Case Study 2022 – Midicake
Incorporating LED lights, and soft touch, silent operating buttons to an application.
Custom Silicone Keypad with Integrated LED Lights
A recent customer project we have worked on was the development of custom silicone buttons and LED lights for an electronic musical instrument.
Diamond HMI were approached by Midicake to help on their ARP project. The main aim of the ARP project was to create a MIDI sequence generator that synchronizes with other sequencers and tracks changes as the performance evolves. To do this they required high quality audio products, and soft touch and silent operational buttons.
Early prototyping using off the shelf components, saw them lean towards the incorporation of a soft button design with lighting effects. Therefore, the main project aims were to include silent key operation, LED light transmittance and a generic design that could be integrated into other products.
“This client reached out to Diamond to discuss a new project which we were keen to support. Their expectations for the end user experience were clear from the outset and being involved in defining the HMI solution at the early stages of a project always ensure a successful HMI integration. All too often we find the HMI is an afterthought and there are constraints which restrict us from fully optimising the design which could be avoided if the HMI was given more forethought.
Understanding our client needs and parameters to work within, allowed us to work closely with them to make design recommendations. These ideas were supported with conceptual CAD models and design data which ultimately refined their product and resulted in an enhanced solution.
Often much of fine detail is hidden from the end user but optimisations to the part for manufacturing and assembly allowed us to deliver a quality solution quickly and within budget.”
Andrew Myles, Diamond HMI Product Engineer
Software and Design Development
Using CAD models our team were able to provide valuable design data, and a visual representation of the application. CAD models are a particularly useful part of the design process and can allow us to improve design before prototypes are made.
Silicone rubber is an extremely durable material, ideal for this type of application. The ability to create a key with minimum noise due to flexible contact structure was exactly what was needed. Silicone rubber keypads are often used as a cost-effective and functional choice for medium to high volume electronic products.
At Diamond HMI, our team are committed to your project. Our product engineers advising specific features, and guidance through the design process, continuously communicating suggested changes. Considerable time placed in ensuring every aspect of the design is assessed to provide our customers with the confidence to proceed. This is shown through customer feedback.
“When we received the first samples and fitted them to the PCB I was elated. They snapped into place, they looked fantastic, both lit and unlit. We honesty couldn’t have been happier. From a product design perspective, they were a huge step forward. Professional looking, excellent in use and central to a product I’m proud to put to market.”
Chris Brown, Midicake Ltd.
Find out more about Midicake, via their website: https://midicake.com
About Us
Diamond HMI division focuses on the design and manufacture of custom Human Machine Interface solutions. In addition to consumer applications, a large amount of our work focuses on industrial applications within sectors such as aviation, plant-based machinery, medical, and automotive. With such diverse client experience, we can create innovative switching and display solutions for any product.