions for improvement based on our expertise or develop strategies for cost efficiency.
In-house production of membrane keyboards for the highest quality standards
Our membrane keyboards are manufactured in our own, modernly equipped production facility in Asia. A team of dedicated professionals - including specialists in research and development, project management and quality control - brings years of experience in the production of membrane keyboards. Our production facilities include state-of-the-art technologies from Japan, the USA and Taiwan and are complemented by Class 1000 clean rooms for highly demanding processing and assembly processes.
Laser-cut membrane keyboards for flexibility and efficiency
Ideal for prototypes and small series: Our state-of-the-art laser cutting technology enables flexible and efficient production of membrane keyboards. Thanks to this process, we can quickly implement short-term requirements, develop functional prototypes and efficiently produce small series of special series. The possibility of individual printing without having to rely on conventional punching and printing tools significantly shortens delivery times. We are able to produce and deliver series-like membrane keyboards within just three weeks.
This is how we start your project
In order to be able to make you an initial offer, we need a technical drawing, a sketch or a sample of your product, supplemented by technical specifications and details of any additional equipment you require. Please also inform us about the quantity you need or the annual requirement. Of course, we are prepared to conclude a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with you in advance to ensure the protection of your data and ideas.
Contact us under info@nh-technology.de. We look forward to your inquiry!
pattern set
The N&H sample set includes a special sample silicone keymat with a variety of buttons and constructions, as well as a sample membrane keyboard with the various equipment options.
