How to Assemble Triangle Series Metal Dome on PCB

Posted on July 2, 2010 by Peter

We have discussed assemble metal dome on PCB before, see “How to make the metal dome array to stick on the PCB firmly?”), but more and more customers asking for more details, plus pictures showing how to install various triangle metal dome, with and without legs. So we wrote an article plus some additional information and hope customers will understand the way more better.

Firstly, let us have a overlook at the specification of the triangle series metal dome. From the picture, you will see it includes four basic types: no leg, short leg, medium leg and long leg.

Triangle metal dome

The metal dome leg length divides into three basic series: 0.8mm, 1.5mm, and 3.0mm. We also have a special one which is 2.4mm. Of course, we can customize special leg length of metal dome, please contact us directly for more details.

Follows are popular questions & feedback from our customers and people in metla dome related forums, we summarize them and think you will understand more clearly.

Question #1: We want to solder a the triangle metal dome.

Best Tech Answer: For triangle metal dome, we don’t recommend solder it on FPC/PCB or membrane switch. When you press center of metal dome, the domes collapse and make contact with the secondary pathway, thereby closing the circuit. See more how metal domes work : . http://www.metal-domes.com/blog/2006/11/13/how-metal-dome-works/.

So if you solder it, three sides of metal dome cannot be extended as per designed, click feeling will be lessen, force always changed, and life cycles become low, and sometimes, dome will not return to its original position and become broken. We named it as “dead key”.

— to be continued:

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Dragon Boat Festival Coming Again

Posted on June 15, 2010 by Peter

How time flying! Chinese Dragon Boat Festival (Duan Wu Festival) coming again. We have gone through many economical issue in past time, but we overcome it and now, around the word, business is picking up and we wish the good signal will be continued.

For new guy to our blog, you can visit our previous article about Dragon Boat Festival: “Happy Dragon Boat Festival“. I think you’ll be understand it.

Here I would like to share some pictures I took in last year while watching the Dragon Boat Race. A picture worth thousands of words 🙂

Dragon Boat View 1

You can see how many people watch the race, by the river.

Drago Boat Race

Wawa… I like this 🙂

This is a Dragon Boat

This is what a Dragon boat is. Do you see the Dragon in front of boat?

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Metal Dome Manufacturing QC Procedure

Posted on June 4, 2010 by Peter

Many customers have pay attention to the qualified quality of metal dome now. But they don’t know how to judge it? We think the most important thing is have a strict procedure to check materials and quality controlling.

Depending on our many years’ experience, we, Best Technology, summarizes four points about the OQC procedure as below.

metal dome QC process

This is our main OQC procedure, and more details not listed, if you need more, please contact us.  You can also visit our website to see details: http://www.metal-domes.com/Quality.htm, you can check other information, such as Metal Dome Test Certeria, Metal Dome Handling Precaution and so son.

At the same time, we can also handle relevant test depend on customer’s special request. If you want to get more information, please contact us or send an email to us. We will provide the best service for you as before.

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Characteristic of Adhesive in our Metal Dome Array

Posted on May 10, 2010 by Peter

Many customers asked us about the stickiness of our metal dome array because most of what they used are 3M series such as 3M 467, 468 etc. So they will compare the adhesive in our dome array with 3M and they will have a common question for the stickiness, and they worry about whether the metal dome array can stick firmly on PCB.

The adhesive is special which is different from 3M AD: The stickiness of Adhesive at initial step is weak, so that it’ll be convenient for worker to put and peel off again and again on or from PCB, in case some times the alignment is not right so that worker can easy peel if off at initial process. However, after a period of time, the stickiness become more strong and strong, and then dome array will stick firmly on PCB and cannot peeled off.

Whatever Nokia, iPhone, Motorola, Blackberry, the metal dome array under their cell is using the same dome array material like ours. We are always doing our best to provide best products & service to customers, so we use the same material as Nokia choose.

In next article, I will discuss issue how to enhance stickiness of metal dome array on the boards. Let me know if you have any question for metal dome array, Best Technology always like to be your best partner in metal dome and metal dome array.

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How to make the metal dome array to stick on the PCB firmly?

Posted on March 11, 2010 by Frank

Recently, we have got some customer feedback about the issue of the adhesive. They complain about the adhesive is not stick firmly on their boards and want to know why. In fact, we test the adhesive by ourselves, it can be stick on the boards firmly. It is hard to peel off from the boards.
Please follow me to attention the notes when you stick the metal dome array:

First, please do not touch the part of the adhesive when your operator stuck;

Secondly, Please make sure the surface of PCB/FPC to be clean, free of oil, dust, or others;

3rd: Try your best to stick dome array on your board just one time, don’t put it on, then peel off. Too many times of re-assemble will lessen adhesive of dome array;

4th, please press one time after you assemble metal dome array on the boards, the adhesive is also pressure sensetive one so suitable pressure will enhance the stickness.

If you need the more information, please contact us anytime.

In next time, I will write an post discussing how to assemble metal dome on PCB. Please continue to visit our blog:-)

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Resume Working Notes

Posted on March 2, 2010 by Frank

Our company have already back from our Chinese New Year on Feb. 22.If you have need any information from us, please do feel free to contact us.

Please to be noted that we have so many orders in the hand now, the schedule of mass production is very tight. So if you have the new orders of metal domes, please advise us more early, we can arrange it for you to our schedule form earlier. I think it will not affect your production arrangement.

Our company is the leading manufacturer of the metal domes & metal dome arrays, if you have any inquires, please contact us any time.

Last, but not least, all of staff of our company wish your business prosperity in 2010.

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Chinese Lunar New Year Holiday Arrangement

Posted on February 2, 2010 by Peter

In the past 2009, although the word have went through economical crisis, we still have great achievement. We should take this opportunity to thank our friends, customers, suppliers, colleague, and everyone supporting us in 2009.

Now it’s time to back home to enjoy the merriness of get-together with family, friends, the one you loved and beloved. Here are our Lunar New Year (Spring Festival) holiday arrangement:

Feb 7th~Feb 21st, 2010: Closed

Feb 22nd, 2010: Re-open

You can contact our sales representative to discuss everything, but samples, or manufacturing will stop. Our guys is anxious to back home every hour. ^_^, we think you should understand that. ^_^

Thanks everyone and wish business in 2010 will be much more prosperous.

Enjoy the happiness of everyday!

Yours Sincerely,

Best Technology Staff

www.metal-domes.com

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We succeeded to develop the new one million life 10mm four-leg metal domes lately.

Posted on December 19, 2009 by Frank

There is a very imprtant & good news for all of us. Following up with the development of the one million life times 6mm, 8.4mm, 12.2mm four-leg metal domes/snap domes by Our R & D staff, we have won our customers further trust by the quality, price and service. Including some very famous brand, such as: Emerson, Honeywell, Sigmatron, Dyson etc..  They continue their efforts, follow with the need of marketing, & developed the 10mm cross shape metal domes with one million life times lately.

The specifications of this type are similar to foreign famous brand, such Snaptron, Nicomatic, but the price is lower 50% than theirs. We have the 220gf, 280gf, 350gf for this type, with or without dimple & Stainless Steel or Nickel Plating are available.

10mm diameter metal dome

It is almost the blank state for this type with one million life times in China mainland marketing. Our lunch of this type will fill in this blank state, & further improve our four-leg shape metal domes series.

Our company has the diameter from 6mm to 20mm four-leg shape metal domes now. You can find all of your required from here. It also consolidate our company is the leader manufacturer of metal domes & metal dome arrays in China mainland.

10mm diameter metal dome

If you have further queries, please do feel free to contact Best Technology. Thank you.

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How to know the stroke of the metal dome & metal dome array?

Posted on November 27, 2009 by Frank

How to know the stroke of the metal dome & metal dome array?

There are so many customers to ask this question. I know it is very important for the product design. You should leave the enough space for the metal dome & metal dome array between your PCB & cover layer.

This time follow me to clarify this question, it is very easy for us whom are specializing in this industry for so many years.

For the metal dome, you can see our 6mm diameter, four-leg shape metal dome. The total height is 0.31mm, & the thickness of the material is 0.06mm, so the stroke is 0.31-0.06=0.25mm.

The formula is: Stroke= Height – Thickness of material – Thickness of the dimple (if there is a dimple in center).

Four-leg metal dome

For the four-leg metal domes, the life cycles always have the one million times. & they are popular used in the membrane switche products.

For the metal dome array, you can see the follow picture:

The structure of the Metal dome array

You can see the 3# spacer is parallel to the 2# metal dome & the thickness is lower than the domes. So you can ignore the thickness of the spacer. The total height = Mylar + Metal dome=0.05+0.31=0.36mm. For the more detail, you can see my last blog.http://www.metal-domes.com/blog/2009/11/07/the-whole-thickness-of-our-metal-dome-arrays/

How about the stroke? In fact, it is the same as the natural metal domes. It should be ignored the thickness of the Mylar & Spacer. So you can use the above formula to calculate the stroke.

I think you are fully understand the stroke of our metal domes & metal dome arrays now. If you need further & more information, please do feel free to contact us.

Best Technology Co., Ltd

www.metal-domes.com

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The whole thickness of our metal dome arrays.

Posted on November 7, 2009 by Frank

This time follow me to see the whole thickness of our metal dome array products. We have two types of the metal dome arrays: Single layer & Double layers. Please see the following structure:
  Single layer metal dome array

 Double layers metal dome array

1.For the Single layer structure: the whole thickness is equal to the thickness of the Mylar & metal dome. Normally the thickness of Mylar is 0.05mm.

2. For the Double layers structure: the whole thickness is the same as the Single layer structure. You can see from the picture, it is the double layers, but the spacer is parallel to the metal dome. So that you can ignore its thickness. Normally the thickness of the spacer is 0.075mm.

If there is enough space between your PCB & cover layer by the side of your button, It means over the thickness of the Mylar & Spacer (0.05+0.075=0.125mm), we recommend you to use the most popular double layers structure. Because there have ventilation between the domes, when you press the domes, the air can ran out easily. So it will be better with click feeling.

I think you are fully understand the advantage & disadvantage of the two structures now. For more information, please feel free to contact Best Technology.

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