Alps SKCM Orange
Manufacturer	Alps Electric
Family	Alps SKCM/SKCL series
Part Number	Unknown
Switch Type	Tactile
Travel	3.5mm
Sense method	Metal contact
Mount	Plate mount
Rated lifetime	20 million cycles
Quoted operating force	unknown, likely 60gf

Alps SKCM Orange is a tactile switch in the first generation of the Alps SKCM/SKCL Series.

The switch follows the general characteristics of the SKCM family, consisting of an upper and lower housing, contact module, stem, spring and a leaf spring for generating the tactile event.

As a first generation switch, SKCM Orange will always have slits in the upper housing.

The stem, which is a dark orange color, is almost always lubricated and is likely made of of a nylon blend¹⁾.

The tactile feedback is generated with a leaf spring that is situated on the opposite side of the housing to the contact module. Alps SKCM Orange, like all SKCM/SKCL series switches, uses a contact module to register the keypress. This sits in the housing on the side with visible notches.

The switch was likely in production from 1986²⁾ to around 1989³⁾. The switch was replaced for the second generation by SKCM Salmon, which has an identical tactile leaf spring.

It is possible that SKCM Orange was a product of Alps Electric (USA) Inc., and was possibly a non-catalog switch. The rationale for this is as follows:

• SKCM Orange (and its successor, SKCM Salmon) have appeared in no catalogs by Alps Japan.
• SKCM Orange has only been observed consistently in keyboards made by Alps in the US (i.e., Apple keyboards, Wang keyboards)
• No part number has ever been found for SKCM Orange
• Apple never offered single-keyswitch replacement parts for keyboards with SKCM Orange, despite offering this in the past.

Confirmation for this can unfortunately only come from contact with Alps directly, but the preponderance of circumstantial evidence warrants this section.