Industrial keyboards

Industrial keyboards: Robust, reliable and easy to use

Published in PC & Industry 09/2021: Article as .pdf >>

The crane is controlled with dirty work gloves, the keyboard is exposed to permanent vibrations and grinding dust in the assembly hall - no question, industrial applications demand a lot from input units. One robust construction, simple operation and reliable function are the key parameters here. The input unit must be optimal protected against vibration and shock oder sogar explosion resistant be constructed. It should be resistant to water, dust, dirt, oils and chemicals, and be able to withstand temperature fluctuations. Despite the high demands, come different keyboard and button solutions depending on the area of ​​application as an industrial keyboard.

stainless steel keyboards

Desktop stainless steel keyboard NHKT-B255-OTB-FN-DT-DWP
Desktop stainless steel keyboard NHKT-B255-OTB-FN-DT-DWP

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 body and buttons are made entirely of stainless steel and typically come with fully sealed keymat technology. Both in the front installation and in the rear installation variant is a Protection class up to IP67 and impact class up to IK10 possible. Fully encased desktop keyboards even reach one IP class of 68 and are therefore protected against permanent submersion. The integration of touchpads and trackballs is also possible without sacrificing the protection class. Input solutions made of stainless steel are often used as industrial keyboards in areas where damage by vandalism is to be expected or where they are exposed to heavy loads from environmental influences 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

Robust pushbuttons for public areas
Robust pushbuttons for public areas

If only single keys are needed, are pushbutton made of stainless steel or robust plastic is an option. The buttons often take on the functions of a pure command transmitter, so that signals such as start and stop or forward and reverse or emergency stop, clearly communicated become. With engraved or printed lenses, colored status LEDs and various housing colors, these are given a individual appearance. Even the presentation is enhanced by multicolor lighting multicolored status indications is possible.

The buttons are installed directly into a front panel or housing and, thanks to appropriate seals, achieve a Protection class up to IP68 / IP69KThe service life of several million cycles also makes the buttons very reliable.

Almost maintenance-free are made of metal piezobutton. By eliminating a mechanical hub, wear and tear and dirt are almost eliminated. Lifetimes of over 50 million cycles are now the standard.

Customized solution

If the standard product is not enough, one must customized HMI interface as an industrial keyboard. Control units for construction and agricultural machinery, as well as mobile input devices for outdoor use, are mainly manufactured to customer specifications.

The devices often need a smaller number of functions, but a good visibility, sufficient big buttons with haptic and partly also acoustic Feedback and high mechanical durability. The working environment here demands reliable operation, even with heavy work gloves, a high level of background noise and sometimes extreme weather conditions. Therefore find present 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

Silicone switch mats with integrated seals
Silicone switch mats with integrated seals

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

Button designs with integrated gaskets ensure a dust and moisture-proof housing integration up to IP67. A higher protection class can be achieved by full overmolding of a housing with an integrated keyboard layout. The mechanical Service life with up to 10 million switching cycles makes the silicone keymat a long-lived and almost maintenance-free input solution.

The illumination of individual keys or the entire mat is LEDs can be implemented in connection with transparent silicone or integrated light guides. The presentation of status displays in individual keys is also possible thanks to a very precise 2-component injection molding process. Without LEDs, silicone keymats made of phosphorescent silicone acquire luminous properties. Lighting offers users an advantage in avoiding incorrect entries in the often diffuse lighting conditions in industrial halls.

The force-displacement behavior A silicone switch mat can be customized to the requirements of the respective application. This means that the high actuation forces of 200g – 500g and actuation travel from 0,3 to 5,0 mm is possible.

The silicone keymat can demonstrate its advantages above all when large quantities are required. The high one-off costs for the tools make small series very expensive. Compared to equipment with individual buttons, however, they are also in middle series significantly cheaper.

Membrane keyboard as an industrial keyboard

Membrane keyboards for industrial applications
Membrane keyboards for industrial applications

The way food is membrane keyboard can take any form with the use of tools and is the cheaper option compared to the silicone keymat in smaller quantities. The Design option There are hardly any limits thanks to screen and digital printing processes, as well as specially embossed films and surface coatings.

The way food is Lighting A membrane keyboard can be easily implemented by integrating LEDs, while retaining its flat structure. The decorative foil as the top layer of the keyboard is made of polyester or polycarbonate and is printed on the back to ensure the highest possible protection against abrasion. Compared to other flexible materials, polyester in particular impresses with a high life cycle of over 1 million switching cycles, very high abrasion resistance and resistance to chemicals.

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.

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

hybrid form

In addition, there is the possibility to replace the upper polyester film with a silicone surface to replace. This silicone cover with buttons can be used as an actuation-only layer on the circuit pack of a normal membrane keyboard laminate.

The resulting Hybrid of classic membrane keyboard and silicone keymat gives scope to combine the advantages of the individual input solutions in one keyboard. With the silicone surface, a three-dimensional design can be realized, a point at which the membrane keyboard is naturally severely limited. This makes it possible to have protruding keys with free shapes, guide elements such as separate rings around a key, Braille labels or cursor keys. At the same time, the surface is visually and haptically enhanced.

To reinforce the membrane keyboard Membrane keyboards and decorative foilson bespoke backing plates be mounted with press-in bolts. Aluminum plates are used as standard, but other metals or plastic plates are also possible. The membrane keyboard is glued to the carrier plate over its entire surface. A complete assembly with display and printed circuit board is also possible. By integrating seals, a membrane keyboard can achieve protection class IP67, which makes it an interesting 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 restriction of glove-free operation does not suit every working environment. However, if displays are required to simplify complex machine control, a resistive Single touch display be an option.

In combination with push buttonsto membrane keyboard or silicone keymat As an additional input element, user-friendly menu navigation can also be promoted. Recurring input commands or preset parameters can be called up quickly, easily and clearly using the mechanical keys.

By the haptic feedback the mechanical control devices, user-related input errors avoided which increases the safety of operation. To make handling easier, 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!

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