How do different PCB mount types affect the feel in a plate based keyboard?

[ifohancroft]

I have recently been thinking about ways to design and mount a PCB so it can provide even stiffness throughout. Whether spring like tabs are possible to be cut in FR4, but then I realized I am thinking about a design that will use a plate. So, this sparked the following question:

If you design a board start to finish (you design the case, the plate and the pcb) and you design the plate so it provides even stiffness throughout, if you mount the PCB to the case (I know that's not generally needed) will the way you choose to mount the PCB (posts mounting excluded) provide noticeable difference to the feel since there is a plate already and it has been optimized for even stiffness and it will take the "hit" from pressing the switches?

[ddrfraser1]

I think tray mounting accomplishes this

[ifohancroft]

I think tray mounting accomplishes this

Acomplishes what? Sorry, my question is whether the mounting of the PCB to the case provides any noticavle difference in the feel when you have a plate and what's the difference in feel between the different ways to mount the PCB.

[Bjerrk]

I think tray mounting accomplishes this

Acomplishes what?

An even stiffness, surely.

Whether you agree with that or not is a different matter


(Source: https://thomasbaart.nl/2019/04/07/cheat ... ng-styles/)

[Findecanor]

I believe it transfers more of the energy from typing into the case than what a purely plate-mounted keyboard would do. My daily driver that I built a long time ago, once had both the plate and PCB and it is quite loud.

BTW. I have been thinking about an alternative method to all-of-the-above that I think would provide uniform feel: Have a cast rubber mat under the PCB, with a protrusion of rubber touching each switch from the underside. This would work with switches that have a central shaft through the PCB, such as Cherry MX but not Alps.
The PCB would be snapped into or bolted to the rubber part, and the rubber part bolted to the case.

[ddrfraser1]

I think tray mounting accomplishes this

Acomplishes what?

An even stiffness, surely.

Exactly