Custom manufacturing example · Custom conductive keypads with carbon pills spray laser back-lighted button

CUSTOM RUBBER & SILICONE MANUFACTURING

Custom conductive keypads with carbon pills spray laser back-lighted button

A custom component for your assembly.

Define the mating surfaces, dimensions and working conditions. ETOL manufactures the part to the agreed design and material.

Factory direct
Made to order
Drawing & sample support

Share the part, its application and your estimated quantity.

Customize the fit, material and finish

Vulcanization workshop illustration with green molding presses and blue collection bins

Material & hardness

Selected for the contact, temperature and movement

Color & finish

Define the visible surfaces and intended color

Shape & dimensions

Develop holes, lips and walls around the mating parts

Mounting & fit

Match the attachment and installation method

Product Overview

Conductive keypads with carbon pills combine an electrical contact interface with a molded operating surface. Where sprayed and laser-processed legends are used for backlighting, the visible marking system adds another design relationship: the illuminated areas must suit both the button layout and the light source arrangement inside the product.

Begin with the circuit contact positions and the enclosure geometry. Each carbon pill needs to meet its intended board area, while the moving button section has room to travel without rubbing. The coating and laser-defined legend should be positioned so that normal movement does not scrape a marked edge against the panel.

Evaluate illumination in the complete assembly. Light placement, surrounding internal surfaces, and the space behind the keypad affect how evenly a legend appears and whether unwanted light reaches adjacent controls. A laser-processed button does not generate light by itself.

Check electrical response and appearance together during representative operation. Off-center presses should not shift the contact outside its intended region, and cleaning should preserve the coating around the legend. Keep the carbon contact side free of residue during assembly. If a prototype changes in thickness or button profile, revisit both the switching alignment and the illuminated appearance rather than assuming those properties remain unchanged.

Material options: Rubber. Custom formulation and color for the intended contact conditions.
Hardness selection: Rubber: 30–90 Shore A. Each carbon pill needs to meet its intended board area, while the moving button section has room to travel without rubbing.
Custom dimensions: The coating and laser-defined legend should be positioned so that normal movement does not scrape a marked edge against the panel.
Fit & assembly: Off-center presses should not shift the contact outside its intended region, and cleaning should preserve the coating around the legend.
Use & inspection: Keep the carbon contact side free of residue during assembly.

Photos illustrate structure or material only. Each carbon pill needs to meet its intended board area, while the moving button section has room to travel without rubbing. ETOL directly manufactures custom-shaped silicone and rubber parts to your requirements.

Choosing a material or hardness? Explore the selection guide →

From part requirements to production

Define the part

Identify key dimensions, mating surfaces and quantity

Review material & tooling

Agree the compound and manufacturing approach

Evaluate the sample

Review the fit and agreed requirements in the assembly

Produce & inspect

Manufacture and check against the approved requirements

Review the intended assembly

Working conditions

Identify temperature, contact fluids and repeated movement.

Material and structure

Consider hardness together with wall thickness and support.

Installation

Check access, mating dimensions and the fitting sequence.

Ordering this custom component

Can the shape be adjusted to my mating parts?

Yes. Show the receiving opening, contact surfaces and clearance limits. We can review the dimensions and retaining features around the intended fit.

Which details should be agreed before tooling?

Agree the critical dimensions, material, hardness, visible surfaces and sample requirements. Explain how the part is installed and which interfaces control its function.

Can a sample help define the replacement?

A sample can help explain the structure. Compare it with the assembly because wear, swelling or compression may have changed its original dimensions.

How is the quotation for this part determined?

The material, part geometry, tooling, quantity and finishing affect the quotation. Include the intended batch size and delivery destination when describing your requirements.

DISCUSS THIS COMPONENT

Describe the part you need.

Share the fit, operating conditions and quantity with our manufacturing team.