Microswitches are very small switches that need minimum compression to activate. They are commonly used in home appliances and switch panels with buttons. Microswitches are highly affordable and have a long functioning life which can sometimes go up to ten million cycles. Because of their reliability and sensitivity, microswitches can also be used as a safety device. They can be utilized to prevent a door from closing when something or someone is standing in the way.
Microswitches are used in different applications, but their main features are easily actuated and durable; they have been used in various consumer appliances, industrial applications, and many other uses where they have to go through many cycles during their lifetime.
How do Microswitches Work?
Microswitches consist of an actuator, after pressing, lifts a lever and moves the contacts into the required position. When the actuator is pressed, you will hear a clicking sound which will inform you every time the switch is being actuated.
Microswitches consist of fixing holes that allow for an easy and secure mounting into one place. They are highly durable, due to which they do not need to be replaced and require no maintenance virtually.
Characteristics of Microswitches
Microswitches are a common type of electrical component that have many designs. You have to consider various characteristics depending upon the extent of use and the type of use.
Actuator Type
This is just the kind of actuator that tosses the contacts in the gadget. There is a wide range of types. Button actuators are extremely well known, as are switch types. There is a minor departure from the wide types: long pivot switches, long straight lever switches, and long straight levers being a minor departure from switch actuators. There are likewise roller plans, spring designs, and many more.
Contact Configuration
The contact configuration is the same as other switches. They consist of normally open and closed configurations with many different poles and throw configurations.
Contact Current Rating
The current rating is how much amperage the switches can carry. There are microswitches designed for low-level and high current applications, like the actuator controller for an electric motor or other devices.
Terminal Type
Microswitches are flexible in their installation choices and can be installed on printed circuit boards according to their sizes. There are broad terminal type options. They include PCB mounts in various angles, lugs, screws, etc. Some of the mounts are designed for being secured in one place.
IP Rating
IP rating abbreviates as Ingress Protection Rating. With the help of IP Rating, you can measure how well the device is protected from intrusion. The appraisals apply to all that, from body parts to explicit substances, like water and different synthetic compounds. This rating framework is intended to be specific and more unambiguous than saying that a switch is watherproof or portraying it with another ambiguous term.
For instance, the fluid entrance assurance on a gadget can be determined as being proper for conditions where there is dribbling, sprinkling, showering, or jetted water. This permits the designer to be certain that the gadget they're choosing is reasonable for the circumstances under which it will work.
Applications of Microswitches
- Elevator buttons and door locks
- Timer controls
- Washing machine buttons
- Air conditioning units
- Refrigerators - ice and water dispensers
- Rice cookers and microwave ovens
- Push buttons for alarms and call points
- Turning devices on surveillance cameras
- Triggers to signal if a device is dismounted
- HVAC applications
- Access control panels
