Tai-Hao APC series
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Page is under construction— research is still ongoing |
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| Manufacturer | Tai-Hao |
|---|---|
| Introduced | ca. 1990–91 |
| Switch type | Clicky; tactile; linear |
| Sense method | Metal leaf |
| Rated lifetime | 20M |
| Bounce time | 10 ms |
| Actuation force | 45, 55, 65, 70 and 75 g |
| Keycap mount | Alps mount |
| Switch mount | Plate mount |
Tai-Hao APC series is a range of Alps clone switches manufactured by Tai-Hao.
Contents
Description
APC switches have the same approximate shell design as other four-tab clone switches. Internally they are very similar to other Alps clone switches, with the current generation of switches using the same narrow copper-based click leaf.
According to Tai-Hao, the APC series was introduced a year or two after Tai-Hao Aruz,[1] which has a confirmed sighting of 1989. It was previously misunderstood that the APC series was introduced in 1984 or 1985, but 1990 or 1991 is consistent with the apparent appearance of Alps clone switches around this time.
The contact design of APC is derived from that of the Aruz switch. It remains uncertain whether Hua-Jie AK series or Tai-Hao APC series arrived first; it is however confirmed that Himake were involved with the Aruz switch, and both switch series started out extremely similar.
Specification
Specification for current, unbranded switches:
| Bounce time | < 10 ms |
| Total travel | 4.5−0.5 mm |
| Pretravel | 2.1±0.5 mm |
| Operating force | 45±10 gf, 55±10 gf, 65±10 gf, 75±10 gf |
| Lifetime | 20 M cycles |
Recognition
Front contact plate
Square, with one finger, and top and bottom reinforcement recesses; almost identical to that of the Simplified Alps Type IV switch
Rear contact plate (newer)
Small, no holes, and with the characteristic recess-reinforced leg
Click leaf (newer)
Narrow, copper-coloured "mantis" click leaf
Rear contact plate (older)
Large, no holes, and with the characteristic recess-reinforced leg
Shell
All APC switches are four-tab clones
Numbering
NW:A##, or NW:##A[2] (alphanumeric numbering, top-left)
Shell
The lower shell of some more recent switches can be rotated 180°
Variants
Branded
Branded "APC"; white slider; clicky; extremely similar to the unbranded Type IV simplified with a wide steel click leaf.[3] Likely to be discontinued variants within the APC range.
A Packintell Electronics–branded Key Mouse keyboard registered with the FCC in 1989 has been found with a mixture of branded and unbranded switches, giving a rough idea of when the branding was removed.[4] The keyboard's manufacture date is not known.
Unbranded
These are the production switches. All switches have the typical narrow copper-based click leaf. The only known tactile variant (BSW 045WHN) uses a modified click leaf with shallower angles on the hooks to allow the slider to pass without generating a click.
Presently (July 2017) only three switch types are in active production, two standard weight types for keyboards and one heavy weight for machinery; other types can still be manufactured on request.[5] BSW 280WH was previously blue-green, but is currently vivid "neon" green, and is available for sale and was included in a group buy at Reddit.[6] BSW 055WH was previously teal or dark blue, but is now made in the sky blue colour formerly used by BSW 045WH. Likewise, BSW 065WHN is white, while previously it was listed as black.
| Part number | Slider colour | Type | Force |
|---|---|---|---|
| BSW 055WH | Sky blue | Clicky | 55 g |
| BSW 065WHN | White | Linear | 65 g |
| BSW 280WH | Green | Clicky | 280 g |
Discontinued
| Part number | Slider colour | Type | Force | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BSW 045WH | Sky blue | Clicky | 45 g | |
| BSW 045WHN | Red | Tactile | 45 g | |
| BSW 055WH | Teal | Clicky | 55 g | Old colour (see above) |
| BSW 055WHN | Brown | Linear | 55 g | |
| BSW 065WH | White | Clicky | 65 g | |
| BSW 065WHN | Black | Linear | 65 g | Old colour (see above) |
| BSW 075WH | White | Clicky | 75 g | |
| BSW 075WHN | Black | Linear | 75 g | |
| BSW 070WH | White | Clicky | 70 g | |
| BSW 070WHN | White? | Linear | 70 g | Unconfirmed |
Gallery
BSW range as of 2012, excluding the 75 g and 280 g switches
Sample of some production switches in 2013
Vintage branded APC with wide steel click leaf, from a 1992 Tai-Hao APC-1
Unidentified modern white switch, from a 1995 Tai-Hao Butterfly Keyboard
BSW 055WH from a 2011 Wintek WK750 (F21-7D)
BSW 045WH
Assorted
Disassembled, top views
Disassembled, bottom views
BSW 045WHN
BSW 045WHN is a 45 g tactile switch. Tactility is achieved by straightening the hooks on the click leaf, such that the slider passes it without pulling it forward. This gives a level of tactility somewhere in the region of half of that of Cherry MX Brown, and the switch does not click. In contrast, SMK second generation switches achieved the same effect by chamfering the slider and using a virtually identical click leaf to that found in their clicky switches.
Assorted
Opened
Disassembled, view 1
Disassembled, view 2
Keyboards
- Tai-Hao F21-7D and OEM customer varants:
- AZiO Levetron Clicker (KB528U)
- Rosewill Striker RK-6000
- Wintek-WK-750
- Gview K7
- Some KPT KPT-84 keyboards
- Packintell-branded Key Mouse keyboard[4]
Specifications
References
- ↑ Conversation with Tai-Hao
- ↑ Deskthority — ALPS what type?
- ↑ KBtalKing — ㊣ALPS軸類零組件比較㊣ (Chinese only) Dated 2009-05-24. Retrieved 2015-07-23.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Geekhack — New guy needs help identifying keyboard & Alps-like sliders Posted 2010-07-04. Retrieved 2015-07-23.
- ↑ Correspondence with Tai-Hao, 2017-07-31
- ↑ Reddit — [GB] Tai-Hao APC Switches (ALPS Style) : mechmarket
