Editing Keycap printing (section)

==Double-shot injection molding==
{{main|Double-shot molding}}

Double shot injection molded keycaps (often known as "double shots") are often considered the best type of keycap. Rather than print the legend onto the keycap, the legend is molded from one colour of plastic, and then the remainder of the keycap is molded around it in another colour of plastic. This process has the advantage of producing markings that cannot be worn off, as they are physically part of the keycap. The process also provides high contrast as the legend is not affected by the colour of the surface of the keycap.

Double shot keycaps were de facto standard in the 1970s and early 1980s. However, they are expensive to produce and inflexible (given that a mold is needed for each possible symbol to be printed). Double shot keycaps are typically limited to two colours per keycap; triple or even quadruple shot molded keycaps are possible and have been made, but in most instances, manufacturers used pad printing or dye sublimation for supplemental colours instead of additional moulding stages.

The best-known manufacturer of double-shot keycaps now is [[Signature Plastics]]. Other manufacturers include [[GMK]] (who now own Cherry's tooling) and [[Tai-Hao]].

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File:Double-shot injection moulded keycaps.jpg|Vintage spherical double-shots, showing the characteristic patterning on the inside
File:H412_doubleshot.jpg|NEC APC H-412 doubleshot keycap legend
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