Alps product codes: a theory

[Chyros]

So, we've been struggling with Alps codes for a while now. I've been working on a theory though.

Mousefan's theory was that in SKCM, SK stands for "single key". I think this is false.

We know that Alps keyboards have PCBs that come with a code that often reflects the switches used on them. For example, the 12KF086A which comes with SKFL switches, or the 12KC284A which comes with SKCC switches. The actual model codes are even more detailed, for example the KCCAA147 with SKCCs, or the KFFBA010 with SKFF switches. Now note how these don't start with an S, but with a K.

A quick read through the Alps catalog reveals that ALL their switches start with S, not just keyboard ones, but all switches of all kinds. Encoders all start with an E, printers all start with a P. Potentiometers all start with an R, presumably because P was already taken. So, I'm pretty sure S stands for "switch" instead. As Alps keyboards all start with a K, it makes sense the K stands for keyboard. All their keyboard switches that we know of start with SK, while none of their current switches do. In fact, the second letter of the switches on their site clearly indicate what type of switch it is. Therefore, we can assume SK = switch, keyboard.

The CM and CL is a bit more vague, we really only have one hint for this as far as I know, the info sheet on cream and blue Alps:



Now think of the title. Mechanical Contact with Tactile CM Series. Very sadly, we don't have such a shot of linear switches, so it's hard to think of what the L in SKCL could be by anything other than pure guesswork. The title seems to suggest CM is "contact, mechanical", but that would almost suggest SKCLs weren't considered mechanical. So CM and CL are a bit of a guess, but let's keep it at "contact mechanical" and "contact linear" just for the moment. Quite possibly, they're more of an indicator than a direct abbreviation, though.

The addition of the last two letters, like AG and AF, according to an Alps employee who used to make these switches, apparently differentiated the exact type of switches, and indicated operating forces. The colours were used for the employees so that they would not mix up the switches.

Discuss.

[Ratfink]

Potentiometers all start with an R, presumably because P was already taken.

My guess is that the R stands for rheostat. Back when Alps started, that was a more common term than it is today.

[seebart]

...according to an Alps employee who used to make these switches...

Who is this person and why can't he tell us himself? Also what other information does he have if this anonymous person actually worked on the switch production? What was his exact position at Alps Electric?

Quite a bit too shady for my taste.

Complete.

[Chyros]

...according to an Alps employee who used to make these switches...

Who is this person and why can't he tell us himself? Also what other information does he have if this anonymous person actually worked on the switch production? What was his exact position at Alps electric?

Quite a bit too shady for my taste.

In his own words:

"My background: I started working for Alps in 1985, some 31 years ago, firstly in charge of RF Modulator production line and around 1987 in charge of two full keyboard production lines and automated soldering processes and keyboard switch automatic insertion machines."

I've been trying to reach him again but he went on holiday just before I went on mine so I haven't spoken to him in a while.

[seebart]

Sounds great but still no validation! Does he insist on staying anonymous?

[y11971alex]

It does seem we're onto something here. Keep us posted!

[seebart]

Right, obviously this Alps Electric employee would be of imense value to us.

[alh84001]

For last two letters, if there is any meaning in them, we should probably include other switch types besides SKCL and SKCM, based on third letter we could group them into:
- SKBL, SKBM
- SKCC, SKCL, SKCM
- SKFF, SKFL, SKFR, SKFS

I don't now if there is any common thread in these sets of switches.

Now, since there is a big timeframe, it could be that these letters once meant one thing, and were repurposed later. For instance, SKCC and SKFF both seem to be early switches, and maybe it was just a mnemonic thing.

Also, fourth letter L would indicate that indeed it either means linear or is linked to switches being linear in some other way. For instance, it could mean that LED version is available for that model, but strangely it would not be a guarantee of LED support, since some of SKFLs also have LED support, and some SKCLs basically don't, with their missing leg holes for LEDs. SKFR has no LED support, however it could also mean linear, and SKFR was just called the way it was, because SKFL was taken, and there is no difference between L and R to Japanese I believe. Obviously, that would mean that F as third letter has some meaning because they could have called the switch SK(not-F)L as well.

In any case, fun speculation to do

[Chyros]

He's not anonymous, his name is Alan Caudle. He's a genuine Alps employee, I got in contact with him when I asked Alps what switches were in their Glidepoint Keypad. Turned out he was an assembler at the time.

I just had word back from him. I've asked him absolute tons of questions and anything he remembered about the assembly process and the materials. Here's what he said:

The lubricant used was a lubricant made to JIS spec (Japanese Industrial Spec) maybe containing some silicone but its faded in my memory bank, the white switch stem
Probably nylon moulded and ABS for the switch body, Contacts probably brass pressing but not sure as no available documentation,

Assembly machine was also manufactured by Alps and its name was Altron 7 pcb assembly machine, it used a bowl feeder to align the switches for auto pick and place heads,
We mounted the PCB (Paper phenolic, so called punch and crunch) to the assy machine PCB jig, then the machine took over, after manual removal of PCB we put those through
Wave soldering machine, 63/37 tin lead in those days using rosin flux, also the Altron 7 placed tinned copper jumpers (zero ohm links) through the PCB to enable single sided low cost
PCB to be used,

That’s all I can tell you today, If anything else comes to mind I will feed it to you.

[Chyros]

As for the CL and CM, I suspect, although this is pure speculation at the moment, that this is related to the switch design or contact design. SKCC and SKCM have the same switchplate design, for example, so they're at least partially related. Maybe that's where that letter comes from.

As for L and M at the end, it just occurred to me during lunch break that L was first, and M follows L. Maybe it's as simple as that.

[alh84001]

Yeah, that occurred to me too, when I saw SKFR and SKFS which are also in sequence.

[y11971alex]

There's a property called "Momentary" in the specs sheet. Might that account for the M in SKCM?

[Chyros]

There's a property called "Momentary" in the specs sheet. Might that account for the M in SKCm?

Linear switches are also momentary, as are all the other switches Alps designed.

[y11971alex]

There's a property called "Momentary" in the specs sheet. Might that account for the M in SKCm?

Linear switches are also momentary, as are all the other switches Alps designed.

Is that stated on the catalogue?

[Ratfink]

Oh, I just remembered something that invalidates the "K means keyboard" theory. Alps SKQG switches are just little surface mount pushbutton switches that have nothing to do with keyboards.

[seebart]

Good work Chyros, finally some real facts from a credible source.

[fohat]

All mildly interesting the the only real burning question for me is:

What type of lubricant?

[Chyros]

All mildly interesting the the only real burning question for me is:

What type of lubricant?

Yes, I've been trying to push him for this especially. He did say that they used it at least, so the lubricant theory seems to be confirmed with this, at the least. I'm not sure what kind of JIS spec lube they used, but maybe he can find out more.

Of course, if I find out more, I'll post it .

[Rimrul]

Oh, I just remembered something that invalidates the "K means keyboard" theory. Alps SKQG switches are just little surface mount pushbutton switches that have nothing to do with keyboards.

I guess this leads us to "K means keyboard, except when it doesn't".

[Chyros]

Oh, I just remembered something that invalidates the "K means keyboard" theory. Alps SKQG switches are just little surface mount pushbutton switches that have nothing to do with keyboards.

I guess this leads us to "K means keyboard, except when it doesn't".

Alps were more than inconsistent enough with their switches that one exception to the rule is still way into the confidence interval :p .

[E3E]

Makes ya wonder what the additional letters in the products code mean, like SKCMAT or SKCMAG,if anything at all. The letter 'A' seems to be the constant in these codes.

I wouldn't doubt it to be just a method of organization without much else to it.

[Ratfink]

Oh, I just remembered something that invalidates the "K means keyboard" theory. Alps SKQG switches are just little surface mount pushbutton switches that have nothing to do with keyboards.

I guess this leads us to "K means keyboard, except when it doesn't".

Alps were more than inconsistent enough with their switches that one exception to the rule is still way into the confidence interval :p .

Well, considering that the entire TACT Switch™ line seems to be SK??, I'd say it's a lot more than just one exception.

Maybe the K means single pole, single throw. As far as I can tell, their keyboard and TACT switches are all SPST.

[Mattr567]

Very interesting. I wonder if he know's anyone else at Alps or anyone else used to work for them as well.

I wish Alps would just come out and give us all the spoils. I bet the answer's we have been looking for years for are in some dusty archival room or something.

What industry secret's are they hiding at this point? It's probably that were are a small group and to a big corp we aren't worth our time. Cherry's cool that way since they have corned the market in the keyboard space. Even IBM has referenced buckling spring in recent history as I remember they did an aprils fools where they said they were bringing back buckling spring keyboards and even mentioned the SSK.

[emdude]

What industry secret's are they hiding at this point? It's probably that were are a small group and to a big corp we aren't worth our time. Cherry's cool that way since they have corned the market in the keyboard space. Even IBM has referenced buckling spring in recent history as I remember they did an aprils fools where they said they were bringing back buckling spring keyboards and even mentioned the SSK.

This is too good, source?

I only know of Unicomp's infamous 'announcement' of an all-new SSK, which happened to be on April 1st. Might as well be a joke at this point though.

[snuci]

Anyone think that these letters might relate to Japanese words? They started production as a Japanese company, did they not?

[snuci]

If you go to the Alps Electric site today and look at their current Tact switch series, they start with "SK". Other switches start with "S" and a letter other than "K" so I would guess:

S = Switch and K = Tact Series.

The next two letters are random as there is no pattern. Take a look at:

http://www.alps.com/products/e/refinement/tact.html
http://www.alps.com/products/e/pdfcatalog_list.html

Then open some Tact switch PDFs and see if there is a pattern. There isn't one that I could figure out... unless it's in Japanese

[Mattr567]

What industry secret's are they hiding at this point? It's probably that were are a small group and to a big corp we aren't worth our time. Cherry's cool that way since they have corned the market in the keyboard space. Even IBM has referenced buckling spring in recent history as I remember they did an aprils fools where they said they were bringing back buckling spring keyboards and even mentioned the SSK.

This is too good, source?

I only know of Unicomp's infamous 'announcement' of an all-new SSK, which happened to be on April 1st. Might as well be a joke at this point though.

Damn I can't find it for the life of me. I think it was in their archives or something.

I remember they said something along the lines of "enthusiasts have loved our keyboards from the 1970's so much that today we are are bringing them back! Something something new SSK."

[snuci]

Damn I can't find it for the life of me. I think it was in their archives or something.

I remember they said something along the lines of "enthusiasts have loved our keyboards from the 1970's so much that today we are are bringing them back! Something something new SSK."

This?

[E3E]

I was thinking of the codes referring to Japanese words as well as a possibility.

Also, the F2015 if only. Looks like our very own idollar beat them to it with the FSSK. :p

[seebart]

Makes ya wonder what the additional letters in the products code mean, like SKCMAT or SKCMAG,if anything at all. The letter 'A' seems to be the constant in these codes.

I wouldn't doubt it to be just a method of organization without much else to it.

Agreed, do not forget the production logistic side of it. I don't have the figures but I imagine Alps Electric had various large production runs for SKCL / SKCM. Just think of the volume for Apple keyboards alone.