Keyboard Builders' Digest / Tips & Tricks

MX compatible maglev switch

3D printable magnetic levitation switch with the Hall effect sensor in a Cherry MX compatible housing.

KBD.news
Published February 10, 2022

We've covered riskable's work on his void switches, but this one is a totally different approach.

Famichu published these MagLev MX switches, a 3D printable magnetic levitation switch with the linear output Hall effect sensor inside of a Cherry MX compatible housing.

GitHub repo: https://github.com/famichu/MagLev_Switch_MX

Features

• Magnetic levitation axis (no classic stem)
• Non-contact switch
• Linear output (adjustable trigger point)
• only 2 magnets (5mm diameter x 2mm height) and a Hall sensor (IC A1304).
• Dimensions/footprint compatible with Cherry MX switches

Most MagLev switches are not using Hall effect sensors. I think this is because the magnetism is too strong or the distance from the magnet is too close to detect. Therefore I implemented a new method sandwiching the Hall effect sensor between two magnets […] When the axis is pushed, the magnetisms [of the two magnets] will cancel each other out – [thus] the magnetism detected by the Hall effect sensor approaches zero. […] This method made the switch smaller, allowing it to have the same shape as existing switches – famichu.

Published on Thu 10th Feb 2022. Featured in KBD #65 (source).

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