GMN provides complete user interface custom manufacturing, design and engineering support, and sub-assembly for membrane switch panels. Versatile and economical, membrane switches are ideal for industries such as medical and industrial equipment because they are easy to clean with no moisture ingress. They also offer thin design options coupled with nearly endless membrane keypad configurations.
Membrane switch technology advantages
The simple, low-profile switch panel fabrication offers a custom interface at an economical price point. Other benefits consist of:
- Long life
- Easy cleaning
- Low profile and tactile response options
- Resistance to moisture, chemicals, abrasion
- Easier integration or retrofit with existing controllers
Membrane switch design options
A wide range of cost-effective design options make membrane switches an ideal choice for a variety of applications. Options include:
- Display windows
- Embossed or re-legendable overlay
- Multiple overlay versions, single switch design
- ESD/EMI shielding
- Custom backlighting
- Rigid subpanel or printed circuit board (PCB), which doubles as subpanel
Construction & specifications
A membrane switch is a micro-motion, momentary contact, flexible circuit with a printed graphic overlay. These interfaces are normally screen-printed on thin polyester using silver or carbon conductive ink. Metal domes are integrated to provide tactile feedback.
| Specifications | Typical values |
|---|---|
| Actuation force | Non-tactile: 85g to 285g, tactile: 100g to 700g |
| Switch height | Non-tactile: 0.007" to 0.011", tactile: 0.012" to 0.040" |
| Panel thickness | 0.025" to 0.035" |
| Life cycle | 1,000,000 actuations |
| Operating voltage | 1VDC min. 30VDC max. 15 VRMS max. |
| Operating current | 250 mW maximum |
| Closed circuit resistance | 100 ohms maximum |
| Open circuit resistance | 10 Mohms minimum |
| Contact disturbance time | 20 ms maximum |
| Capacitance | <500 pF |
| Static | 10k VDC minimum |
| Isolation | 1k VDC for 1 second |
| Dielectric ink withstand | 1kVDC between adjacent traces |
| Dielectric substrate material | 11kVDC/per mil in thickness |
| Operational temperature | -30C to +65C |
| Storage temperature | -40C to +80C |
| Moisture | 5% to 95% relative humidity, non-condensing. |
| EMI/RFI shielding | Available |