Human Machine Interfaces
Human Machine Interfaces are critical aspects of your product design and its user experience. From mechanical elastomer buttons and membrane switches to more advanced capacitive switches and touchscreens, Boyd has the technology and design experience to support your interface needs. Leverage our switch and interface technologies to produce an intuitive human-machine interface.
Elevate Customer Experience
Make your product intuitive and satisfying with an interface designed specifically for your application.
Versatility and Design Flexibility
Add unparalleled style and functionality in a broad array of applications including user interfaces, integrated displays, and product branding.
Increase Cost Efficiency
Integrate switches and user interfaces with a single vendor to reduce costs and complexity.
Improved User Experience
Augment the user experience with visual feedback and pivot users towards correct device use.
Extend Product Lifetimes
With the right technology, your interface and product can withstand the rigors of your application and outlast your competition.
What are Discrete LEDs? Backlighting Technology Explained
(View transcript)
What are Fiber Optic Lights? Backlighting Technology Explained
(View transcript)
Complete Interface Design Cycle Support with Boyd
Boyd’s extensive experience in a broad range of interface and switch styles and our manufacturing expertise make us an ideal partner in developing your human machine interface (HMI) solution. From initial prototyping to volume production, we elevate your product from functional to elegant.
New On Demand Webinar:
Integrating Materials and Technologies for Next Generation Human Machine Interfaces.
Available through January 2024, watch now or bookmark Boyd’s latest webinar on HMI solutions hosted by our Boyd experts and GlobalSpec. Opens in new window.
What are Light Guide Films? Backlighting Technology Explained
(View transcript)
What are Electroluminescence Lamps (EL)? Backlighting Technology Explained
(View transcript)
Meet Application Requirements with the Right Switch and Interface Technology
Facilitate a streamlined user experience with customized, refined interfaces. From elastomer keypads, membrane switches, and force sensitive resistors to backlighting and advanced capacitive touch screens, Boyd offers a broad spectrum of interface technologies to best meet your application needs.
Front Panel Integration – Complete HMI Solutions
Drive efficiency and vendor consolidation with Boyd’s one-stop-shop for all your HMI needs with many integration options, seamless development process, and a capable supplier network, saving you time and resources. By offering injection molded housing, a variety of switch technologies, backlighting options, and display integration, Boyd can help reduce delays, and substantial time and cost savings with a complete HMI solution. Our HMI capabilities include:
- Display bonding, enhancement and integration
- Membrane, elastomer, and capacitive switches
- Backlighting options
- Injection molded housings
- Gasketing and sealing
- Quick turn prototyping
- Switch and display performance testing
Faster Time-To-Market
Streamline your display integration for increased control, reduced delays, and substantial time and cost savings.
Consolidate Supply Chain & Bonding Operations
Drive efficiency and vendor consolidation with Boyd’s one-stop-shop for all your display and bonding needs
Elastomer Keypads
Elastomer keypads offer a high-profile, tactile feel with an underlying switch layer. Boyd’s elastomer keypads exhibit excellent weatherability in ruggedized environments, moisture and chemical resistance, and temperature endurance between -30° C to +80°C. Keypad interfaces provide users with an exceptional tactile response and customizable tactile feedback, tailored between 100 g to 300 g of force. Elastomer keypads are an excellent choice when three-dimensional keys are needed in high-moisture environments such as marine or defense settings.
Design flexibility
Available in a wide range of design possibilities with custom colors, finishes and backlighting options
Longer Product Lifetimes
With excellent weatherability in ruggedized environments, elastomer keypads with durable Boyd construction are resistant to moisture, chemicals, and can endure temperatures ranging between -30° C to +80°C.
Enhanced user interaction
Provide users with exceptional tactile response with customizable tactile feedback with elastomer keypads that can be tailored between 100g to 300g of force.
Backlighting
Backlighting is an industry standard to augment the functionality and aesthetics of a device. Adding backlighting to your product improves visual appeal and defines your brand’s distinctive style. Backlighting guides users and provides feedback during device operation, especially in darker settings. From user interface assemblies to branded nameplates, Boyd helps with design considerations and provides the right integrated backlighting solution for your program.
eMobilty and Transportation
Center console controls, ambient lighting, gear shift PRNDL indicators, infotainment systems, dashboard indicators, start buttons, and more benefit from backlighting
Medical
Medical equipment interfaces for healthcare providers or for patients
Appliances and Industrial Controls
Interface panels for larger appliances, or responsive lighting for industrial control systems.
Membrane Switches and Keypads
A membrane switch is a micro-motion, momentary contact, flexible circuit with a printed graphic overlay, ideal for industries such as medical and industrial equipment. Offering easy cleanability, membrane switches are resistant to moisture, chemicals, and abrasion. With custom colors, textures, backlighting, and tactile response options, Boyd provides complete customization from from membrane switch panel design, manufacturing, and assembly support.
Superior Durability
Offering easy cleanability, membrane switches are resistant to moisture, chemicals, and abrasion.
Design Flexibility
With custom colors, textures, backlighting, and tactile response options, membrane switches offer a wide range of design configurations.
Capacitive Touch Sensors and Switches
Replace mechanical buttons with elegant, non-tactile, compact user-interface with capacitive switches, eliminating several design layers and components from the traditional switch circuitry. Capacitive switches are thin, non-mechanical designs applied to curved surfaces and mounted behind glass or decorated plastic. Depending on your application requirements, these sensors can also be backlit to provide a cost-effective modern design. Boyd offers a variety of printed capacitive sensors that can integrate with commonly available microcontrollers to provide capacitive touch sensing.
Sleek and Contemporary Designs
Replace mechanical buttons with elegant, non-tactile, compact user-interface
Superior Durability
Prolong switch and device life with sealed, smooth, and easily cleanable capacitive switches, which prevent ingress of moisture or dust.
Design Flexibility and Enhanced User Experience
Integrate different input methods and feedback mechanisms, adding another layer of communication with the end-user and improving usability.
User Interface Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs)
Printed circuit boards (PCBs) provide a simple way to reduce materials and interconnects by eliminating the need for a rigid subpanel. Boyd can help you combine PCBs with other switch solutions such as keypads, backlighting, and display screens to create the ideal user interface for your application. We offer complete user interface PCB manufacturing services including circuit board stack-up, design support, prototyping, and fabrication.
Minimize Components and Assembly
Integrate multiple features like switches, displays, and backlighting into a single interface component, reducing complexity and costs.
Enable User-Friendly Interfaces
Customize your user experience with a circuit board that reflects the interface needs of your product.
Resources and Downloads
Have questions? We’re ready to help!
