When you flip a switch and hear that crisp "click," have you ever wondered how it's made?
Today, we take you through the birth of a slide switch.
Chapter 1: Raw Material Incoming -- The Quality Start
Metal Materials:
· Silver alloy strips (contacts): Thickness ±0.01mm
· Brass/phosphor bronze strips (terminals): Pre-tinned or silver-plated
· Stainless steel/zinc alloy/engineering plastics (housings)
Auxiliary Materials:
· Stainless steel balls (Ø1.0-3.0mm, HRC58-62)
· Piano wire (springs, Ø0.1-0.8mm)
· Silicone/fluororubber (seals)
· Lubricating grease
Incoming Inspection: Spectrometer analysis, hardness testing, dimensional sampling.
Chapter 2: Precision Stamping-- Cutting the Parts
High-Speed Stamping:
· 25-60 ton presses, 300-800 strokes/min
· Multi-station progressive dies (16-32 stations)
· Tolerance: ±0.02mm
Key Parts: Contact springs, terminals, detent plates, housing blanks
Cleaning: Ultrasonic wash + barrel tumbling + drying
Chapter 3: Heat Treatment & Surface Finishing-- Giving "Superpowers"
Heat Treatment:
· Quenching (800-900°C) + tempering (300-400°C)
· Cryogenic treatment (-196°C) for high-end products
Plating:
· Contacts: Selective gold (0.1-3μm) or full silver (2-5μm)
· Terminals: Tin plating (3-8μm)
· Housings: Nickel/chrome plating or spray coating
Chapter 4: Injection Molding -- The "Skeleton"
Equipment: 30-150 ton injection molding machines
Materials: High-temperature engineering plastics (PA66, PBT, LCP)
Parts: Actuator, base, housing (select models)
QC: Dimensional measurement, deformation check, weld line inspection
Chapter 5: Contact Riveting -- The "Heart Transplant"
Automatic Riveting:
· Speed: 60-120 units/min
· Riveting force: 500-1500N
Requirements: Contacts must be perpendicular, no loosening, stable pressure
Inspection: Vision systems auto-reject defects
Chapter 6: Automated Assembly -- Parts "Merge"
Assembly Sequence:
Base → fixed contacts → movable contacts → steel ball → spring → detent plate → actuator → housing → securing
Key Controls:
· Spring preload: ±5g
· Steel ball position: ±0.1mm
· Actuator angle: ±1°
Speed: 30-60 units/min (fully automatic)
Chapter 7: Sealing -- Waterproofing (IP67/IP68 Models)
Processes:
· Seal ring installation
· Epoxy potting
· Ultrasonic welding
Inspection: Air tightness testing
Chapter 8: 100% Inspection -- Multi-Level QC
Mechanical: Operating force (±30%), tactile click, travel distance
Electrical: Contact resistance (≤50mΩ), insulation (≥100MΩ@500V), dielectric withstand (1500V AC)
Visual: Scratches, markings, assembly gaps (≤0.1mm)
Equipment: Auto test sorters (3,000-5,000 units/hr)
Chapter 9: Reliability Sampling -- Life Validation
Mechanical Life: 10,000-100,000 operations
Electrical Life: Rated load make/break testing
Environmental:
· High/low temp storage (85°C/-40°C, 1000h)
· Temp cycling (-40°C↔85°C, 100 cycles)
· Salt spray (48-96h)
· Damp heat (40°C/95%RH, 96h)
Chapter 10: Packaging -- Final Protection
Formats: Tape & reel (SMD), anti-static tubes (DIP), moisture barrier bags + desiccant
Traceability: Unique batch codes linking to production date, line, test data, raw material lots
From raw materials to finished product:
· 12+ processes
· 20+ materials
· 30+ control points
· 100% inspection + periodic reliability testing
That crisp "click" is the echo of a precision world.
Need custom switches? Contact our technical team.