Tactile Dome Switches are rated for 5-million actuations.
Press Release Summary:
Made of stainless steel, GX-Series has 4-leg design that allows forces up to 900 g (12 mm dia GX12900) to be achieved while maintaining long-life specifications. Series starts with 3 mm dia GX05300, rated for 300 g max, and can be used anywhere momentary switch with tactile feedback is required. Common substrates include PCBs, flex circuits, and membrane applications. Switching voltage, current, and capacity are .1-50 Vdc, .005-100 mA DC, and 1 W, respectively.
Original Press Release:
New GX-Series Tactile Domes Have the Highest Forces in the Industry While Achieving 5 Million Life Cycles
WINDSOR, CO, APRIL 1, 2009 - Snaptron, Inc. based in Windsor, Colorado has introduced a new series of metal dome switches designed with high actuation forces and long life specifications. The GX-Series features a proprietary 4-leg design which allows for drastically increased forces to be achieved when compared to previous 4-leg or round dome designs. GX-Series domes surpass previous industry force/life limitations.
The maximum force a tactile dome can achieve is dependant on the dome diameter (or size). As a basic design rule, the smaller the dome diameter, the lower amount of actuation force that can be achieved before the life is compromised. For example, previous 4-leg designed domes that are 6mm in diameter with 300g activation force achieved 10,000 cycles. With the new GX-Series design, over 400g of force can be achieved in a 6mm size while still maintaining 5 million life cycles.
GX tactile domes come in sizes as small as 5mm in diameter, which are ideal for consumer electronics due to the increasing miniaturization of these devices. A single GX dome can also replace applications where multiple domes are stacked to achieve higher actuation forces.
GX-Series domes can be used anywhere a momentary switch, with tactile feedback, is required. Common substrates include printed circuit boards, flex circuits and membrane applications. Possible applications for these new dome switches include automotive, avionics and defense, medical devices, portable communications, discrete switch, qwerty keypads, instrumentation controls, and computer / peripheral.
The following are a list of GX-Series metal domes which achieve 5 million cycles:
GX05300 - 5.3mm, 300g force
GX06400 - 6.3mm, 400g force
GX07400 - 7mm, 400g force
GX07500 - 7mm, 500g force
GX08600 - 8.5mm, 600g force
GX10700 - 10mm, 700g force
GX10900 - 10mm, 900g force
GX11800 - 11mm, 800g force
GX12700 - 12mm, 700g force
GX12900 - 12mm, 900g force
GX-Series domes are made of stainless steel and are available with optional nickel or gold plating. Operating temperature range is from -45°C to +100°C, with a switching voltage of .1 to 50 VDC, a switching current of .005 to 100 ma DC, and a switching capacity of 1 watt. GX-Series domes are available for purchase starting in April 2009.
