ALPS Electric Develops and Commences Mass Production of “SKPS Series” Surface Mount TACT Switch™ with Soft Operating Feel

High Operating Force and Long Life Suited to Automotive Applications

Munich, March 03, 2017 – ALPS Electric has developed the “SKPS Series” TACT Switch™ with Soft Operating Feel, realizing a high operating force together with a long operating life to make the product ideal for in-vehicle controls. Mass production began in January 2017. Automobiles are equipped with a wide range of control switches that add to the comfort and safety of the vehicle. Typical examples are air conditioning controls in the center console, audio-visual system controls located on the steering wheel, and switches enabling hands-free calls. Switches on automotive equipment naturally have to be able to withstand harsh conditions inside a vehicle cabin, such as extreme temperatures and vibrations. Safety-wise, too, they require features for preventing mistakes caused by unintentional operation. And with the ongoing spread of car navigation systems, their screens bigger and bigger, it is important that the switches inside them take up little space. Another growing requirement, since individual switches perform multiple functions, is a long operating life. In addition, the emergence of electric vehicles that generate no engine sound has led to efforts to create quiet cabins, one consequence being an increasing demand for quiet switches that make little noise when operated. In 2000, ALPS Electric developed and commenced mass production of the SKPM Series Surface Mount TACT Switch™ with Soft Operating Feel as a switch for integration into automotive equipment. The addition to the product lineup of a model with compact dimensions (5.9 x 6.0 x 5.0 mm) and a range of operating forces between 1.57 N and 3.0 N prompted an excellent response from the market and an extensive sales record. Already in mass production, the newly developed SKPS Series Surface Mount TACT Switch™ with Soft Operating Feel inherits the same dimensions as the SKPM Series while achieving both a high 3.6N operating force and a long life of 300,000 cycles (the life of the SKPM Series is 100,000 cycles). Meanwhile, the travel is shorter than earlier products – reduced from 1.3 mm to 1.05 mm – contributing to the development of control environments with excellent reliability and robustness. Furthermore, changes were made to the sliding structure of the main stem and rubber dome. A structure preventing ingress by dust or dirt was newly adopted to curb contact issues while achieving the same quiet operation as earlier products. The size and land dimensions of the SKPS Series are the same as for the SKPM Series. This reduces the workload for equipment manufacturers already using the SKPM Series as there is no need to design a new board. Features Surface mount TACT Switch™ with soft operating feel achieving both high operating force and a long life High operating force (3.0 N or 3.6 N) suited to automotive equipment requirements Long life of 300,000 cycles realized despite the high operating force Middle stroke (1.05 mm) Principal Applications Switches for car audio-visual and navigation systems, steering wheels and other automotive equipment Industrial equipment and measuring instruments Specifications Model: SKPS Series Dimensions (W×D×H): 5.9 × 6.0 × 5.0 mm Operating force: 3.0 N, 3.6 N Travel: 1.05 mm Operating life: 300,000 cycles Rating (max.): 50 mA 16V DC Initial contact resistance: 100 mΩ max.

ALPS Electric Co., Ltd. ALPS Electric (Tokyo: 6770) is a leading global manufacturer of high-quality electronic components for mobile devices, home electronics, vehicles and industrial equipment. With the philosophy of “Perfecting the Art of Electronics” ALPS Electric supplies over 40,000 different components to about 2,000 companies all over the world. For more information, visit www.alps.com. ALPS ELECTRIC EUROPE GmbH, a subsidiary of ALPS Electric Co., Ltd., was established in 1979. Since 2013 the European Head Office has been located in Munich and as such co-ordinates the Sales, Marketing and Product Engineering activities of our branch offices in Munich, Düsseldorf, Paris, Milton Keynes, Gothenburg as well as our sales office in Milan.