DIY Coating for Conductive Rubber Switches

[Robert Scott]

I had some prototype circuit boards made containing traces that form an array of
targets for conductive rubber switches. I know from taking apart dead phones,
calculators, etc., that these switch on the circuit board are normally either
gold-plated or coated with carbon - I suppose to combat corrosion. But to save
money, I didn’t get that done on these 20 developmental prototypes. The swtich
targets are just bare traces (no solder mask). At this stage, is there anything
I can do myself to improve the longevity of these prototype boards? How
beneficial is that plating or coating on conductive rubber switch targets
anyway? Or course the production boards will be commercially coated, but I
would like the prototypes to last as long as possible.



Robert Scott
Ypsilanti, Michigan

 

[Bret Ludwig]

I had some prototype circuit boards made containing traces that form an array of
targets for conductive rubber switches. I know from taking apart dead phones,
calculators, etc., that these switch on the circuit board are normally either
gold-plated or coated with carbon - I suppose to combat corrosion. But to save
money, I didn't get that done on these 20 developmental prototypes. The swtich
targets are just bare traces (no solder mask). At this stage, is there anything
I can do myself to improve the longevity of these prototype boards? How
beneficial is that plating or coating on conductive rubber switch targets
anyway? Or course the production boards will be commercially coated, but I
would like the prototypes to last as long as possible.

Some type of brush-on plating, I'd say.

The rubber pads can be rejuvenated by a product sold by Mike Sandman's
phone supply company.

 

[mkaras]

I had some prototype circuit boards made containing traces that form an array of
targets for conductive rubber switches. I know from taking apart dead phones,
calculators, etc., that these switch on the circuit board are normally either
gold-plated or coated with carbon - I suppose to combat corrosion. But to save
money, I didn't get that done on these 20 developmental prototypes. The swtich
targets are just bare traces (no solder mask). At this stage, is there anything
I can do myself to improve the longevity of these prototype boards? How
beneficial is that plating or coating on conductive rubber switch targets
anyway? Or course the production boards will be commercially coated, but I
would like the prototypes to last as long as possible.



Robert Scott
Ypsilanti, Michigan

I have worked proto boards with solder plated intermingled trace
fingers for carbon pad and for click disk applications and they worked
fine for more than the time I needed to keep the proto going. Worse
thing that would be required would be to shine up the solder plate with
some good flux followed by a hot water bath.

- mkaras

 

[Robert Baer]

I had some prototype circuit boards made containing traces that form an array of
targets for conductive rubber switches. I know from taking apart dead phones,
calculators, etc., that these switch on the circuit board are normally either
gold-plated or coated with carbon - I suppose to combat corrosion. But to save
money, I didn’t get that done on these 20 developmental prototypes. The swtich
targets are just bare traces (no solder mask). At this stage, is there anything
I can do myself to improve the longevity of these prototype boards? How
beneficial is that plating or coating on conductive rubber switch targets
anyway? Or course the production boards will be commercially coated, but I
would like the prototypes to last as long as possible.



Robert Scott
Ypsilanti, Michigan

Ttin/lead solder may be the lest expensive; next is Nickel plate.