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Trackball or touchpad? Here’s which industrial keyboard ensures precision, ergonomics, and durability even when wearing work gloves.
Have you ever worked in an industrial environment where you have to wear gloves constantly, never being able to take them off—even when using computer tools and devices like a mouse or keyboard?
If you’re reading this blog post, chances are that’s exactly your situation.
And if it is, you know very well how difficult it can be to use a keyboard with thick gloves…
…Especially if you’re using the wrong keyboard.
Let’s look at a practical example…
Try to imagine using a keyboard with a touchpad all day while wearing the thick gloves you normally use for work.
What do you think the result will be?
Very simple.
The keyboard won’t work, and you won’t be able to do your job.
Which means: wasted time, production delays, and money spent unnecessarily on a keyboard that isn’t suitable for your industrial environment—plus more money you’ll have to spend to get the right one.
But what if the keyboard had a trackball instead of a touchpad?
Here, things change—quite a lot, actually.
And we’ll explain exactly why right away.
Let’s start with the basics.
A trackball is a pointing device that replaces the traditional mouse.
In practice, this means that instead of moving the entire device across your workspace, you only need to roll a ball with your fingers or the palm of your hand.
The trackball is ideal when precision, durability, and usability are required—even while wearing gloves or working in demanding environments.
Here are some industries where using a keyboard with a trackball is especially useful:
In industrial sectors, the trackball becomes very useful because it offers:
If you’re an IT manager responsible for selecting keyboards for your industrial environment and need a keyboard that can always be used with thick gloves, a trackball is what we would recommend.
Without a doubt.
Here’s an example of one of our membrane keyboards with a trackball.
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As you can see, keyboards with an integrated trackball are compact and space-saving—in fact, they allow you to save a lot of workspace.
NOTE: when we talk about keyboards with a trackball, we are not discrediting the touchpad, nor are we saying it doesn’t work with gloves. That’s not the point.
A touchpad works with light gloves (such as nitrile gloves, for example).
However, if the gloves are thicker, we don’t recommend it: you would make the wrong purchase and waste both money and time.
And now we’ll explain why.
A touchpad is a touch-sensitive panel that allows you to control the cursor directly with your fingers.
This solution is very common in laptops and compact keyboards.
The touchpad is more suitable in environments where there are no thick gloves or contaminants.
Here are some examples:
Earlier, we mentioned that a keyboard with a touchpad can be used in industrial environments where you wear work gloves, as long as they are thin rather than thick.
This is true, and it remains a valid option for industrial settings.
For completeness, however, we want you to be aware of both the advantages it can offer to your industry and the disadvantages.
Let’s start with the latter:
1) First of all, it is less responsive if your hands are dirty.
For example, in some industrial environments there is a lot of dust or grease, so your fingers could be very oily—in that case, you would really struggle to use it!
2) It has an exposed surface, which tends to wear out much faster in harsh environments.
3) It requires direct contact with the skin, so it is not suitable if you are wearing thick work gloves, because it won’t respond—it wouldn’t detect your fingers’ touch.
Now let’s move on to the advantages that a keyboard with a touchpad can offer to your industrial environment:
Using a keyboard with a trackball or touchpad in your industrial environment is certainly a strategic and functional choice.
If you’re unsure which keyboard to choose, a comparison will definitely be helpful.
But what are the main differences between the two types?
We’ve summarized them here:
1) A keyboard with an integrated trackball is ideal for operators wearing thick gloves: it is precise, durable, reliable, and easy to use.
Discover our trackball keyboards
2) A keyboard with an integrated touchpad is suitable for less harsh environments, where the operator is not required to wear protective gear.
Go to the catalog and find the perfect keyboard with touchpad
So, in the end: which keyboard should you use if you work in a production environment where you have to wear gloves?
As we’ve already mentioned…
If you always have to wear thick gloves for work, without ever taking them off, you definitely need a keyboard with a trackball, because it allows you to use it immediately, without removing your gloves.
For you, this means improving the ergonomics of industrial processes and providing operators with devices that are truly suited to their work.
The touchpad still remains a valid alternative to the trackball in certain environments, where very precise cleaning is required (such as hospitals or medical settings, for example).
Here you can see one of our keyboards with a touchpad: it’s white, making it perfectly suitable for medical environments and fully sanitizable.
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Are you looking for a keyboard for your industrial environment that guarantees reliability and continuous operation at your workstations, but you’re not sure which one is the most suitable?
Request a free consultation!
We’ll respond immediately and help you determine which keyboard is best for your industry or application.
Tastiere Industriali is a brand entirely focused on selling keyboards and mice for the industrial sector.
We have chosen to focus solely on keyboards and mice so that we can dedicate all our attention and expertise to this type of device.
By trusting us, you’ll have the assurance of working with skilled technicians in this field, who will give you their full attention and listen carefully to understand exactly which type of keyboard is most suitable for your industry or application.
Furthermore, if you’re not completely sure about the keyboard model you choose, you can try it in your workplace for 15 days: if it doesn’t meet your expectations, you can return it at no additional cost!
Discover which keyboard is best suited for your industrial sector!
Questions about trackballs, touchpads, or work gloves?
Here are all the answers that every IT manager or production supervisor MUST know.
Yes, but very minimal. You just need to periodically clean the ball and its housing to remove dust or debris. Industrial models made of stainless steel with an IP65 rating or higher further reduce the need for frequent maintenance.
Absolutely yes. Industrial trackball keyboards made of stainless steel with sealed gaskets are designed to withstand oils, solvents, and harsh cleaning agents, typical of manufacturing and food industry environments.
The minimum recommended for harsh environments is IP65, but for the food or chemical industries, IP67/IP68 models are available, fully sealed against dust and temporary liquid immersion.
It depends on the IP protection rating. Models with IP65 or higher can withstand splashes and light cleaning, but in conditions of continuous moisture, the trackball is often more reliable.
Yes, but only if the gloves are thin and designed for capacitive contact. With traditional or work gloves, the touchpad will not function properly.
The industrial trackball has a longer operational life thanks to its robust mechanical construction. A touchpad, while solid, tends to wear out faster if used in environments with dust or grease residues.
Yes, but it depends on the model. Some industrial trackballs are designed for vertical installations, while touchpads adapt better to this configuration thanks to their flat surface.
In some industrial catalogs, yes, but the choice depends on the application. Generally, it is preferable to integrate only one technology to ensure simplicity and reliability.
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