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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Technology

How do Piezo switches work?

Barantech touch metal piezo switches operate according to the “piezoelectric effect” whereby mechanical pressure (such as the pressure of a finger) generates a voltage that opens or closes a circuit. Piezoelectric switches offer the advantage of not requiring external electric power for their operation.

How do your products leverage piezo technologies?

All of our touch metal switches and keypads are operated through our piezoelectric modules. The exception is our range of “touch-free” motion-activated switches that employ infrared (IR) technology.

What makes Barantech touch metal technology superior to other switch technologies?

Our range of touch metal piezo switches offer a number of important benefits. The most outstanding characteristic is their durability in the toughest environments. Unlike many mechanical or membrane switches, our touch metal piezo switches are hermetically sealed, which ensures all the electric circuitry and components are protected from exposure to water, liquids, moisture or other contaminants. This makes them ideal for use underwater, at sea, and in outdoor settings where switches will be exposed to extreme weather. This imperviousness to penetration by moisture or liquids also makes them easy to clean using aggressive cleaning materials. Since our touch metal piezo switches don’t contain any moving parts, they are extremely reliable will work trouble-free for over 50 million actuations. Our piezo switching solutions are also fully customizable, so product manufacturers have the freedom to customize the design and functionality of their switches, to meet their unique commercial needs.
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What additional technologies do you use in your products?

In addition to our specially developed piezoelectric technologies, our switches feature intelligent programmable management software, offer Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity, as well as a variety of communication protocols including Matrix, i2c, RS485 ASCII, common bus, etc. Our touch-free range of switches employs IR technology.
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Are your switches and keypads suitable for outdoor use?

Impervious to weather conditions such as snow, rain, sleet, ice, fog, and extreme heat and sunlight, our touch metal piezo switches and keypads are ideal for use outdoors all year round. Activation is also no problem while users are wearing gloves. Thanks to solid-state and steel metal construction, our switches and controls can be left in unattended areas and will withstand abuse from vandals or knocks from machinery or equipment.

Can your switches and keypads be operated while wearing gloves?

Yes, one of the advantages of piezo technology is that switches or keypads can be activated by users wearing textile or protective neoprene gloves (making Barantech’s solutions particularly suitable for people working in manufacturing or the oil & petrochemical industries, as well as professional underwater divers). Switches can also be activated by the user’s foot. This is because the piezoelectric effect generates voltage to complete a circuit upon application of physical pressure.

Products & Solutions

What is unique about Barantech products?

Barantech has built a reputation for offering customers switches that perform exceptionally in the world’s toughest environments. Our hermetically sealed, hyper-ruggedized solid-state touch metal piezoelectric switches are manufactured to meet and exceed the industry’s strictest specifications (they meet or exceed CE, UL, IP68, IP69K, NEMA, MIL-STD, ATEX, ETL and FAA requirements). Furthermore, Barantech offers our customers the ability to fully customize our products to achieve their unique design and commercial goals.

Are your switches suitable for use in water?

Yes. Our switches and keypad controls are waterproof to the point of being submersible up to 300 meters. Designed to prevent false activations and deformation under pressure, they are guaranteed for use deep underwater. Our touch metal piezoelectric switches exceed IP68 requirements for submersion.

At what temperature ranges do your switches operate?

As standard, all our touch metal piezoelectric switches will provide perfect operation from -20ºC to +75ºC. Our momentary pulse switches are engineered for temperatures as low as -40ºC.

How do your products meet current public health and safety requirements?

When it comes to health and safety, Barantech has many answers to provide full peace of mind. For a start, our hermetically-sealed housings rob pathogens or bacteria a place to hide. Furthermore, our IP69K rated touch metal piezo switches and control panels can withstand frequent cleaning, full wash-downs and sterilization to prevent germ or virus load accumulation, making them ideal for use in hospitals, clean room and food processing plants and food service areas. For customers requiring a 100% touch-free solution, our motion-activated IR switches are a popular and totally risk-free solution.

Can I customize my switches or keypads?

At Barantech, we want you to love designing your products, as much as your customers love using them. You get almost unlimited customizability, so you can customize the aesthetics (illumination, colour, materials), functionality (haptics, timing programmability, self-diagnostics) and dimensions.

Products & Solutions

Can your switch products be diagnosed remotely?

Barantech has produced switches featuring self-diagnostic modules with remote reporting capabilities. These enable operators of self-service terminals in remote or unattended locations to check function without the need for maintenance teams in place

What finishes and materials are available for control interfaces?

We offer a wide range of finishes from stainless steel and aluminum to glass and polycarbonate to our latest range of fabric and natural wood.

What standards do your products meet?

Our switching solutions offer market-leading levels of durability, reliability and longevity and are certified to meet and exceed the following international standards: ISO 9001:2008, CE, UL, IP68, IP69K, NEMA, MIL-STD, ETL and FAA, as well as ATEX – a European certification accorded to equipment tested and approved to be intrinsically safe.

What is your product warranty?

We offer an industry-leading two-year warranty as standard.

Engineering Expertise And Support

What is the unique advantage of working with Barantech?

At Barantech, we care about creating great user and customer experiences. We house R&D, machining capability and assembly and inspection all under one roof since this allows us to respond quickly to your requests, accelerate cycle times and reduce redesign costs, so you can achieve your commercial goals faster with the least amount of friction possible.

How does Barantech support customers?

Many of our customers are looking for switches that meet their unique product requirements and offer innovative user experiences. Engaging with Barantech gives you the benefit of expert support from our engineering team at all stages in your product development cycle.

Do we need to pay extra for your engineering support?

No, our full end-to-end engineering support is included, as this allows us to provide our customers with truly tailored solutions that help them meet and exceed their commercial goals. It’s one of the differences you’ll appreciate working with Barantech.

Applications

Can Barantech switches and keypads address any industry?

At Barantech, we create switches for every customer, for use in every situation. Whatever industry you are designing products for, if you require fully customizable switches engineered to function perfectly for years and years in the most inhospitable environments and the toughest user conditions, then Barantech should be your switch of choice. Our solutions are found in thousands of applications in industries as diverse as white goods, aviation, food processing and deep-sea diving equipment.

Why are Barantech piezoelectric switches desirable for white appliances?

The white appliances market is highly competitive. Piezoelectric module flat panel controls mean your customers can say goodbye to ugly and hard to clean push buttons and say hello to stylish interfaces that don’t collect grime and can be wiped clean in seconds. Good looks should never come second to practicality and Barantech offer panels in a stunning range of finishes from stainless steel and aluminum to our latest range of fabric and natural wood.

Why are your switches good for mission-critical applications?

There are several reasons. Our touch metal piezoelectric switches have no moving parts which eliminate many of the failure points found in conventional mechanical or membrane switches, so they will simply outlast other switches in the field. All our touch metal piezo switching solutions feature hermetically sealed metal housings that prevent unintended or false activation by explosion or pressure.  They are also tamper-proof and vandal-proof, and resist damage from moisture, water, hazardous liquids and harsh weather. If you need controls and interfaces that you can rely on, Barantech products are right for you.

Are Barantech products suited for use in unattended locations?

Not only are Barantech switches, keypads and readers vandal-proof, they can also be fitted with self-diagnostic capabilities to support cost-effective remote maintenance.  This makes Barantech switching solutions ideal for use in self-service terminals, emergency call boxes and other solutions in unattended or remote locations.

Can Barantech products be integrated into products for smart home or smart offices?

With Bluetooth and WiFi mesh connectivity, Barantech switching solutions fit right at home with any IoT products for residential and commercial settings – eliminating the need for wires, and enabling wireless control and communication.

Are your switches suitable for use in pools and spas?

Yes. Fully waterproof, chlorine-proof and submersible, Barantech touch metal illuminated and non-illuminated piezoelectric switches are ideal for use in controls for all kinds of swimming pools or hot tubs – especially where aesthetics and durability are a key part of your product needs.

Technical Questions

Does the switch output need polarity?

No, it is dry contact with no polarity.

What is the available length of the cable?

We can deliver any length according to your requirements.

Can the keypad have a communication protocol?

Yes, any protocol you’ll specify.

Are your switches submersible?

Yes, Barantech standard off-the-shelf switches and keypads are usable to depths of 300 meters.  Located within hermetically-sealed housings our piezoelectric switches exceed IP68 and IP69K requirements for submersion and are not affected by pressure changes during descent/ascent, preventing false activations.

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