Alps SKCM Salmon
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 70gf

Alps SKCM Salmon is a tactile switch in the second 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.

Most instances of the switch will have slits in the upper housing, and the switch is solidly in the second generation. However, at least one instance of SKCM Salmon with no slits has been seen (in a Wang 725-3770).

The stem, which is a salmon pink color, is almost always unlubricated and is made of POM¹⁾.

The tactile feedback is generated with a leaf spring that is situated on the opposite side of the housing to the contact module. There were at least two variations of this leaf spring. Alps SKCM Salmon, 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 1989 to around 1994. The switch replaced the first generation switch Alps SKCM Orange. It has no relation to SKCM Black despite that switch replacing it after its discontinuation.

The leaf spring that generates the tactile event is noticeably different to that of SKCM Black, having a punched hole in the flat part of the leaf. This leaf spring was also seen in SKCM Ivory.

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

• SKCM Salmon (and its predecessor, SKCM Orange) have appeared in no catalogs by Alps Japan, including the 1991 and 1993 catalogs, both of which are well inside the SKCM Salmon date range.
• SKCM Salmon has only been observed consistently in keyboards made by Alps in the US or Ireland (i.e., Apple keyboards, Wang keyboards, Dell AT101 made in USA)
• US-made doubleshot Dell AT101s come with SKCM Salmon, whereas doubleshot AT101s made in Japan have SKCM Black.
• No part number has ever been found for SKCM Salmon
• Apple never offered single-keyswitch replacement parts for keyboards with SKCM Salmon, 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.