Alps SKCM Green

Alps SKCM Green
Manufacturer	Alps Electric
Family	Alps SKCL/SKCM series
Product code	SKCMAT
Supersedes	Alps SKCM Brown
Switch type	Tactile
Sense method	Metal leaf
Actuation force	70 gf
Keycap mount	Alps mount
Switch mount	Plate mount

This article requires additional photographic illustration — need photos of the pine version

Alps SKCM Green (also Neon Green and Lime Green) is a rare tactile switch in the complicated Alps SKCL/SKCM series.

Description

The slider colour is a vivid shade of spring green; it is a blue-green shade, instead of a yellow-green shade as found in SKCL Green. The colour is similar to that found in Xiang Min KSB series, but it is deeper and more vivid.

The force curve of Alps SKCM Green is different to most other Alps tactile switches. The step in the tactile leaf that catches the slider starts higher up and is longer. This change leads to a tactile peak that is longer and more rounded. Although the peak force of SKCM Green is lower than that of other tactile switches, a high level of force is held for longer, which may account for its stiffer feel. Based on the similarity of the tactile leaf and feel, and on the possible change from SKCM Brown to SKCM Green in Xerox keyboards, it has been postulated that SKCM Green is the successor to SKCM Brown, in the same manner that white replaced blue and so forth.

Variants

Both pine and bamboo variants exist. It appears that both the bamboo and pine variants have model number SKCMAT: this model number was used for the pine version in the 1994 Alps catalogue, but is also the model number used for surplus bamboo switches. The pine version seems to be more tactile than the bamboo variant, and louder.^[1]

Switchplate	Alps logo	Slits
Short, white	top and bottom	No slits ("bamboo")
Short, white	top and bottom	With slits ("pine")

Keyboards

Xerox JD-2 Docutech 135 keyboard (bamboo)^[2]
Xerox 6085 Keyboard (post 1990 models)
Fujitsu Xerox J-Star Keyboard (pine)^[3]

Gallery

Bamboo

The SKCMAT switches below are surplus parts from Component Electronics in Canada. Variations in the parts raise the possibility of the parts being sourced from multiple batches.