Rubber Backlit Keyboard

Rubber Backlit Keyboard also known as laser etching elastomer switch, back-lit silicone button, rubber backlit keys, backlit keypad, backlit switch, illuminated rubber cap, backlit keycaps, led keyboard, with requirement for LED backlight/illuminating, remove a layer or layer of paint on a push button, the compression molded silicone rubber starts off as a transparent, or semi-transparent, then pained/sprayed with colors of keyboard surface needed. The rubber button is then laser engraved down to the layer of icons/legends/characters/symbols that will be back light with LEDs, the laser etched keyboard then finally will be covered with protective coating, oil coating, epoxy cover, plastic keycap cover, or PU cover coating. During the complicated laser engraving processes, what common defects/problems our customers had?

LED Backlit Keyboards: painting and laser etched label always have kinds of sever problems, uneven painting, dirty stains from dust in air on rubber button surface, light leakage from front or side walls of button/pad, incomplete laser cut icons, all problems will influence touch feeling and back light transmission of back-lit button keys.

Protruding/Dimpling on Surface or Side Walls of Painted Rubber Keyboard

Protruding Stains/Gritty Gravel Touch Feeling Stains on Laser Etched Buttons

Fluffs/Splodges/Dirty Stains on Surface/Side Walls of Laser Backlit Rubber Keycaps

Dirty Stains And Extra Material on Rubber Backlight Keys

Dirty Stains and Friction Marks on Backlit Rubber Keyboard Backlit Buttons

Protruding Stains/Rough Surface/Gritty Gravel Touch Feeling Stains on Painted/Sprayed Engraved Switch Keyboard

Falling Off of Painted Layer and PU Coating, Light Leakage from Side Walls of Laser Cutted Silicone Button

Light Leakage from Surface of Laser Carving Silicone Keyboard Button

Painting Problems Light Leakage from Side Walls of Laser Engraved Keyboard

Good Light Transmittance of Laser Etching Rubber Button Keys Keyboard

Unclear Laser Cutted Icons/Characters And Scorched Engraving Characters on Laser Etched Back-lit Button

Laser Cutted Icons/Characters Scorched on Laser Etched Back Light Keycaps Keyboard

Back-Lit Silicone Button: for laser carving silicone button, painting not only influences appearance of button caps, but also influences actuation force of rubber buttons with key webbing design, generally the tolerance of actuation force is +/- 100gram, the actuation force of buttons will be much higher after painting. For example, actuation force of this rubber key before painting is 232gram, it is then 521gram after painting.

Rubber Backlit Keys: in addition to above problems, laser etched backlit keycaps sometimes have problems with over-spraying that blocks back LEDs light transmission, laser machine dislocation causes characters dislocate on back lit rubber buttons. 

Problem of Painting Flow on Painted Back Lit Rubber Keycaps

Over-Spraying/Painting on Back Face of Laser Backlight Buttons Rubber Keyboard

Incomplete Laser Etched Icons/Legends on Backlit Rubber Keyboard

Engraving Icons Dislocation on Laser Cut Backlit Keycaps Push Button

Backlit Switch: for enhancing etched icons lifetime, protective cover/coat is necessary for backlit switch, matte smooth/oil coating, plastic keycap covers, clear crystal epoxy cover coating, but PU coating cover is always used for laser etching back-lit keyboards. The lifespan of PU cover in wear resistance is better than other covers for laser carving silicone buttons. But poor quality PU coating cover will cause cover fall of and whiten, even will damage etched keyboard key webbing.

Back Light Keycaps PU Cover VS. Oil Coating VS. PU Cover + Oil Coating:

PU Coating of back-lit button pad: after 266,400 cycles.

Backlit Keys Matte Smooth/Oil Coating: after 170,000 cycles.

Laser Backlit Keyboard PU Coating + Matte Smooth Coating: after 171,500 cycles.

Laser Etching/Engraving/Cutted for Led Transmission Backlight Keyboard

Surface Protective PU Coating of Laser Cutted Keyboard Falling Off And Whitening on Side Walls of Backlit Keyboard