Many Purchasers Asked Niceone-tech How Can It Reduce the Cost of Membrane Switch While Meeting the Needs of Customers?

We are often asked by customers to purchase whether the cost of membrane switches can be reduced under the premise of ensuring quality (if you have this question, then we highly recommend that you read this article, which may be helpful to you). The answer given by Niceone-tech is that the membrane switch is a customized product, so there are many factors that affect the price. But there are 7 factors that mainly affect the unit price.

7 factors that affect the cost of membrane switches

1. Dimensions

This is one of the most obvious factors that affect the unit price. Generally, the larger the size, the higher the unit price may be, and the cost of the mold will increase accordingly.

2. Color

More colors means that the product needs more printing and typesetting, so the labor and ink costs will increase more. If the panel needs a metallic color or a fluorescent effect, the cost will increase even more.

3. The choice of adhesive tape

Different models and brands of tape have different prices. There are expensive 3M tapes, economic Nitto tapes and cheap DT tapes. If you blindly choose expensive adhesive tape, the product will increase intangible costs and lose its advantage in the competition in the market.

4. Circuit design

The choice of line is PET, FPC or PCB? Choosing FPC and PCB as circuit performance will indeed have more advantages, but these two types of materials as circuits will increase the cost of the overall product.

5. Selection of electronic accessories

Most electronic accessories have MOQ. If the accessories used in the production of each product must use the accessories that are not commonly used in the Membrane switch manufacturing plant, then MOQ is a high cost.

6. Design costs

The design cost can be said to be the labor cost. If the customer does not provide any documents and only gives an idea, then the membrane switch manufacturer needs to spend more time communicating and designing. At the same time, repeated adjustments and modifications will require a lot of labor costs.

7. Number of layers

The increase in the number of layers represents an increase in the cost of raw materials.

I believe that after understanding these, you will have a preliminary understanding of the factors that affect the price of membrane switch. Then, how can you reduce the cost of membrane switch while meeting the needs of customers?

After completing the 8 steps, we believe that the cost can be controlled better.

1. Dimensions

Membrane switches can be designed in a limited size, so we will recommend choosing the appropriate size to produce the membrane panel switch. The membrane switch technology that comes out in this way is cost-effective and the performance will not have any impact.

2. Panel replacement

One of the most common methods is to use silicone rubber keyboards instead of Overlay when the quantity is large. Because the silicone rubber keypad has a significant unit price advantage when the quantity is large.

3. Replacement of silk screen

When the number of colors is large and the quantity is large, Niceone-tech will recommend customers to use digital printing. The printing method of digital printing will be more economical when the quantity of products is large. Or you can use digital printing to reduce costs.。

4. Route design method

When part of the lines meet the needs of customers, they can be combined with PET through FPC lines to form a line structure as shown in the figure below to save line costs. There is no need to use the entire FPC or increase the cost of membrane switch.

5. Provide a complete design drawing or design concept

Due to the incomplete samples and data, our engineers need to spend 2 to 3 days to complete the first draft of the design. This will increase the labor cost invisibly. If the customer can provide a complete design drawing, the drawing includes color, size, vector graphics, and the principle of the circuit. Then the design drawing can be completed within 1-2 days. This will reduce labor costs.

6. Layers

Due to the incomplete samples and data, our engineers need to spend 2 to 3 days to complete the first draft of the design. This will increase the labor cost invisibly. If the customer can provide a complete design drawing, the drawing includes color, size, vector graphics, and the principle of the circuit. Then the design drawing can be completed within 1-2 days. This will reduce labor costs.

7. Use electronic components with equivalent performance

Some connectors such as Berg or Snaptron have high MOQ and high unit price, sometimes Niceone-tech uses equivalent electronic components with the customer's consent, only the brand is different. After meeting the usage requirements, the customer's usage cost can be greatly reduced. Even many electronic components have superior electrical performance and more affordable prices, only the brand is different.

8. Adhesive

When the customer does not need the adhesive tape with particularly good performance and only needs the appropriate adhesive tape, then we will ask the customer to watch the Dt adhesive specifications to confirm whether this type of adhesive tape can be used. It can be because 3M and Nitto tape can often make the product used in the environment of -20-80 degrees Celsius, and DT adhesive cannot meet this requirement. If the product use environment is not demanding and only price sensitive, then we sometimes recommend customers to use DT adhesive. Because the price of 3M tape will be twice as expensive as DT adhesive

As an excellent membrane switch manufacturer, our responsibility is to cooperate with customers as much as possible to customize a product that is most suitable for customers, not the most expensive product. Because Membrane switch is only one of the many components you purchase, and the cost factor is also what you need to consider. After meeting the usage requirements, Niceone-tech hopes this article can help you more.