Custom Compression Molded Silicone Rubber Keypad

Custom Compression Molded Silicone Rubber Keypad

Custom Compression Molded Silicone Rubber Keypad

Rubber Keypads are made using compression mold tooling. Compression molds have a bottom tool and a top tool (think of a waffle iron). First, the mixed raw silicone material is cut into precise cut slabs. The material is then laid into the mold set. Pressure, heat and time are used to transform the material to the shape of the cavity. The parts are removed from the tool, flash is hand torn and then the parts are post-cured to remove any residual catalyst material.

The mixed and pigmented raw silicone material must be carefully placed in the mold to ensure that enough material fills the cavity, and not too much material prevents the mold from overflowing. This is achieved by rolling the raw material to a specific thickness and width. Next an automated machine pulls and cuts the material into equal sizes. The cut pieces are weighed to ensure that their volume will correctly fill the cavity.