Transforming 3D Drawings into Products within Weeks with Rapid Prototyping
Silikeypad's accelerated prototyping method significantly shortens your keyboard R&D timeline. What used to take months can now be done in weeks.Gaining a competitive advantage becomes effortless when you choose Silikeypad.We've implemented an accelerated process for creating functional silicone keypad prototypes that eliminates the typical long wait times.
Here's a reformulated list of the benefits of Silkeypad's rapid prototyping process:
Significantly faster turnaround times (2-3 weeks)
Streamlined silicone keypad development
Reduced design validation costs for keyboards
Early opportunities for marketing presentations
Thorough evaluation of design options
Elimination of costly tooling changes
Timely product introduction
Customer beta testing
Improved visualization for management and marketing
Creation of attractive promotional brochures
Access to a wide range of color combinations
Comprehensive form, fit, and function analysis
This revised list highlights the benefits of choosing
Our Rapid Prototyping Service
Utilizing a Low-Cavity Mold for Silicone Rubber Button Prototyping
Rapid prototyping molds offer a cost-effective and time-efficient method for creating silicone rubber keyboard samples. They share the same material and physical properties as mass production molds but typically have fewer cavities, a development time of 7-10 days, and lower costs. While manually operated, they may not be suitable for silicone rubber keypads with webbed key structures. Alternative methods like RTV molding or 3D printing may not be ideal for such keypads.
RTV Molding for Rapid Prototyping
When considering RTV molding for silicone rubber buttons, a pattern of the intended item is initially created from wood or metal. RTV silicone mixed with a curing agent is then poured over the pattern and left to cure for up to 24 hours. The resulting mold, robust and flexible, is almost immediately usable. However, it's essential to note that RTV molding is best suited for soft and elastomeric materials like silicone rubber. While RTV molds can produce dozens to 100 pieces of keypad samples, actual production for harder materials such as ABS, PC, or PP may require a metal mold through plastic injection molding. In such cases, prototypes are better achieved through 3D printing or CNC machining.
3D Printing for Rapid Prototyping
3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is a process that builds three-dimensional objects layer by layer from a computer-generated design. This technology is often used to quickly prototype rubber keyboards. Designers often prefer to go directly from concept to CAD file to prototype without the need for traditional tooling. Although 3D printed parts can resemble rubber, they don't have the exact properties of real rubber. In addition, the functional properties of a 3D printed material may differ from the same material in its traditional form.
Prototype Description
| Item Name | Keypad Prototype with Silicone by Compression Molding |
| Material | ABS,PC,PMMA,PP,POM,Rubber,ect |
| Processing Way | Vacuum Casting |
| Tolerance | ±0.1Mm |
| 3D Files Format | Pro/E, ,UG, Auto CAD, *.Stp, *.Igs,*.Stl, *.X-T. |
| Surface Treatment | Polish,Painting,Sand Blasting,Laser Etching,Etc |
| Lead Time | 5-10 Working Days |
Applications
Prototyping is a crucial stage in the silicone keypad design process, serving as a valuable method to experiment with new designs for keyboards without the need for full-scale production.
Rubber keypads find widespread use in electronic devices like smartphones, tablets, and laptops, as well as in industrial applications such as robotics, medical equipment, and automobiles. Keys offer a cost-effective means to test new hardware designs.
Silicone rubber button prototyping simplifies the creation of electronic product prototypes and aids in the development of molds for injection molding. These keypads are commonly employed to safeguard delicate components during assembly and to customize keys for electronic products, including mobile phones.
Furthermore, they serve well in crafting decorative silicone buttons, allowing for unique designs through various materials like wood, metal, plastic, or paper. Silicone rubber keypads, being flexible and suitable for making mechanical switches, are an excellent choice for cost-effective solutions for small businesses.
Keypad prototyping material is ideal for crafting prototypes due to its ease of cutting and shaping, offering a convenient way to replace worn-out keyboard keys. They have long been popular as keypad devices due to their affordability and ease of production.
Prototypes are ideal for keyboard showcasing, trade exhibitions, and initial market assessments, especially in industries that manufacture physical goods, such as:
Telecommunications
Medical devices
Computers
Laboratory instrumentation
Point of sales
Industrial equipment
Consumer electronics
Automotive