Common Types of Membrane Switch

Membrane switches are an integral part of most modern electronics. They are made up of a flexible material that moves when you press them and are found on keyboards, mouse and other peripherals and in consumer products like microwaves and washing machines. They're also used in industrial equipment such as assembly lines, conveyor belts and other machinery that requires user interaction. The most common types of membrane switch are:

•    Rubber Domes

Rubber domes are the most common type of membrane switch. They're cheap and easy to manufacture, but they have a low actuation force and travel distance, meaning they're not very good for typing on or gaming.

•    Spring-over-Membrane

This type of switch combines an elastic dome with a spring underneath it. Spring-over-membrane switches are often used in laptop keyboards because they can be thinner than rubber dome or dome over membrane types. However, they may feel less responsive than rubber domes because they require more force to press down on them.

•    Dome Switches

Dome switches are typically found in less expensive keyboards because they're cheaper to manufacture than other membrane switches. However, dome switches aren't very durable and don't provide a superb typing experience. They also have a shorter lifespan than different membrane types because their domes wear out quickly after years of use.

•    Contact Membrane Switch

The most common type of membrane switch is a contact-type switch. This kind of switch uses a flexible plastic or rubber pad with a conductive layer. The pad is placed between two metal contact plates. When the pad is pressed, it contacts both plate contacts, which completes an electrical circuit.

•    Resistive Membrane Switch

This is used in touchscreen devices such as tablets and smartphones to detect finger movements on the screen's surface. The resistive sensor consists of an electrically conductive material sandwiched between two layers of insulating material. When you apply pressure to the top layer, it bends and makes contact with both layers. Resistive sensing can be used for multiple touchpoints simultaneously because each point acts independently.

•    Mechanical Membrane Switches

These are the most basic type of membrane switches. These are composed of a rubber sheet or diaphragm and two conductive layers separated by an air gap. The rubber sheet is bonded to the top surface of a printed circuit board, while the conductive layers form electrodes on both sides of the sheet. When pressure is applied to the active area of the switch, it deforms and makes contact between the active area and one or more electrodes. In this way, a mechanical membrane switch can emulate any type of automatic switch, including toggle switches, rocker switches and slide switches.

•    Electrical Membrane Switch

These are more complex than their mechanical counterparts because they contain integrated circuits that perform all switching functions electronically. Electrical membranes have fewer moving parts and therefore have less chance of failure than mechanical membranes. For more information visit here: CSI Keyboards, Inc.