Industrial keyboards

The crane is controlled with dirty work gloves, and the keyboard is exposed to constant vibrations and grinding dust in the assembly hall – there's no question that industrial applications place considerable demands on input units. Robust construction, ease of use, and reliable function are the key parameters here. The input unit must be optimally protected against vibration and shock, or even explosion-proof. It should be resistant to water, dust, dirt, oils, and chemicals, as well as able to withstand temperature fluctuations. Despite these high demands, various keyboard and key solutions are suitable for industrial keyboards depending on the application.

stainless steel keyboards

The first thought when asking for a robust input solution is obvious stainless steel keyboards. Especially found in public space or local transport, as well as in industrial machine controls vandal-proof keyboards Application. In terms of appearance, the standard version is analogous to any conventional PC keyboard and thus benefits from a high level of acceptance. Another advantage for customers is that there is a very wide product range of stainless steel keyboards and therefore no initial costs, as for customer-specific input keyboards, arise. Despite the standard, customization is also possible here through the button layout, printing and backlighting in smaller frames. The keys are labeled by laser engraving or etching, which means that the key symbols are wear-free. Colored graphics or raised symbols, such as B. Braille or other customer-specific labels possible.

High protection class

The housing and keys are made entirely of stainless steel and are typically combined with fully sealed keypad technology. Both front-mounted and rear-mounted versions offer protection ratings up to IP67 and impact ratings up to IK10. Fully encased desktop keyboards even achieve an IP rating of 68, making them protected against permanent submersion. Touchpads and trackballs can also be integrated without compromising the protection rating. Stainless steel input solutions are often used as industrial keyboards in areas where vandalism is expected or where they are exposed to heavy environmental stress and user interaction.

Different installation variants

Thanks to various installation variants and common interfaces, stainless steel keyboards can be easily integrated into existing work environments. They also defy fluctuating temperatures with an average working range of -20°C – +60°C. In addition, many providers also offer pure number blocks and function keys in different sizes made of stainless steel.

pushbutton

If only single keys are needed, are pushbutton Made of stainless steel or robust plastic, these switches are also an option. These switches often function purely as command devices, clearly communicating signals such as start and stop, forward and reverse, or emergency stop. Engraved or printed lenses, colored status LEDs, and various housing colors give them a customized look. Multi-color lighting even allows for the display of multi-colored status indicators.

The buttons are installed directly into a front panel or housing and, thanks to appropriate seals, achieve a protection class of up to IP68 / IP69K. A service life of several million cycles also makes the buttons extremely reliable.

Almost maintenance-free are made of metal piezobuttonBy eliminating the mechanical hub, wear and contamination are virtually eliminated. Service lives of over 50 million cycles are now standard.

Customized solution

If the standard product isn't sufficient, a customized HMI interface is required as an industrial keyboard. Control units for construction and agricultural machinery, as well as mobile input devices for outdoor use, are often manufactured to customer specifications.

The devices often require fewer functions, but good visibility, sufficiently large buttons with haptic and sometimes acoustic feedback, and a long mechanical lifespan. The working environment here demands reliable operation, even with heavy work gloves, high levels of noise, and sometimes even extreme weather conditions. Therefore, membrane keyboards and silicone keymats Due to their freedom of design, closed surface, resistance to chemicals and their tightness against liquids and dust, they are used in industrial environments.

Silicone switch mat as an industrial keyboard

The silicone keymat it adapts to your construction and is extremely flexible and space-saving. Keycaps made of metal and plastic, different key shapes and individual key colors can be easily implemented in one mat. The individual keys can be designed to be abrasion-resistant thanks to special coatings. It triggers a direct switching function on the circuit board underneath and determines the haptics, the visual and tactile impression and the electrical behavior via the integrated contact elements. In addition, the safety mat often assumes a sealing function on the printed circuit board.

Integrated seals

Key designs with integrated seals ensure dust and moisture-proof housing integration up to IP67. A higher protection rating can be achieved by fully overmolding a housing with an integrated keypad layout. The mechanical lifespan of up to 10 million switching cycles makes the silicone keypad a durable and virtually maintenance-free input solution.

Illumination of individual keys or the entire mat is possible using LEDs combined with transparent silicone or integrated light guides. Status indicators can also be displayed on individual keys using a highly precise two-component injection molding process. Without LEDs, silicone keypads made of phosphorescent silicone achieve luminous properties. Illumination offers users an advantage in the often diffuse lighting conditions found in industrial halls, preventing incorrect inputs.

The force-displacement behavior of a silicone safety mat can be customized to meet the requirements of the respective application. This allows for the high actuation forces of 200g – 500g and actuation travels of 0,3 to 5,0 mm typical for industrial applications.

The silicone keymat can particularly demonstrate its advantages when large quantities are required. The high one-time costs for the tools make small series production very cost-intensive. However, compared to individual probes, they are significantly more cost-effective even for medium-sized series.

Membrane keyboard as an industrial keyboard

The way food is membrane keyboard It can take on any shape using tools and is a more cost-effective option than silicone keypads for smaller quantities. The design options are virtually limitless thanks to screen and digital printing processes, as well as specially embossed films and surface coatings.

Illuminating a membrane keyboard is also easy to achieve by integrating LEDs, while maintaining its flat design. The decorative film, the top layer of the keyboard, is made of polyester or polycarbonate and is printed on the back to ensure maximum protection against abrasion. Compared to other flexible materials, polyester offers a particularly long lifespan of over 1 million switching cycles, very high abrasion resistance, and chemical resistance.

Foil embossing for finger guidance

In order to ensure a concise fingering, the Decorative film embossed. There is the option of key, dome and edge embossing, which can be used to create very ergonomic key shapes. The keys are given a three-dimensional appearance by a high-quality epoxy coating.

Integrated snap domes provide tactile feedback, producing a noticeable tactile sensation and, depending on the model, an audible "click" sound when actuated. This direct feedback reduces file entry errors. The combination of metal snap domes with high actuation force and key embossing is common in industrial environments.

hybrid form

Additionally, the upper polyester film can be replaced with a silicone surface. This silicone cover with buttons can be applied as a pure actuation layer to the circuit package of a standard membrane keyboard laminate.

The resulting hybrid of a traditional membrane keyboard and a silicone keypad provides scope for combining the advantages of each input solution in a single keyboard. The silicone surface allows for a three-dimensional design, a point where membrane keyboards are naturally very limited. This enables protruding keys with free-form shapes, guiding elements such as contrasting rings around a key, Braille lettering, or cursor keys. At the same time, the surface is enhanced visually and haptically.

For reinforcement, the membrane keyboard Membrane keyboards and decorative foilsThey are mounted on custom-made carrier plates with press-in bolts. Aluminum plates are used as standard, but other metals or even plastic plates are also possible. The membrane keyboard is glued to the entire surface of the carrier plate. A complete assembly with display and circuit board is also possible. By integrating seals, a membrane keyboard can achieve protection class IP67, making it an attractive solution for an industrial keyboard.

Multi-touch display solutions

Capacitive multi-touch display solutions are also suitable for use in industrial environments, at least in terms of their protection classes and technical parameters. However, the limitation of gloveless operation does not fit into every work environment. However, if to simplify a complex machine control, displays are desired, a resistive Single touch display be an option.

In combination with push buttons, a membrane keypad, or a silicone keypad as an additional input element, user-friendly menu navigation can also be promoted. Recurring input commands or preset parameters can be accessed quickly, easily, and clearly using the mechanical buttons.

The haptic feedback from the mechanical control devices helps prevent user-related input errors, increasing operator safety. For easier handling, the displays can be equipped with anti-reflective and anti-fingerprint coatings.

Conclusion about industrial keyboards

In the industrial environment in particular, conventional input keyboards and buttons are still very common. The trend towards miniaturization, as in other areas of application, plays less of a role here. The requirements for service life, protection class and technical equipment are increasing.

Keyboard solutions and industrial keyboards have always been one of our core competencies and we support and advise you extensively on equipment and material selection. We can also take over the complete development and construction of the right keyboard for your application. We look forward to your inquiry!