Capacitive vs Mechanical Switch: What's the Difference?
Switches are the foundation on which electrical devices, including touchscreens, operate. In the most basic sense, a switch is a component that controls an electrical circuit. When the switch is turned on, the electrical circuit is closed and, thus, complete. When the switch is turned off, the electrical circuit is open and, thus, incomplete. While all switches perform this operation, though, there are different types of switches, including mechanical and capacitive. So, what's the difference between mechanical and capacitive switches exactly?
What Is a Mechanical Switch?
The most basic type of switch, a mechanical switch is a basic type of switch. Mechanical switches typically feature two conductive traces separated by air. When you press the mechanical switch's button, the upper conductive trace makes contact with the bottom conductive trace, allowing the circuit close. When you release the switch's button, the upper conductive traces bounces back to its open state.
The buttons on a TV remote control are mechanical switches. They are raised buttons that, when pressed, force an upper conductive trace into a bottom conductive trace. Of course, mechanical switches are used in countless other applications, some of which include computer keyboards, human machine interfaces (HMIs), household appliances, calculators and more.
