Laser etched rubber keypads

Laser etched rubber keypads are created by molding clear or colored rubber for the keypad base color. The rubber keypad is then sprayed with layers of ink which is cured. After curing, the inks are laser etched to expose the desired final colors on the rubber keypad surface.

Etching can be done in tighter tolerance than screen printing, making laser etched rubber keypads ideal for dense or detailed keypad nomenclature.

Laser etched rubber keypads are frequently combined with LED backlighting which illuminates the etched patterns on the keypad buttons. Laser etched rubber keypads with LED backlighting are ideal for low light environments, particularly in applications where moisture ingress is of concern as the rubber keypad with the polyurethane or epoxy coating provides a moisture resistant electronic switch solution.

Screen Printed Rubber Keypads vs. Laser Etched Rubber Keypads

Rubber keypad nomenclature can be created by two methods: screen printing or laser etching. Both screen printed rubber keypads and laser etched rubber keypads can be sealed with either polyurethane or epoxy to provide an abrasion resistant surface and firmer tactile feel.

  • Screened keypads supply full color graphics at a lower cost

  • Laser etching can achieve high precision even with intricate and dense keypad nomenclatures

  • Laser etching can be combined with LED backlighting for use in low light environments