Polyester films enable high-definition overlays
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MacDermid Autotype product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Nov 24, 2004
Autotex polyester films enable Danielson to produce high-definition photographic-quality keyboard overlays from screen printing systems.
Autotex polyester films from Autotype International are being used by Danielson, a European manufacturer of membrane keyboards and touch screens, to enable the company for the first time to produce high definition, photographic quality keyboard overlays from screen printing systems.
Danielson has traditionally used conventional screen printing techniques to produce a range of custom developed and manufactured membrane keyboards and panels.
The company, until recently, had been limited in the variety of printed graphics overlays it could offer by the nature of the screen process, which placed a physical limit on mesh size and thus image definition said Autotype.
In addition, complex multicolour graphics required several print passes to build up colours one by one; this was a time consuming and costly exercise that placed a restriction on productivity.
Recent developments in screen print technology have, however, enabled Danielson to offer its customers a far wider choice of high definition finishes at up to 60 lines per inch, and which incorporate photographic images, rasters, fine colour gradients and specific design elements to enhance the functionality of keyboards.
A crucial part of this new process is the use of UV inks, which offer a number of benefits over traditional solvent and water based inks.
In particular, they enable extremely fine screen meshes to be used, for high definition photographic quality images; are free from volatile organic compounds (VOCs), thereby improving process conditions and operator safety; and dry extremely rapidly, within seconds, so productivity can be significantly improved, added the company.
Conventional polyester and polycarbonate overlays cannot, however, easily be printed using UV inks, so Danielson turned to Autotype as its preferred supplier of substrate materials for a solution.
Autotype was able to offer a special primer layer, applied to the reverse, or print side, of Autotype's standard Autotex and Autoflex range of textured and hard-coated overlay films.
As Ben Phelan, Business Development Manager for Danielson, explained: "We have previously used Autotex and Autoflex and have found that these materials are easy to handle and process, especially with tactile or domed switch constructions, where they consistently give a switch life in excess of five million actuations".
"Perhaps as importantly, they provide exceptionally high levels of chemical and mechanical resistance, making them ideal for use in keyboards that have to withstand continuous use in harsh operating environments".
A further benefit of Autotex and Autoflex is the optical clarity of each film, with almost no light loss or diffusion, so that ink colours and printed images on the underside remain correctly saturated, vibrant and sharp.
Phelan added: "With the special film versions with the UV primer, we have retained all of the traditional benefits of the Autotype products but have the ability to offer our customers new standards in print quality and definition and at higher production speeds".
"In particular, our keyboard development team is now able to create a far wider range of designs that enhance both the aesthetics and functionality of membrane systems, while giving our customers the opportunity to repackage and differentiate their products clearly from their competitors".
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