High temperature resistant silicone keypads selection strategy and life extension practice

Industrial controller silicone button life increased by 50%: Selection strategy for 200℃ resistant silicone buttons

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• In the field of industrial control, the reliability and durability of silicone buttons are crucial. In order to meet the needs of long-term stable operation in high-temperature environments, a series of scientific selection strategies are required to select silicone buttons that can withstand high temperatures of 200°C and increase their lifespan by 50%. The following strategies will cover multiple aspects such as material selection, structural design, and manufacturing process.

1. Choice of silicone material for silicone keypad

1. High temperature resistant silicone

● Choose a silicone material that can withstand high temperatures of 200°C for a long time. This silicone should not only have excellent heat resistance, but also good cold resistance, weather resistance and dielectric properties.

●Ensure that the silicone material is not easy to age, deform or lose elasticity at high temperatures, thereby ensuring the stability and durability of the keys.

1. Mechanical performance considerations

Although silicone performs well in high temperature environments, its mechanical properties such as tensile strength and tear strength still need to be considered. Choose silicone materials with strong mechanical properties to ensure that the silicone keypads are not easily damaged during long-term use.

• 2. Structural design optimization

     Oblique arm design

  2.Optimize the silicone keypad's oblique arm structure to improve the pressing force, pressing feel and silicone keypads life. For example, the conical oblique arm design can achieve a clear feel rhythm and greater pressing force while ensuring the durability of the key.

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Taking into account the expansion of materials in high temperature environments, appropriate gaps should be reserved during design to prevent the silicone buttons from getting stuck due to material expansion.

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• 1. Conductive structure

  The silicone bottom of the silicone keypad should use a reliable conductive structure, such as silk screen conductive or pad printed conductive ink. In high temperature environments, the stability of the conductive ink is critical, and conductive inks that can withstand high temperatures and have low resistance should be selected.

3. Manufacturing process and quality control

• 1. High-precision manufacturing

  ●High-precision molds and manufacturing processes are used to ensure that each component of the key is of consistent size and high precision. This helps reduce friction and wear, and improves the durability of the key.

  1. Strict quality control

  Strict quality control measures are implemented during the production process, including raw material inspection, production process monitoring and finished product testing, etc., to ensure that each silicone keypad meets the design requirements and has stable and reliable performance.

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4. Lifespan Improvement Strategies of Silicone keypads

1. Spring selection and processing

●Choose high-strength, fatigue-resistant spring steel materials, such as nickel-chromium alloy. Improve the corrosion resistance and fatigue resistance of the spring through heat treatment and electroplating, thereby extending its service life.

1. Contact material optimization

●Use precious metal coating or double-layer contact design to enhance the wear resistance and conductivity of the contacts. In high temperature environments, precious metal coatings can maintain stable conductivity and extend the service life of the contacts.

1. Coating technology application

Apply anti-corrosion coatings such as fluorocarbon coating or PVD coating technology to the surfaces of silicone buttons and contacts. These coatings can improve the corrosion resistance, wear resistance and oxidation resistance of the buttons, further extending their service life.

5. Application Verification and Testing

1. High temperature environment test

The keys are tested for long-term operation at 200°C to verify their stability and durability. The number of silicone keypad presses, changes in feel, and any possible failures should be recorded during the test.

Silicone keypad Life test

●Perform a key life test to ensure that the key can maintain stable and reliable performance when the predetermined number of presses is reached (such as the life target after a 50% increase). The test process should simulate the pressing frequency and force in actual use scenarios.

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