In 2011, MEC introduced a new generation of 5E and 5G series buttons. When we signed a contract with them, we considered only the new generation. The manufacturer's declaration was that we will prefer a new series but as long as the market still requires “old ones”, we will manufacture those as well. And this holds true until today. It is clear proof that the original concept was/is excellent and that these buttons still have their place in the market.
And therefore, our assortment offers the full range of MEC which, by the way, has belonged to the APEM family for over 20 years.
We should note, however, that the critical difference is "only" the cap retention and actuator. Therefore, older and newer generation caps are not compatible but can be easily distinguished by the part number. Letter “S” has been added to the new ones (e.g. 1D or 1DS).
What has changed is that MEC has stopped producing low-temperature versions of switches. So now all MEC switches have a working temperature range of -40°C to +160°C. Of course, the new generation has a wider range of options like choice of actuation force, LED colours, etc.
The most popular products from 3A/3C/3E/3F Series:
For greater optimization options, such as select actuation force, choose 5G/5E Series. Here you can select 2N, 3.5N or 6.5N and the quiet 2N version without the click sound effect. Another possibility is the NCNO function.
Get the best results with MEC switches. Selected 3A/3C/3E/3F and 5G/5E buttons, in THT or SMD version, can be found in our stock range.
If you need assistance with the selection of MEC switches and suitable caps, or you need more information, please contact us at sales@soselectronic.com