| The type of coating used on your silicone rubber | | | | onto each keytop. This coating can be either hard |
| keypads is extremely important to life of your | | | | or soft, matte or glossy. It is great for products |
| product. The rubber or silicone key, when | | | | requiring a sense of refinement and quality. Not |
| designed properly, will last a very long time. | | | | ideal for larger keys or convex shapes, however, |
| However, if you are using printed legends the | | | | on smaller keys this coating really conveys a look |
| designer needs to consider the life of the printing. | | | | of distinction. |
| The ink used needs to be from a high quality | | | | - UV coating: For products likely to be exposed to |
| supplier and cured properly for long life, but even | | | | extended sunlight and the elements, you want to |
| then the printed legends will only last for a limited | | | | consider a matte or gloss UV coating. RSP, Inc. |
| time. Will your printed keypad legends wear off | | | | UV coatings add years of life to printed icons and |
| before the product life expires? The life of the | | | | graphics on silicone keypads. Once you have |
| legends can be significantly increased with one of | | | | determined what coating you will use. It is |
| several coatings options. After investing in tooling | | | | important that you test samples to determine the |
| and production, you don't want your keypads to | | | | life of the legend. If the supplier is testing the |
| degrade prematurely. | | | | legend life it is important that a standard test |
| Here is a list of the common coatings available for | | | | method is developed. A punched tape attrition |
| elastomeric keypads; | | | | tester is commonly used to determine legend life. |
| - Matte Oil Coating: A sprayed coating, nearly | | | | If standard coatings do not protect the legend |
| invisible to the eye. This is the least expensive | | | | well enough (perhaps in harsh environments) then |
| option for your silicone keypad and offers | | | | you might consider a plastic key cap. |
| excellent endurance. | | | | Silicone rubber keypads are one of the most |
| - PU Spray coating: Applied to the entire keypad, | | | | common types of user interfaces. They look |
| this semi-premium coating comes in Matte or | | | | great and can be designed to have a variety of |
| Gloss. It improves texture on your silicone keypad | | | | features including backlighting, glow-in-the-dark |
| while offering a significantly longer life to your | | | | inks, multi-colored key tops, small or large key |
| product and icons. | | | | tops, and a long life. |
| - PU Drip coating: This premium coating is dripped | | | | |