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Fujitsu serial number date codes

Overview

Format

Fujitsu used multiple serial number formats. The “main sequence” format appears is as follows:

ymsssss(t)

The positions have the following interpretations:

y
Year of production (A–Z); see under examples below
m
Month of production (0–9, X–Z); see table below
sssss
Running digits (four up to around 1984, and five from around 1985 onwards; external serial numbers can have six running digits)
t
A suffix letter, not explained; often “t”, but “e” has also been seen

The year is represented with a single character, using every letter of the alphabet, and wrapping around from Z back to A in 1985. It has been confirmed for the year range 1980–2010. See 富士通の板バネ式メカニカルキーボードについてのまとめページ -- 各種考察 for more details.

The month codes are as follows:

Letter Month
1 January
2 February
3 March
4 April
5 May
6 June
7 July
8 August
9 September
X October
Y November
Z December

The datasheet for FKB4701 Series confirms the month codes and the year range from P (2000) to Z (2010).

Internal and external serial numbers

Many Fujitsu keyboards use separate serial numbers internally and externally. In these cases, the main sequence serial number is recorded on the internal label affixed to the PCB. Where there is only an external serial number, this may also follow the main sequence (as with FKB4700 models), but often it does not. External serial numbers may use a prefix letter and still not match. A number of mismatching examples could be found on rzwv’s site, but that has since been deleted, along with all the serial numbers. The mismatching examples tend to be membrane keyboards.

Examples

The confirmed date range for the main sequence so far is given below.

Prefix Year Keyboard Switch External serial Internal serial
V 1980 N860-8282-T002 (claimed to be 1979, and the switches appear to be marked October and December 1979) FES-8 V30183
W 1981
X 1982 Fujitsu Micro 8 (“jpspace”) (ICs are dated late 81) FES-360 X29296
unknown (ICs are dated late 81/start of 82) FES-360 11820381X30616
Fujitsu Micro 16s keyboard DIN-compliant dual-discrete leaf spring XX0005X90005
Y 1983 Epson Q703C-AA (HaaTa) Dual-discrete leaf spring 049989Y55690
Z 1984 Sony OA-S3400 keyboard FES-4 Z53677 t
A 1985 Fujitsu FM77AV keyboard (“jpspace”) Semi-discrete DIN leaf spring AZ11755
B 1986
C 1987
D 1988 Fujitsu FMR30KB501 (MouseFan) DIN-compliant dual-discrete leaf spring P8Y03855 DY03767t
Fujitsu FMR-30BX keyboard (Kiyoto) Non-discrete membrane leaf spring D202053
Fujitsu FMR60KB101 JISキーボード (Kiyoto) Unspecified leaf spring Prohibited DX69979t
Fujitsu FACOM6130KF1 キーボード (Kiyoto) Unspecified leaf spring Prohibited D335370t
E 1989 MAI VDT keyboard Non-discrete membrane leaf spring E201649
Fujitsu FMR60KB211 親指シフトキーボード (Kiyoto) Unspecified leaf spring Prohibited E505675t
Fujitsu FACOM6140KA1 キーボード (Kiyoto) Unspecified leaf spring Prohibited EX23375t
F 1990
G 1991
H 1992 Triumph FKB4700 (klikkyklik) Peerless type 2 H1390872
Escom FKB4804-103 (niubio) Plug and toilet H7075277
Fujitsu FMT-KB207 親指シフトキーボード (Kiyoto) Unspecified leaf spring Prohibited HZ05970t
I 1993 My own unbranded FKB4700 Peerless type 2 I6005425
J 1994 Fujitsu OAKB-406 (MouseFan) DIN-compliant dual-discrete leaf spring 175835J600023t
K 1995 Fujitsu FMV-KB211 (sandy55) DIN-compliant dual-discrete leaf spring 34239 02BKZ22648t
Fujitsu FMV-KB211 親指シフトキーボード (Kiyoto) Unspecified leaf spring Prohibited K715550t
Fujitsu OAKB-201 (Kiyoto) Unspecified leaf spring Prohibited K673183t
L 1996 Fujitsu F7956KB1 (“jpspace”) Post-Peerless 1479+L801859L801888e
M 1997 Fujitsu FKB8726-353 (niubio) Dome with slider M9058886
N 1998
O 1999
P 2000 Fujitsu FKB4725-501 (rzwv) Peerless type 2 PZ294887
Q 2001
R 2002
S 2003
T 2004
U 2005 Fujitsu FMV-KB611 (親指シフト) (Kiyoto) Unspecified leaf spring Prohibited UZ15043s
V 2006
W 2007
X 2008
Y 2009
Z 2010