Tactile Feel / Haptic

Keypads are designed to provide a mechanical, tactile feedback when pressed.

The feedback provides a tactile response that helps confirm a fully pressed a key, or assists in preventing accidental presses.

Abatek has spent 25 years manufacturing input devices, such as silicone keypads, with mechanical tactile feedback.

We have extensively studied and quantified the behavior of keys, and provided ways to fully control and spec. 

The haptic or the tactile feel (feedback) is dominated (influenced) by three factors:

• Force

• Travel and

• Snap.

Those three (main) elements do result in a diagram called the Force/Way Curve or Force-Travel Diagram.

Force (Actuating Force), F or F1

Mainly measured in [N], sometimes in [gram], describes the necessary force to actuate a button/key. Almost every actuating force from >0.5N and <20N can be achieved. 

Way/Travel (Stroke) S

Described in [mm]. Expresses the travel or way a key physically needs to move until a contact (i.e. on a PCB or within a switch) appears. The HMI/MMI world knows three categories of stroke (or way).

Snap 

Indicated in %. The snap characterises the switch feeling, or the tactile response of the key being actuaded. (F1-F2)/F1*100%

Abatek controls the above three elements by influencing the membrane geometry (shape, thickness, angel, radii), material type and hardness. Precondition to control all those elements is to run an own high precision tool making shop. The total assembly and actuators have significant impact on the haptic, so ask your local Abatek partner for support on optimization.

Abatek offers the full range of tactile feel and force/way as:

Silicone Keypad, long stroke	Short stroke metal dome arrays	ClickPad long build up, short stroke,  metal dome with preload

Whatever you chose, Abatek’s 25 years experience in the industry guarantees a successful project. 

You will FEEL the difference!