Archive for the ‘metal dome related’ Category

Four Legs Metal Dome New Trend

Monday, March 16th, 2009

On every weekend, we will have a short meeting to check the statistics data of that week and we found out a very obvious trend in the shipment of our Four legs series metal domes, that is: “more smaller size, more high quality requirements, more packing methods”.

There’s a one time, when membrane switches were so hot in the market, the dome used in it was big diameter one such as 12.2mm, 8.4mm etc, and the force were 220gf, 280gf, and 320gf. As the touchscreen technology become popular, it seemed that few and few company used tactile metal domes, all of the guys turn to try the new tech.

In some important section, however, the vital switch have to be avoided of mis-handling by human hand or an incident, and touch screen cannot reach that goal, so tactile dome turn back to the top of desk. As people have gone through the experience of tactile dome and touch screen, they want to strike the right balance. Such being the case, some company designed the dome with smaller diameter with lower force but remain good click feeling, and Four legs series metal domes are the right choice for them.

With its unique structure, Four legs series metal domes can have the best click feeling, and at the same time, we have add several supporting circle in our tooling so that there’re related circles, visible and unvisible, in our goods, to make sure high quality and long life cycles (over 1 million times). Four legs metal domes

There’s a common sense that “the smaller diameter dome is, the more difficult manufacturing will be”. With our special design, our 6mm and 7mm Four legs series metal domes have endure strict testing by our clients. Recently, we have becomed the supplier of metal dome for Emerson. We wish more customers can try our new small size metal domes, and to meet your various requirements.

In next article, we will discuss the requirement of packing method for Four legs series metal domes.

(to be continued)

Brand-new Four-leg Domes in 8mm

Saturday, November 15th, 2008

Hi, dear friends! Rory here would bring you a brand-new diameter of our four-leg domes, it is in 8mm! Just follow me, I will show you the parameters of them!

Normally, the diameter of  four-leg domes are 6mm, 7mm, 8.4(8.4mm), 10mm, 12.2mm, 16mm, 20mm, none use 8mm. In fact, in most of cased, this 8mm dome can be replaced by 8.4mm, but sometimes, customers like to use exact 8mm. This is why we develop new mould for 8mm dome.

So do not hesitate to contact us if you need our products or have other questions!

Best Technology, providing best products with best service in best price, would always be around you!

One-Key Dome Array: Single Metal Dome with adhesive PET

Saturday, October 18th, 2008

Hi, welcome to Best Technology again! Last time we have introduced our lacer cutting technology! Further to that advanced technology, we have dealt with many orders of one-key dome arrays, which are difficult to handle before the adoption of laser cutting machine!

Tracing the days when we have adopted the laser cutting machines, we have lost many orders for the one-key dome arrays! On the other hand, we cannot meet to our customer requirements for dealing the single metal dome with adhesive array without setting up a tooling!

As we all know, a set of tooling would cost an amount of tooling fee. Considering the quantity not large enough, as well as price relatively high with tooling fee, many customers refuse to give orders to us. We also felt sorry for not able to serve with our customers and never give up searching the best way to work out this problem!Â

Finally our efforts are paid off! Now we can deal with any order of one-key dome array. The adhesive array size would be a bit larger than the dome size, so that customers can easily stick the single dome onto PCB or any place they want put to.

Followed is one of the drawings for 8.4mm four-leg dome array:

Peeled Off Kiss Cut Metal Dome Array

Peeled Off Kiss Cut Metal Dome Array

Of course we can do any size as per customers requirements! For instance, we have dealt with one case, where our customer demanded limited space for adhesive PET (like 8*8mm) of 6mm circle metal dome.

Usually we would do the PET size of 10*10mm for 6mm domes; in this case, we finally work out by the size of 8*10mm, so that the array would not only surpass the limited space, but also functions well sticking to the board! Hereby are some pictures of goods we have made:

Single Key Four-leg Metal Dome Array

Welcome to any order of One-Key Dome Array from Best Technology! We can make most tapes of metal dome in different size and shape.

Seemed interested? I think it will save a lot of time for you to assemble bulk metal dome using a adhesive tape at your side. This is what we want, to save time and increase efficiency of assembly.

Any question? Please leave your message or contact us todayd for single key metal dome array now!

Newly Advanced Laser Machine for Dome Array

Monday, August 11th, 2008

Newly Advanced Laser Machine for Dome Array

Hey, everyone! It has been some time for our last communication! Pls do never forget our best products with best service from our Best Technology! We always dedicate to serving you better, faster, and easier! Today, we are going to introduce our newly advanced technology of laser cutting, so that it is available for us to guarantee the manufacture for small quantities of dome array, no matter with single domes or in customer designed, and no tooling fee would be charged!

As you know, when we do not have laser machines, it is difficult for us to accept a dome array order of small quantity (like 1K or 5k) without setting up a tooling! Sometimes, customers do not want to set up a tooling, but our manufacture would consume a large amount of hand labor! Thus, many opportunities of cooperation have been passed because of the cost of manufacture!

Fortunately, we have adopted the technology of laser cutting in making dome arrays since second half of this year! With laser cutting machine, we can handle the outline and key positions of dome arrays without setting up a new tooling. In this case, our customers don’t have to worry about tooling fee for any small order, and we don’t have to worry about the large cost of labor force! Thus we would have more opportunities serving with you. Pls view part of production line as followed:

Laser Cutting Machine

Welcome your any order of dome array !

New LGF metal Dome Array Announce

Saturday, June 28th, 2008

LGF metal dome array is a new design with the purpose of improving current one. As everyone knows, the light under keypad is coming from the LED on PCB motherboard. We need to put about 8-10 pieces LED on each board, but if the design changed to use LGF, then we can save several LED, as well as SMT fee.

LGF, which full name is Light Guide Film. When we add a LGF on current normal double layer or EMI dome array, it becomes a LGF dome array. It can achieve great result of light distribution.

structure of double layer dome arrays

LGF, at least one surface out of front and rear surfaces of the light guide film is formed with a pattern such that density increases as distanced from a light source to allow light to be uniformly supplied to the keypad, or is concentratively formed with a pattern at a particular region of the light guide film to allow the light to be concentratively supplied to a particular region of the keypad.

You can see from belowing picture of a LGF. You can see the pattern around the light source (LED). Only 9 LED are needed for such a large area (160*72mm).

LGF

On the motherboard of mobile phone, through the optical refraction, only 1~4 pcs LED will be enough for soft and high light luminance, if using our LGF dome array (mobile phone LGF). At the same time, we can adjust luminance of the black area during the design to achieve the value to 30CD/M2.

You can see from this picture, when we turn on the LED and then the light will be guided through whole flat area.

LGF with LED

Our LGF dome array can be used widely in high value added mobile phone, solving the problem of uneven of luminance, high power-consumption, big room space requirements and high costing. We can make LGF dome array in various color and shape, also adjust different artwork to make LGF, such as printing, mould punching, etc.

dome arrays

LGF Dome Array Character:

  1. Good lighting result, even luminance and high intensity of light
  2. Soft, flexibility and elasticity, thickness is about 0.125mm which does not need too much space.
  3. Save LED & power consumption, two LED will be enough for small area mobile phone LGF.
  4. No special request for electrical trace
  5. Great stability, long durability, the life cycles can reach up to 1 million times.
  6. When assembly with metal dome array, LGF will not affect the clicking feeling.

Please contact Best Technology for more information about LGF dome array. We are always to be your best partner of metal dome and metal dome array around the word.

How To Order Metal Domes From BEST

Thursday, November 29th, 2007

As the business growing, more and more people around the world know “BEST” and interested in our Metal Dome and Metal Dome Array and they want to purchase. But as the there’re different ways of sales methods, someone maybe confused and didn’t know how to buy. They will ask some questions such as:

1)”Do you have a distributor in our country?”

2) “Can I buy it directly from you?”

3) “Can I use my Credit Card to pay?”"

4) If I want to place an order with us, how can I do that?”

and so on…

My Friend, in our FAQ or our blog, we have mentioned these questions.

1) “Do you have a distributor in our country?”

For question of distributor, we don’t use it,  because it’ll be more convenient and fast for you to buy directly from us. Click FAQ for more about this.

2) “Can I buy it directly from you?”

Of course you can. Buy directly from us will be better.

3) “Can I use my Credit Card to pay?”

Yes. Please browse this article in our blog for more: “New Payment for Small Charge:”Credit Card and Paypal

4) “If I want to place an order with us, how can I do that?”

Here, I would like to talk about the question 4. This time, we just say somethings about Metal Dome and next time, Metal Dome Array.

There’re basic steps to buy Metal Dome from us, if it’s the firstly time you purchase from “BEST

1) Confirm what you need.
Please advice us the detailed parameters, such as force requirement, with dimple or not, surface treatment, Natural or Nickel plated? With EMI (ESD) or not? As well as your other requirement, such as quantity, expected lead time, etc.
You can browse these articles:

Metal Dome Technology and Parameters
How to Measure the Parameters of Metal Domes
ESD and EMC

You can just browe the category to learn more.

Didn’t know the above figure? No problem! Please contact us, we will choose the suitable one for you.

2) We quote you the price after everything is confirmed

3) You send us the PO

For PO, you can send it via Fax or via Email.

4) We send you a Proforma Invoice and you made the payment
You can chose the most suitable payment method, T/T (Telex Transfer) or Credit Card.

5) After receiving the payment, we send us the goods and advice the tracking informatin. Normally we ship goods via carriers such as DHL, UPS, FedEx, etc.

6) You receiving the goods and business settled down and waiting for your repeat-orders or new enquiries.

My Friend, I hope you already know to do now. Bright future is coming. We will provide high quality Metal Dome with best service to you.

Still have questions? Please don’t heistate to contact us. Just send out an email and we will do following things for you.

How to Measure Parameters of Metal Dome – Four-Legs Series

Monday, October 22nd, 2007

Not everybogy knows everything, so does the purchasing of metal domes. I have got many enquiries about metal domes, but necessary information was missed, so I need to ask for that. The top quesionts which I asked for are as follows:

1) Shape
Of course we need to know the shape of metal domes. It’s the initial step to decide what kind of metal dome is. Right now, we have four basic shapes, namely: Circle, Four-Legs(Cross), Triangle and Oblong. For more, please check: Metal Domes (http://www.metal-domes.com/products.htm)

2) Diameter
The diameter decide the size of metal domes. But the measure point of different metal dome is different, that is the starting point and the ending point is different. Today, I will discuss majorly about Four-Legs(Cross)series.

Firstly, look at following picture showing the metal domes with different diameters.

http://www.metal-domes.com/blogimages/F-series-metal-dome-with-dimple

(F-series-metal-dome-with-dimple)

Then let me check how to measure the diameter of F series metal dome, using a vernier caliper.

Diameter Measurement

Now, you can check the figure is 12.2mm, and this means the diameter of that dome is 12.2mm. Yeah, absolutely right. Let’s exlain it by CAD Drawing. It’ll be more helpful for you to understand that.

dome-parameters

Does it make a sense now?

3) Height and travel of metal dome

You will note from the above picture that how to measure the height and travel of metal dome. In fact, we have discussed this issue before. You can browse this article to get more parameters of metal dome: Metal Dome Technology and Parameters: http://www.metal-domes.com/blog/2006/11/11/metal-dome-tech-and-parameter

I hope you’ll understand what you will need after view the above. If you still have questions, please feel free to contact us.

In next article, we will talk about how to measure other metal domes with different shape.

(to be continue…)

Different Request of Metal Domes

Monday, December 4th, 2006

Although we have to say that one product should be have the same standard so that it can be used in everyway, we don’t need to worry about who made it. That “standardize” and “internationalize” is good thing for today industry develpment. Bbecause of different culture background, however, there’s still some differences between them.

For normal person, the stardand metal dome are acceptable and will be satisfactory. But what they concerning about is various. Under the NDA with our client, we can’t release more information about them, but we can list some simples phenomenon: Some clients concern about the surfacing plating; someone larg or small dimples; diameter of interior round is the important things for few clients whom worry about the contact area; width of feet is critial elements in some customers’ end-products, and so on.

Everyday, each time we get enquiries about metal dome or sometimes named as “metal snap dome“, we’ll find some difference, whether it’s small or big, we will try to do our best to meet their requests, and feel very happy when problems are fixed and customers found out what they need. At the same time, it’s also a funny time to challenge new affairs. As the preverbs says: “There’s no limit to knowledge”. We appreciate such kind of differences.

How Metal Dome Works

Monday, November 13th, 2006

Although we’ve said in the main products page of metal dome how it works, but without the assistance of visible picture, many person still don’t know its theory. Today I draw a simple sketch, hope it can be helpful for friends to understand it.

how metal dome work

While you research the picture, you can write our instruction of how metal dome works in metal domes, namely “They function in the following way: The metal domes are placed on the printed circuit board by means of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape. In their relaxed state, the metal domes rest on the outer rim of the primary pathway. When pushed, the domes collapse and make contact with the secondary pathway, thereby closing the circuit.

To know what a metal dome is, maybe this article, Metal Dome VS Steel Dome,  can help you. Also the artiles in metal domes maybe be helpful for you to learn more the metal dome (sometimes people call it metal snap domes) .

Do you understand it now? Or think about the other things need to provide to enrich this explanation? Leave your response here!

Metal Domes Technology and Parameters

Saturday, November 11th, 2006

It seemed that Metal Dome is a strange and mystery products in most people eyes, esp. to the green handle in this industry, and not mention person outside of our industry. Also sometimes my clients ask about the questions of technology or parameter of Metal Domes, such as what is a CP or CL is, how the plating, and so on. Today, I will talk something about these things, with the hope of covering basic technology and parameter in the fields of Metal Domes.


1, Material of Metal Domes
Generally it is SUS 301 or SUS 304. The hardness of SUS 301 is higher than SUS 304, normal between 490 and 530 Hv (Tensile Strength 186kg/mm²). Or sometimes people divided them into four basic types, according to the hardness of Japanese pencil: 1/4 H, 1/2 H, H and EH. The higher the hardness, the more stability of life cycles and click feeling, and the more expensive price will be. For more information about material, view About Stainless Steel – Raw Material of Metal Dome (1), About Stainless Steel – Raw Material of Metal Dome (2)


2, Number of Sockets in Mould of Metal Domes

The more number of sockets in mould, the less stability will be. Right now, it is 1 out 1, for the normal factory of metal domes, for small circle metal dome, such as 3~5mm, maybe 3 or 5 pcs.

3, OQA Control

The items of OQA including outlook(shape, burs), force (force tester),  click feeling, life testing (life tester), generally inspect 3 out 10,000 pcs randomly.


4, Click Feeling

CC: Click Feeling; CP: Compression Peak Force; CL: Compression Low Force; RL: Release Low Force; RP: Compression Peak Force
CC(%)=(CP-CL)/CP x 100%, it’s normally between 35% and 60%.


Metal Dome Stroke (Travel)
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5, Stroke (Travel) of Metal Domes

Please see the figure, generally the stroke (travel) for Diameter 4mm metal dome is 0.16mm “ 0.18mm, +/- 0.003mm, Dia 5mm 0.18mm “ 0.23mm and 0.23mm “ 0.28mm for Dia 6mm.

metal dome heigth

6, Height of Metal Domes

Height equal to stroke (travel) + thickness of material. For examples, the stroke is 0.20mm, thickness of material is 0.06, then height will be 0.20+0.06=0.26mm.

7, Shape of Metal Domes

There are basic four types: Circle (Round), Four-Legs (Cross), Triangle and Oblong. Also customers design is welcome.

8, Handling of Smudge

Cleanout: There are two methods: one is multi-grade pure water filtration; another one is Ultrasonic clean-out.

9, Plating

At present, there are two methods. For Ni (Nickel) plating domes, generally factory purchase the material which already has Ni foil on the raw material. For Au (Gold), there are two ways: one is Au on raw material, another is manufacture metal domes without any foil firstly, then send them to electroplate workshop to have Au plating. Also it can divide into single side and two sided Au plating.


10, Usage of Metal Domes

Peter from Best Hardware Co., Ltd., believe that it is a future direction that more and more products which require click feeling, excellent electric capability, long life performance, better acclimatization will use metal domes or metal dome arrays (metal dome switches).

Right now it is widely used in communication electronics, home electric appliances, industry control equipments, medical machines, with the macroscopical view.

For more usage of metal domes in microcosmic view, please browse our website (http://www.metal-domes.com) to learn more. I hope right now everyone can understand the basic technology and parameter of metal domes in our industry.

If you still have any questions, or have different thought or views with us, or have some suggestion or comments, please leave your messages here or contact us.


Author: Peter
Published: Metal Domes Technology and Parameters; Metal Dome Blog
All right reserved. Be reproduced in the form of annotated links to the original source and author, and this statement.