What Are Microswitches and Their Uses?

WHAT ARE MICRO SWITCHES?

A microswitch is also known as a miniature snap-action switch. It is an electric switch that is made to work by a little force (physical). This force is given with the help of a tipping-point mechanism which is also known as the over-center mechanism. Microswitches are very common in the market because of their low cost with high durability. Talking about its durability, it can last more than 1 million cycles and up to approximately 10 million cycles. The durability of the microswitch comes in a natural way because of its design.

The first miniature snap-action switch was introduced by the Phillip Kenneth McGall in the year 1932.

CONSTRUCTION

A microswitch comes with two conductive springs which are present internally. A long spring which is flat in nature is hinged at one side of the microswitch and on the other side, it has electrical contacts. A curved spring small in size is connected between the fulcrum which is present near the midpoint of the spring and the flat spring which is present by the contacts. The small curved spring has a strong tension and is anchored which is the reason why the spring cannot move in the right direction.

The small spring pulls, presses, the small spring in the direction away from the anchor point. Talking about the geometry, the force which acts in the upward direction is directly proportional to the displacement. This fact reduces the chances of the small flat curved spring getting downwards.

WHERE ARE MICRO SWITCHES USED?

Microswitches are very beneficial and are used in many places in the industry and household applications as well. They are used in security and automation, building, and various household applications. For example→

  1. Push buttons for call points and alarms: Micro switches are utilized as buttons in emergency stop controls, fire alarms, and emergency door releases. A person can press this microswitch which is a button for them for activating an alarm manually.
  2. Triggers: Micro switches are also used as triggers in order to protect devices such that they can’t get dismounted. Card readers, infrared detection alarms, access control panels come with a micro switch because whenever the device is damaged, dismounted, or removed, people would know it because of triggering of the alarm.
  3. Surveillance camera: Micro switches are commonly used in the turning device. The role of micro switches here is that when the device will reach its peak point of motion, then the micro switch will get activated. Moreover, the microswitch makes sure that the camera is moving in the direction where it is supposed to and not anywhere else.
  4. HVAC applications: These are used for uncovering the switches for control panels as well as the change in air pressure.

Rabins Sharma Lamichhane

Rabins Sharma Lamichhane is senior ICT professional who talks about #it, #cloud, #servers, #software, and #innovation. Rabins is also the first initiator of Digital Nepal. Facebook: rabinsxp Instagram: rabinsxp

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