The Evolution of Membrane Switch in Military Application Membrane switches are well-known for standing up to tough environmental conditions. Durable and flexible, the membrane switch can be customized with sealing, backlighting, embossing, and electrostatic discharge shielding. Enhancement of the membrane keyboards over the years has turned them into indispensable subsystems in technical applications across many industries. The economical design, durable, versatile, and simple design of a custom membrane switch makes it a superior alternative to the mechanical switch. They are used in a wide variety of consumer and industrial applications today including medical testing, military equipment, household appliances, and more. And as we know, products built for the military industry carry a range of highly demanding and unique design, performance, requirements, and production. There’s simply no room for error when it comes to these applications. That is why the membrane switches and control interfaces for these products must meet more stringent objectives. So if you are designing a product for military application, here are some of the necessary features you need to consider when you are developing the membrane switch user interface.
COMPACT DESIGN In military applications, space is usually given the utmost priority. This means extremely tight tolerances, high-density assemblies, and compact components. The membrane switches manufactured for military applications offer exceptional performance when it comes to managing the pitch and size of conductive traces. The switches can withstand creasing and bending, allowing engineers to leverage intricate interconnection paths to deliver more compact
switch assemblies. The PCB-based membrane switch can house all the electronics, eliminating the need for a motherboard altogether.
USABILITY Usability is of paramount importance in the military field. Membrane switches and control interfaces must support faster reaction times, with easy-to-understand graphic overlays and keypads that follow standardized control conventions. Even essentially, these interfaces need to be easy to physically manage, even with gloves on. Visual design becomes a real factor here. Control elements need to be well-spaced and well-defined to prevent potentially costly accidents in the field.
RELIABILITY & DURABILITY High manufacturing standards, rigorous testing, and quality components are all essential for military products. In addition, these products also need to last. This means durable materials that can withstand cuts, abrasions, high-volume surface wear, solvents and cleaning chemicals. Polyester graphic overlays with subsurface control or backside graphics are an excellent choice for these applications. Underlying component choices and circuitry can also make a difference.
ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRITY Military personnel work in some of the most hostile environments. So it’s necessary to design the equipment in a way that it can hold up to a huge range of challenges. To support this, the membrane switch components must be tightly sealed. A variety of sealing materials and adhesives are available whose selection can be impacted by environmental factors, especially temperature. This will impact both the internal and external components such as overlays and underlying circuitry.
At ElecFlex we have an extensive understanding about US and Europe quality standards in membrane switch and related products. Our well-trained and experienced staff can help to meet all your needs on products. We are waiting to hear your needs! You can call us on +1-514-6250821 or Email us at PHIL@ELECFLEX.COM.