Technical article: Industrial membrane keypads for customer-specific applications
Item no. 1965
Description
| Industrial membrane keypads | |
| The use of keyboards in harsh industrial environments requires a flexible and robust input medium. Typical applications of industrial keyboards can often be categorised according to their requirements. The author provides an overview of the various technologies and discusses possible combinations with other input media and special features that are often not consciously noticed in everyday industrial life. The trend is towards industrial keyboards that are as compact as possible, yet powerful. | |
| Balanced price-performance ratio | |
| Membrane keypads are predestined for use in industry simply because they are waterproof and dustproof (to DIN IP65). They are largely resistant to disinfectants and cleaning agents and can therefore fully meet the high demands. Insertion pockets for changeable inscriptions, LEDs, LC displays, emergency stop buttons, touchpads and trackballs can be elegantly integrated. Membrane keyboards are generally used for entering commands on machines or at payment points. They are reliable, robust and generally have a balanced price-performance ratio. | |
| High-quality and durable membrane keypads | |
| Conventional membrane keyboards, however, often have only very low operating quality. The user on site at the machine must be able to enter numbers or digits precisely and quickly. In practice, a lot has changed in this respect. Today, manufacturers of membrane keyboards almost exclusively offer keyboards with very good tactile feedback. This means that the user feels directly in his or her finger whether pressing the key has led to the execution of a command. This can be achieved either through built-in so-called snap domes or through short-stroke keys. The latter are of higher quality and more durable. They generate a clear, audible switching contact, which significantly increases input reliability. A service life of more than 2 million switching cycles is common today. | |
| Membrane keypads for industry | |
| Membrane keypads for industry are equipped with short-stroke or long-stroke keys, depending on the application. keys. The advantages and disadvantages of these technologies are almost obvious. Short-stroke keyboards impress with a much better adaptation to rough environmental parameters, while long-stroke keyboards enable much faster input of text or numbers due to the good feedback feeling. | |
| Customised short-stroke keyboards | |
| However, input via short-stroke keys is usually slower than with a long-stroke keyboard optimised for fast typing. The technology of foil-covered keyboards is still so advanced that the user can enter data more quickly even when wearing gloves, and the short-stroke key provides a certain degree of input reliability and feedback. | |
| Long-stroke keyboard for industry | |
| Due to their ease of use, long-travel keyboards are still used in industrial environments today. However, protection against dirt and moisture is often a major expense with this technology. There are two competing systems, which, however, differ widely in price. The robust but more expensive solutions offer good protection against dust and moisture by means of rubber membranes placed under the keys. In competition with this is a cover moulded from soft plastic material that offers some protection on the top of the keyboard. The latter is the far cheaper solution in terms of price, but also less comfortable for the user. The foil lying loosely on the keys significantly impairs typing. The advantages and disadvantages of the various technologies often also depend on the combination options with other input and output technologies. Mouse replacement devices such as trackball or touchpad represent another mix of development. Touchscreens are also being used more and more. | |
| Trackball or Touchpad | |
| Mouse replacement devices are subject to the same demands for robustness and functionality as the keyboards themselves. Trackballs or touchpads are often integrated into the respective keyboard version. Whether tabletop, rear or front installation, each version usually has an equally waterproof mouse replacement integrated. There is also the possibility of connecting the mouse replacement devices separately. In most cases, this is a question of functionality and the size of the workstation. Whether trackball or touchpad, both should be water- and dust-proof according to IP65 for particularly harsh environmental conditions. With the trackball, graphic drawings can generally be positioned mechanically with greater precision. The touchpad, on the other hand, is better protected because of its completely closed surface. | |
| Flexible design possibilities | |
| Touchscreens are being used more and more in industry because of the flexibility that can be achieved via the screen. Due to the unlimited graphic design possibilities of the LC display, they can be used for a wide range of applications, but their use is limited by the high costs. For use in info terminals and in medical technology, the cost of a touch screen is also considerably higher than that of a conventional keyboard. This also sets a certain limit to the almost ideal I/O medium. |
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Fachartikel: Industrielle Folientastaturen
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