Alps SKCC Gray
Manufacturer	Alps Electric
Family	Alps SKCC series
Part Number	Unknown
Switch Type	Linear
Travel	3.0mm
Sense method	Metal contact
Mount	Plate mount
Rated lifetime	10 million cycles1)
Quoted operating force	Unknown, poss. 100gf

Alps SKCC Gray is a short-throw linear switch in the Alps SKCC Series.

The switch follows the general characteristics of the SKCC family, consisting of an upper and lower housing, contact module, stem, and spring.

The stem, which is a dark-gray to black color²⁾, is always lubricated and is likely made of a nylon blend³⁾.

The switch travel is notably reduced; this is achieved by a lengthening of the posts at the bottom of the stem. This, coupled with its use as a service part for calculators with Alps AKC switches⁴⁾ indicates that it was likely made to replace the older series of switch, which has an identical key travel.

Alps SKCC Gray, like all SKCC series switches, uses a contact module to register the keypress. This sits in the middle of the housing opposite the spring.

The switch was likely in production from 1979⁵⁾. No end date is known.

Interestingly, the mount used in SKCC Gray is not the same as either SKCC Cream or SKCC Tall Cream, although in the case of SKCC Tall Cream the mount is almost identical with the nubs on the cruciform being positioned differently but the dimensions of the cruciform itself is the same between both switches. While it could likely be possible to mount SKCC Gray caps on SKCC Tall Cream switches and vice versa, the nubs on the cruciform are positioned differently between the two switches and doing so is likely to stress the keycap mount and could damage the keycap. The unique mount of SKCC Gray is additional evidence for it serving as a replacement for AKC (spring bridge) switches.