Jump to page content

Comparative specifications

The following table details travel and rated lifetime specifications of various switch series. Operating force information is excluded because (even if there were a single value per series), manufacturers seldom specified enough data to be able to plot a y = mx + c graph of linear switches (and could not even agree on whether operating force applied to actuation or total travel), and tactile switches are too complex to understand in a numerical fashion.

Switch Type Pretravel Travel Bounce time (max) Resistance (max) Lifetime
Typical Initial (max) End of life (max) Initial End of life
Hi-Tek Dovetail momentary Metal contact (W/E #1) 0.075±0.020″ (1.91 mm) 1.40±0.020″ (3.56 mm) 0.250 ms 2 ms 5 ms 1 Ω 10 Ω 20×10⁶
Hi-Tek Dovetail alternate action 5×10⁶
MEI DN series Metal contact (silver) 0.070±0.025″ (1.78 mm) 0.135″ (3.43 mm) 3 ms 20 mΩ 15×10⁶
MEI T-15S momentary Metal contact 1.9±0.6 mm 3.8 mm 5 ms 100 mΩ 20×10⁶
MEI T-15S alternate action 10×10⁴
SMK KAS08 Series Spring over membrane 3.5 mm 500 Ω 10×10⁶
SMK KAS16 Series Spring over membrane 4 mm 1000 Ω 10×10⁶
SMK KAS19 Series Scissor 3 mm 5×10⁶
SMK KAS20 Series Scissor 2.3 mm 5×10⁶
SMK KBS01 Series Rubber dome over membrane 3 mm 500 Ω 10×10⁶
SMK KBS03 Series Rubber dome over membrane 4 mm 1000 Ω 10×10⁶
SMK KBS17 Series Rubber dome over membrane 3 mm 1000 Ω 10×10⁶
SMK KFS12 Series Metal dome over membrane 0.3±0.2 mm 500 Ω 10×10⁶
SMK KUS09 Series Spring over membrane 3.5 mm 500 Ω 10×10⁶