Munich, March 17, 2017 – ALPS Electric has developed the “SKTA Series” Surface Mount TACT SwitchTM 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 SwitchTM 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 endproduct and by enabling stable operation of the switch even when it is pressed at the edge or diagonally.