Membrane Keypads and Graphic Overlays

Glasgow-based international manufacturing services company Mekall is to expand and diversify its graphics division.

From its UK graphics factory, Mekall has designed and manufactured Custom Membrane Keypads, Graphic Overlays and Fascias for clients in the instrumentation, medical, biomedical, diagnostics, aerospace, defence, catering and agricultural sectors for nearly 25 years.

Now key supplier to a number of blue-chip companies throughout Europe and Asia the company is looking to strengthen its offering in the European marketplace in particular; by launching a number of new services over the coming months.

Launching in April, Mekall is to offer a comprehensive range of standard sized membrane keypads and overlays for a broad range of applications. The move sees Mekall diversify from its 25 year history; producing custom solutions to also offer a unique range of “off-the-shelf products”, Tom Kennett, Account Manager for Mekall said: “In recent times, we have seen increasing demand for standard layouts and sizes of keypads and overlays - with designers and engineers particularly keen to keep their tooling and development costs & timescales as low as possible”.

He added, “Sadly for most product designs, the design and specification of the interface whether it be a keypad or touch screen, comes towards the latter stages of the design phase constraining the Keypad or Overlay to be built around the rest of the product. With growing emphasis on designers maximising the interface between man and machinery and keeping the interface solution as cost-effective and adaptable as possible, more designers are now looking at the interface element of their product earlier in the design phase. Given Mekall can now offer a range of standard sized Membrane Keypads and Overlays to the marketplace we feel we can help companies to benefit from standard products meaning reduced setup costs, tooling investment, lead-time and unit costs as well as reducing their inventory – whilst still allowing customers to add their own logo, references where required”

The new service will be available via www.standardkeypads.co.uk and www.standardoverlays.co.uk and will expand in coming months to offer a unique interactive service allowing designers and engineers to get budget estimation of their designs online.

MEKALL invest in Natgraph drying technology

Glasgow based MEKALL, a global manufacturing & technology group has invested in the latest drying technology from leading print equipment Manufacturer Natgraph Ltd of Nottingham.

The new Natgraph Air Force/IR/UV Combination Dryer has been installed at its manufacturing Headquarters in Renfrewshire Scotland; now home to a number of THG Companies. The combination dryer is one of several recent investments made by THG to facilitate the long-term expansion plans of its Manufacturing Services division; Mekall Ltd.

Tom Kennett, Sales Executive for Mekall Ltd said, “Whilst MEKALL offer a comprehensive range of manufacturing, finishing & assembly services to clients throughout Europe we have growing and continued demand for our Membrane Keypad & Graphic Overlay Manufacturing service and for that reason we decided to invest further in our Membrane Keypad production facility.”

He added, “Given Natgraph’s reputation in the marketplace for providing excellent solutions to the Printing Industry we decided that they were the right supplier to use in terms of our investment in drying technology”

Natgraph were chosen by MEKALL to provide a conveyorised drying system to cure silver conductive, graphic overlay and dielectric inks at higher production speeds, with a lower rejection rate and better control than the existing systems and, in a smaller footprint. The solution was a Natgraph Air Force/IR/UV Combination Dryer equipped high temperature air and PLC control. This system ensured that once Mekall had completed optimisation tests for each ink system, the dryer will always operate at exactly the same settings, with no deviation.

John McKay, Print Manager of Mekall is delighted with the new drying system, he stated “The consistency of cure, excellent inter-coat adhesion and lack of contamination has already made a difference to our output and efficiency.”