Military & Defense
We make labels, control panel overlays, rugged keypads and printed sensors for defense hardware. BTI is ITAR-registered and SBIR and STTR-awarded, with every step done in Butler, Pennsylvania.
- Membrane Switches & Keypads
- Graphic Overlays & Labels
- Dials & Gauges
- Touch Screens
- Gaskets, Filters, Barriers
- Metal Nameplates
Challenges We Solve
Export-Controlled Work That Stays in the US
Programs under export control cannot be quoted by a supplier who finishes offshore. BTI is ITAR registered with the State Department and manufactures only in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Labels That Have to Outlast the Platform
An identification plate that has gone illegible is a traceability problem at depot. UL 969 evaluates the full construction for permanence, adhesion, and long-term legibility.
Sensors That Have to Move With the Soldier
A rigid sensor taped to a moving body stops reading. Screen-printed electrodes on flexible and stretchable substrates are part of the material rather than a component attached to it.
Cold Weather Degrading Performance
Cold stress costs capability before it costs casualties. Printed heating elements integrate into jackets, gloves, and boots, self-regulating so there is no overheating risk in the field.
Finding an SBIR or STTR Subcontractor
SBIR allows up to 33% of Phase I and 50% of Phase II to be subcontracted, and STTR requires it. BTI is an awarded printed electronics manufacturer with engineers across all phases.
A Component Your Supplier Stopped Making
Platforms outlive their suppliers by decades. Send the physical part, even a weathered one, and we work from the component when the drawings are gone.
Ready To Get Started?
Applications We Serve
Military Wearables
Printed biometric electrodes, flexible heaters, and force sensors integrated into worn gear.
Ground Vehicles & Tactical Gear
Control panel overlays, sealed keypads, rating plates, and identification marking.
Comms & Field Electronics
Printed antennas, membrane switches, and sealed interfaces for portable field equipment.
Aerospace & Avionics Support
Instrument panel overlays, dial faces, and durable labels for ground support systems.
Training & Simulation Equipment
Backlit control panels, overlays, and keypads for trainers and simulation hardware.
Depot & Legacy Platforms
Recreated labels, nameplates, and panel overlays for platforms still in service.
Not sure which product fits your device?
Why Defense Manufacturers Choose BTI
ITAR Registered, and You Can Verify It
BTI is registered with the US Department of State Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. The registration letter is published on our site rather than described in a sentence.
SBIR and STTR Awarded Printed Electronics Manufacturer
BTI has been awarded under both programs, with work applying across Army, Navy, Air Force, and NASA projects, and engineers available from Phase I prototyping through production.
Printed Sensors No Label Supplier Offers
Biometric electrodes, force sensing resistors, printed heaters, and printed antennas. The nameplate specialists in this category do not make any of them.
UL 969 Label Constructions
Equipment marking is built as a full UL 969 label system, evaluated for permanence, durability, adhesion, and legibility in the actual application.
One Site, No Offshore Step
Printing, forming, cutting, SMD population, and electrical test all happen in Butler, Pennsylvania. 4-6 week lead times and no IP or supply chain exposure.
What Our Clients Say
Design Firm
Printed Biometric Sensors Built to the Client's Enclosure
A design firm needed printed sensors their client’s device could be built around. BTI worked to their industrial design constraints instead of asking them to work to ours. The sensor fit the enclosure as drawn.
Equipment Identification
Printed Alternatives to Machined Metal Nameplates
Metal identification plates add tooling costs, extend lead times, and increase weight. BTI redesigned them as printed, embossed labels using metallic inks, keeping the original appearance and durability while eliminating the machining step.
Control Panel Manufacturer
Backlit Control Panel That Saved 20+ Hours of Engineering
A manufacturer wanted a control panel with backlighting that stayed even across the whole face. BTI took it from design through production, delivering a production-ready membrane switch that saved the customer over 20 hours of engineering time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does BTI make military labels and equipment nameplates?
Yes. Identification plates, rating labels, and instruction placards for defense hardware, built as UL 969 label systems in polyester or polycarbonate.
Is BTI ITAR registered?
Yes, with the US Department of State Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. The registration letter is published on our certifications page so you can verify it before you quote.
Can BTI produce MIL-STD-130 or IUID marking?
Ask before you specify. BTI prints durable identification labels to your approved artwork. MIL-STD-130 and IUID conformance should be confirmed for your program, not assumed.
Does BTI make printed sensors for military wearables?
Yes. Screen-printed ECG, EEG, and sEMG electrodes, plus EMS, TENS, and respiratory rate sensors, on flexible and stretchable substrates for soldier physiological monitoring.
Can BTI supply flexible heaters for military clothing?
Yes. Battery-powered printed heating elements integrate into jackets, gloves, and boots to protect against cold stress. PTC constructions self-regulate with no overheating risk.
Will BTI work as a subcontractor on an SBIR or STTR project?
Yes, BTI is an awarded printed electronics manufacturer under both. SBIR allows up to 33% of Phase I and 50% of Phase II to be subcontracted, and STTR requires it.
Are BTI's defense components made entirely in the USA?
Yes. Printing, forming, cutting, SMD population, and electrical test all happen at one facility in Butler, Pennsylvania. There is no offshore step and no ocean freight.
Can BTI recreate labels for a platform still in service?
Often, yes. Platforms outlive their suppliers by decades. Send a sample, even a weathered one, and we work from the physical part when documentation is gone.
