ALPS Electric Develops and Commences Mass Production of “SKTA Series” Surface Mount TACT Switch™ with Projection (IP67 Equivalent)

Compact Size (2.6 x 1.6 mm) and Dust and Water Resistance

Munich, March 17, 2017 – ALPS Electric has developed the “SKTA Series” Surface Mount TACT Switch™ with Projection (IP67 Equivalent), ideal for side controls on thin smartphones and other wearable electronics applications demanding compact dimensions and dust and water resistance. Mass production begins in March 2017. Smartphone models with large-sized screens have appeared on the market in recent years and manufacturers have had to devise ways to ensure the phones remain easy to hold and operate, such as by slimming down and curving the sides. And to prevent rain and dirt from infiltrating products like smartphones and compact wearable devices, the electronic components inside those items need to not only be compact, but also have dust- and water-resistant designs. Responding to these market needs, ALPS Electric has developed and commenced mass production of the SKTA Series Surface Mount TACT Switch™ with Projection. Using original design and manufacturing techniques, IP67-equivalent dust and water resistance and a long operating life of 300,000 cycles were realized even with dimensions of 2.6 x 1.6 x 0.53 mm, representing a roughly 20 percent smaller mounting area than earlier products. For the metal contact, an inner projection is employed to help improve ease of use and handling both by preventing differences in feel caused by position variations during installation in the end-product and by enabling stable operation of the switch even when it is pressed at the edge or diagonally. Features Compact size realized together with IP67-equivalent dust and water resistance 1. Compact dimensions: 2.6 x 1.6 mm 2. IP67-equivalent dust and water resistance 3. Long operating life of 300,000 cycles Principal Applications • Side control switches on smartphones • Headsets, hearing aids and other compact electronic devices requiring dust and water resistance Specifications Model: SKTA Series Dimensions (W×D×H): 2.6 x 1.6 x 0.53 mm Operating force: 1.0 N, 1.6 N Travel: 0.11 mm Operating life: 300,000 cycles Rating (max.): 50 mA 12V DC Initial contact resistance: 500 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.