Searching for a new keypad for your workplace or commercial application? While you can always take the route of plastic keypads, many companies are now choosing rubber keypads. To learn more about rubber keypads and the unique advantages they offer, keep reading.
Rubber Keypads: the Basics
You don’t have to search very hard to find a rubber keypad. From hospitals and doctors offices to retail stores and manufacturing factories, they are all around us. Up until recently, though, the de-facto standard has been plastic keypads, which feature hard, durable plastic keys. But there’s been a growing trend towards the use of rubber keypads.
Rubber keypads live up to their namesake by featuring a rubber design. This opens the doors to a whole new world of possibilities in terms of benefits as well as application. Rubber keypads are typically designed as membrane keypads, meaning the keys are embedded into the surface. This is in stark contrast to plastic keypads, which have separate key parts.
Dirt and Debris
Due to their membrane-like design, rubber keypads don’t succumb to dirt and debris as much as a standard plastic keypad. Plastic keypads have a tendency to attract crumbs and other debris underneath the keys. Over time, this can affect their ability to register key presses. Thankfully, this isn’t a problem with rubber keypads, as there’s no “space” underneath the keys to hold dirt and debris.
Water Resistant
Another benefit of using rubber keypads is their ability to resist water. It’s no secret that rubber is resistant to water and moisture. This means you can use rubber keypads in both indoor and outdoor settings, without fear of moisture damaging it. This alone is reason enough to consider using rubber keypads instead of traditional plastic ones.
Comfort
Let’s face it, rubber keypads are softer and more comfortable to use than plastic keypads. The rubber material is easy on the hands, promoting proper ergonomics — something that’s not found in other types of keypads.
Sound
A lesser-known benefit of rubber keypads is sound, or should I say lack thereof. Rubber keypads offer a near-silent operation, meaning you won’t hear a distracting “clicking” sound each time a worker uses it. This has made rubber keypads an attractive choice in office and similar indoor settings.
