New from Apem Components is the KR Series of sealed rocker switches. The KR rocker switch, with its large actuator surface, was designed for applications requiring switches to have an attractive style, superior feel and high reliability. The KR is ideally suited for applications in the marine, off-road, transportation and agriculture markets.

Single and double pole models are available in an extensive range of electrical configurations, including on/off, on/on, on/on/on and on/on/mom.

This switch is rated up to 15A at 12V DC for 10,000 cycles.

Additional electrical specifications include maximum initial contact resistance of 10mohm, insulation resistance of 1000Mohm at 500V DC and dielectric strength of 2000V RMS between terminals.

The KR Series is available with solder-lug/quick-connect and screw terminals and with or without a plastic barrier between terminals.

Up to 10 terminals are offered to allow for multiple electrical and illumination possibilities.

Materials include silver contacts and UL94V0 rated engineering plastics.

The switch is designed to be mounted into a 37 x 21mm panel cutout.

The KR rocker switch can be customised to fit specific applications.

It features custom marking and illumination with laser engraved legends.

Lighting options include 6, 12 and 24V DC LEDs available in red, green and yellow.

Actuators are available in nine standard colours and custom colours can be produced for unique applications.

Providing design engineers with a comprehensive selection of switch designs for numerous board and panel applications, TT Electronics BI Technologies Electronic Components Division has expanded its product offering to include a complete line of RoHS-compliant tactile switches. Designated the SWT Series, the sealed switches are available in multiple sizes, as well as surface mount and through-hole configurations. According to Frank Pipitone, Vice President of Variable Products for BI Technologies’ Electronic Components Division, the tactile switches are designed to provide reliable performance over a long life cycle.

‘The tactile switches feature multiple actuation forces and life cycles of up to 1 million rotations’, said Pipitone.

‘The versatility of this product line allows the switches to be used in a wide variety of applications, including white goods, medical devices, information appliances, automotive and entertainment equipment’.

Specific applications for the tactile switches include: (appliances) dishwashers, vacuum cleaners, paper shredders, and coffee makers; (medical devices) digital thermometers, blood pressure measurement, and medication dispensing machines; (personal electronics) LCD monitors, remote controls, and set-top boxes; cameras, MP3 players, video keyboards; and (automotive) radios, steering wheel controls, and CD players.

The SWT Series of tactile switches includes: the SWTW Series of through-hole 6mm sealed washable switches, with an operating force range of 160-360gf and life cycle range of 100,000-500,000 rotations; the SWT3 Series of surface mount 6 x 3.5mm switches, with an operating force range of 100-260gf and a rotational life of 50,000 cycles; the SWT4 Series of low profile surface mount switches measuring 4.6 x 4.6 x 0.5mm, with a life cycle of 500,000 at 160gf and 50,000 cycles at 260gf; the SWT5 Series of surface mount lightweight switches that measure 5.1 x 5.1mm, with a life cycle of 100,000 rotations at 100 and 160gf, and 50,000 rotations at 260gf; the SWT6 Series surface mount 6 x 6mm switch with a rotational life cycle of 1 million actuations; and the SWT7 Series surface mount 6.2 x 6.3mm switches with an operating force range of 100-260gf and a rotational life of 100,000 cycles.

All devices in the tactile switch product family are RoHS-compliant, and feature a contact resistance of 100m ohms and an insulation resistance of 100Mohm.

Dielectric strength is 250V, with an operating temperature range of -20 to +70C.

BI Technologies will also produce devices beyond these specifications to meet customer requirements.

Typical pricing for the tactile switch products is US $0.06-0.15 depending on quantity, with lead times from stock to 4 weeks.

Lorlin Electronics, the UK’s longest established switch manufacturer, has released the MDSP pushbutton dimmer switch. The UK manufactured MDSP is a push-on, push-off switch with a potentiometer mounted on the same spindle. Widely used in domestic lighting dimmer controls the MDSP is now finding acceptance in many other industrial and professional switching and control applications.

The MDSP offers a wide range of potentiometer resistance values, including nonlinear and is available with either printed circuit terminals, inline or staggered terminals.

Switch operation force is nominally 15N, with optional tactile feel and other switch forces being available.

All moulded components are in UL94V0 rated materials.

A 4.0 or 6.0mm diameter polyamide or 4.0mm metal spindle may be specified at whatever length customers require.

Secure panel mounting is provided by an M10 x 1.0mm bush thread.

The switch offers a single-pole changeover, rated at 10A (2.5A at 250V AC resistive) and life expectancy is greater than 25,000 cycles.

Operating temperature range is -25 to +100C and the unit has a withstand voltage of 2500V AC.

The potentiometer has a track life of over 50,000 cycles, operates over a 270-degree range and may be specified to give 0ohm to maximum resistance, or maximum resistance to 0ohm over its clockwise rotation.

The MDSP is fully approved to international safety standards including EN61058 by VDE, Semko, Nemko, Demko and Femko.

Dan Walker, Sales Manager for Lorlin comments: ‘Our new MDSP has been very well received by lighting equipment manufacturers and we are now able to look for out of the box applications by developing new markets in fan and motor control and industrial processes’.

The Lorlin MDSP is available direct from the factory as well as a wide number of international franchised distributors.

The MDSP push-push-pot is suitable for use in domestic light dimmers and fan speed controllers, industrial automation and process control as well as office and stage lighting, test equipment and instrumentation.

Measuring just under 20 x 13mm, a new miniature square rocker switch from Cherry Electrical Products features 10 or 20A switching, and offers single or double-throw options, as well as a choice of actuator and housing colour. A variety of terminals is available, with industry-standard mounting dimensions. The mechanical life of the parts extends to a minimum of 100,000 operations.

Electrical specifications include a dielectric strength of 100V AC for 1 minute, a minimum insulation of 100Gohm at 500V DC, and a maximum initial contact resistance of 20mohm.

Parts operate over a temperature range between -20 and +65C.

Cherry’s rocker switches integrate a steel allow spring and self-locking tolerance compensation ribs for a tight fit.

The contacts are manufactured from durable silver alloy contacts for a long life at heavy loads.

Common applications include household appliances, surge protectors and lighting controls.

EAO offers a durable optical encoder that eliminates the need for debounce circuitry or software. The proven reliable Grayhill 62P Series is a low cost, compact, PC mount optical encoder featuring quadrature output for truly accurate position feedback. EAO offers Grayhill’s 62P optical encoder featuring optically coupled circuitry that delivers a life expectancy up to 2 million cycles.

The optical encoder is available with 16 detent positions and a choice of pushbutton actuation force.

EAO is able to meet specific customer requirements as the 62P optical encoder is fully customisable in terms of terminations, as well as shaft and bushing configurations.

This compact optical encoder from EAO is ideally suited to applications featuring digital circuitry including medical equipment, automotive controls, audio equipment and white goods.

Fascia Graphics reckons it has overtaken its competition to become the UK’s leading provider of graphic overlays and membrane keypads to the electronics industry.
With a 15% increase in turnover to GBP 2.1 million in the last 12 months, Chippenham-based Fascia Graphics reckons it has overtaken its competition to become the UK’s leading provider of graphic overlays and membrane keypads to the electronics industry. Fascia Graphics, based on the Bath Road Industrial Estate in Chippenham is bucking the industry trend. Whereas Fascia Graphics is experiencing strong growth, the industry in general is in regression.

The company is now widely accepted across the industry as the market leader with over 500 clients.

Chris Page, Purchasing Manager, EMS Supplies, a Fascia Graphic client, recently commented: ‘I am without doubt that Fascia Graphics is one of the best in the business’.

‘Fascia has been a supplier to EMS Supplies for around 10 years’.

‘I do ‘price checks’ with new suppliers from time to time and find Fascia to be very competitive in the market, and their quality is first class’.

Paul Bennett, Founder and Managing Director of Fascia Graphics commented: ‘In the early years, our competitors were always playing catch up because of our fast turnaround times for printed graphics’.

‘These service levels have remained a core part of our business, and we are now the only company in the industry to offer clients digital prototyping in just five day’s’.

‘We are delighted that through broadening our service offering and improving production standards, we are now widely regarded as the market leader for both customer service and quality’.

A new series of universal electronic dimmer switches enable panel and vehicle interior lights to be set at varying intensities.
Cole Hersee Company, a leading manufacturer of heavy-duty electrical and electronic products for the vehicle industry, has released the 74600 Series of universal electronic dimmer switches. These new switches enable panel and vehicle interior lights to be set at varying intensities. Ideal for a variety of vehicle applications, Cole Hersee’s universal electronic dimmer switches are available in sealed case with O-ring seal in the shaft.

Imprinted with SAE variable symbol, these universal switches come with a variety of terminations: wire, AMP connector and Packard connector.

A novel magnetic stripe card reader unit can be attached to and communicating with a handheld PDA or smartphone using only the electrical power available as supplied by the device.
Semtek Innovative Solutions Corporation has been issued a patent for a magnetic stripe card reader (MSR) unit capable of attaching to and communicating with a handheld PDA or smartphone using only the electrical power available as supplied by the device. The technology enables mobile merchants and service personnel to accept credit card payments or input information from a magnetic stripe card into a handheld while effectively managing power usage. ‘Any PDA-based application designed for extended use will present power problems as most devices have limited battery life or need to be recharged frequently’, said Clay von Mueller, Semtek’s Chief Technology Officer.

‘Those equipped with standard magnetic stripe readers can greatly reduce battery longevity because of the power drain caused by the MSR device’.

‘Semtek’s patented card reading technology enables better power management and infinitely expands the power supply to the MSR by both conserving the power requirements of the device and offering the ability to tap into the power supplied by the PDA data lines’.

Semtek’s card readers connect through wireless handheld devices, such as PDAs and smartphones, and support industries requiring mobile commerce applications, on-site lead retrieval, and immediate identity verification.

Mobile Swipe card readers are designed to work with top branded devices from such companies as Symbol, Samsung, Intermec, Hand-Held Products, palmOne, Hewlett Packard, and Motorola/Nextel.

Semtek’s solutions are designed and priced to enable organisations of all sizes to be equipped with a cost-effective, secure means of accepting payments from remote locations.

Competing products in the industry often require substantial investments in equipment, eliminating opportunities for small remote business operators.

Common industry applications of Semtek’s mobile magnetic stripe card readers include field technicians, such as plumbers who can accept payment at time of service, law enforcement personnel swiping drivers licenses to collect information for a citation, mobile merchants getting wireless authorisation for POS transactions, and exposition workers collecting sales leads by swiping the badges of conference attendees who visit the vendor’s booth.

Amphenol-Tuchel Electronics has developed a novel hybrid card reader with an integrated bezel that assists card handling and guides the card securely.
Amphenol-Tuchel Electronics has developed a novel hybrid card reader with an integrated bezel that assists card handling and guides the card securely. Designed specifically for space critical applications the low profile of the new magnetic head offers additional flexibility. With a total height of only 12.8mm this is reckoned to be the most compact hybrid reader on the market today.

The landing and self-cleaning contacts provide a minimum lifetime of 500,000 mating cycles.

The card presence switch is self cleaning and provides high reliability.

Using the same contact set and magnetic head assembly, this hybrid reader is also available as a Pushmatic version with card locking.

For battery powered applications a card entry switch can be added.

Specially designed for payment applications, the reader is EMV compliant, and can also be supplied for the new PCI requirement.

Available now from CIT Relay and Switch, the RPH Series is an RoHS-compliant pushbutton switch available in two-, four- and six-pole double-throw configurations.
Available now from CIT Relay and Switch, the RPH Series is an RoHS-compliant pushbutton switch available in two-, four- and six-pole double-throw configurations. The switch function is available in both latching and nonlatching. Options include PC terminals or snap-in PC terminals, and single stage mounting chassis, PC mounting bracket or the standard, no chassis.

Numerous cap options are also available.

The electrical rating on the RPH Series is 100mA at 30V DC with electrical life of typically 30,000 cycles.

Maximum contact resistance is less than 50mohm initially at 2-4V DC, 100mA.

Dielectric strength is 1250V RMS minimum and insulation resistance is greater than 100Mohm.

The operating temperature of the RPH Series is -20 to +70C with a storage temperature of -40 to +85C.

The CIT Relay and Switch RPH series pushbutton switch ideal for use in computers and peripherals, instrumentation and measurement equipment, and sub-mains-voltage on/off applications.