Switch Sampler PCB

[parkview]

I have used many different SMD switches in my many projects. Most of these where purchased over the counter at the Shenzhen markets. While this is handy and cheap to do, it's not very reproducible if your not a regular visitor to the markets. The next cheapest thing to do is to find something on Aliexpress and buy it from there. That too has issues, as perhaps the store might not carry the item at a later stage, and don't even start on trying to find or ask for a product datasheet.

It's a bit more expensive, but https://lcsc.com/ is a great reproducible site to purchase components. As a bonus, they have datasheets, the manufacture and manufacture part number. Pure Gold! Yes, sometimes there are a few different switch manufactures that make the same one. I just selected the one that has the highest stock level at LCSC.

Last year I set out to create a PCB that listed some of the KiCAD information I knew about the switches I like to use. Earlier this year, I spent a chunk of time parsing LCSC component catalogue looking for a source of my switches. I found all of them, but one wasn't currently in stock, so I ditched it and substituted a new replacement switch. This time I have added a lot more information about each switch. I have taken the time to create a 3D model if one didn't exist.

Switch-Parkview-Sampler-V1.1.jpg (86.02 KiB) Viewed 3999 times

Next time I need any information on a switch I will have it at hand - all in one place, including a sample footprint and an example switch. On the back of the PCB I list the manufacture and part number as well as the datasheet file name and voltage/current specifications.

[parkview]

The PCB has arrived and the other day I made up 5 of these handy PCB's that list all the switch info I need:

Switch-samplerV1.1.jpg (61.69 KiB) Viewed 3893 times

You can find all the details at the Gitlab repo: https://gitlab.com/parkview/Switch-Parkview-Sampler