Types of Electronic Switches for Industrial Devices

You better get used to switches. Every – as in every – electronic circuit needs at least one.

And if your project is heavy-duty or high-risk, you'd better get to know what makes an industrial-grade switch.

This seemingly simple mechanism includes a small metal actuator, which moves either vertically or horizontally. The actuator opens or closes contacts on the switch as necessary to turn the circuit connection off or on.

Beyond that, there are practically millions of possible switch configurations for meeting a variety of heavy-duty needs.

Even if your role in the project is simply to order the parts, understanding the characteristics and context of each type of switch is key to making informed orders. Let’s say hello to the common industrial switch types used in electronic systems like yours.

7 Common Industrial Switch Types in Electronics

Switches come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and current ratings. 

An industrial-grade switch can handle greater electrical loads and environmental abuse than your typical household switch. Selecting a switch not rated for your circuit load could cause premature failure – or even a fire.

The electromechanical switches you’ll want to brush up on are:

1. Push-button 
2. Rotary
3. Toggle
4. Slide
5. Rocker
6. Limit
7. Micro
   
   

1. Push-Button Switches

An industrial push-button switch is for classic manual operation by a human, sometimes with the cliché big/scary/red design. 

Just like in action films and Saturday morning cartoons, this device connects or disconnects an electrical circuit by pressing down on it. Activation is (hopefully) less dramatic than the look – the mechanism simply compresses a spring inside, moving the contact toward or away from the circuit.

Push-button mechanisms come in two varieties of configuration:

• Momentary – only active while pressing
• Maintained – active until someone presses it again

A staple of controlling manufacturing processes, both formats of push-button switches are instrumental in enabling operators to:

• Start or stop machines
• Set off alarms
• Execute other functions that need to happen instantly

An emergency stop is a perfect example of an application that can benefit from a push/pull button switch. These switches should pop out to the human eye and be easy to access, helping operators quickly identify them and shut down dangerous equipment. When activated, E-stop switches typically cut power to the attached device. Some require a pull or twist to reset so the machine isn’t restarted unintentionally.

Sourcing Tip: Understand the difference between momentary and maintained operations to match the application's needs. Momentary switches are a must when you need to turn a process on or off instantly. Maintained switches are for continuous functions.

2. Rotary Switches

Much more advanced than a rotary telephone, an industrial rotary switch is an electrical control that can stop in several positions.

To activate the switch, the operator must twist the knob to align an indicator with a specific setting. The spindle of the switch rotates along its axis, making contact with electrical terminals to activate selected circuits. These switches can rotate up to 360°, allowing for the regulation of electrical flow across multiple circuits. 

Some buyers find that rotary switches are a smart alternative to push-button designs. Their main advantages are:

• Can interrupt or stop electrical flow at multiple positions
• Can operate multiple contacts from a single switch position
• Actuator can turn on/off based on position, allowing for individual triggering of each contact

Available in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials, rotary switches are all about options. They’re useful for control panels in which more than two settings are necessary for the same switch (i.e. speed variation). After all, modern products and manufacturing processes need finessing beyond just “fast” or “slow.”

As the table above shows, switch components come in a variety of mechanism styles. This allows you to tailor your purchase to the most important project parameters.

Selector switches are another common control type that often (though not always) comes in rotary format. The mechanism allows for clear, tactile feedback at each position or setting, making it easy for users to know which selection they have made. Selector switches are valuable in systems requiring human interaction, providing a user-friendly interface for electronic devices and controls.

Sourcing Tip: Configuration Options: Assess the number of positions and contact arrangements to ensure compatibility with the system’s control requirements. For selector switches, determine how many positions the switch must have and whether a key-operated, knob, or lever selector is most appropriate for user accessibility and security.

3. Toggle Switches

These manual switches use a mechanical lever or handle to make or break the current. Industrial toggle switches return to their original position after release.

Toggle switches provide clear tactile (feel) and auditory (sound) feedback when activated. This isn’t by chance – it’s an intentional feature that gives the user a definitive answer as to whether the switch is on or off.

The most common use cases for heavy-duty toggle switches are on-off control in machinery and lighting.

Sourcing Tip: Look for models with locking mechanisms or guards to prevent accidental activation, especially in environments with safety hazards. Make sure you don’t mix up toggle switches with similar components like slide (see chart below) or rocker mechanisms.

4. Slide

Got a device design that needs to be simple and neat? Integrating a slide switch into your small-scale circuit is the answer.

Industrial slide switches operate by moving a slider across a track to open or close the circuit. The operation is straightforward and compact, making slide mechanisms useful in assemblies with space limitations. 

The other key feature of slide switches is the ability to set several positions, such as power output or operational mode. Industrial-grade versions offer smooth and stable transitioning for high-precision tasks.

Sourcing tip: It’s easy to confuse toggle switches with slide switches. They both have a simple mechanical design that allows the user to switch states via a lever or button. The key differences to know are:

Slide switches take a little more work to mount vs. a toggle or push-button, but expanded functionality may be worth it.

5. Rocker

Another category that sounds like child’s play, the industrial rocker switch works much like a seesaw. If you press one end, the other rises.

The primary goal of a rocker switch is to enable easy on/off control. There’s not much to them – just clear, binary operation.

Despite being so simple, the rocker switch offers several quality-of-life benefits to household appliance design:

• Requires minimal force to activate
• No loud clicking noise
• Often include user-friendly icons or LED lighting
• Few moving parts means few points of failure

Other popular uses for rocker switches include machine control panels, power supplies, medical equipment, pumps, and vehicles.

Overall, designers and users see them as a convenient feature with stellar long-term value.

Sourcing Tip: Like with sliding switches, you may be comparing toggle vs. rocker switches and wondering what the difference is. From a function standpoint, there is one – rockers are maintained or “latching” mechanisms and will stay activated until someone pushes them again. From a user perspective, think of rockers as ergonomic and sleek, and toggles as precise and responsive.

6. Limit Switches

Like the name suggests, industrial limit switches are about keeping operations safely on the “rails” the user has set.

Actuation occurs when the component makes physical contact with a moving object. One everyday example of this is your refrigerator’s light. A limit switch detects any opening or closing of the door, and turns the light on or off accordingly.

Most often, a limit switch is in place to detect whether an object is present or not. In practice, a facility can use one to:

• Control machinery functions
• Be a safety interlock
• Count objects

In other words, they’re obvious choices for assembly lines, conveyors, and elevators.

When sourcing limit switches, you’ll pick from various actuator styles depending on the type of movement it needs to detect:

A limit switch can also be a combination of two types, such as roller-lever.

Sourcing Tip: Limit switches are seeing a gradual decline in some industrial applications as proximity sensors have exploded in popularity. Proximity sensors, which perform switching actions electronically, offer a contact-free way of detecting objects.

However, limit switches are far from obsolete, thanks to their superior ruggedness and performance in harsh environments. Notably, limit switches can handle significantly higher current than proximity sensors, showing that touchless and all-electronic isn’t always the answer.

7. Micro Switches

Like with a mousetrap, sometimes a hair trigger is necessary.

Industrial micro switches are, in some ways, a smaller and more precise version of a limit mechanism. Some manufacturers also call them miniature snap-action switches because of their lightning-like speed and distinct clicking sound.

The mechanism usually includes a level or roller, which pushes against a spring-loaded mechanism to activate the connection. 

The M.O. of a micro switch is to execute reliable switching from even the tiniest physical force. Buy one when your team’s design calls for high sensitivity in a tight space. Despite its size, the micro switch boasts a lifespan of millions of activations. 

By far, the most common application for this electronic switch type is operational safety. Examples include:

• Emergency stops
• Fire alarms
• Emergency door releases

Sourcing Tip: Prioritize micro switches with high electrical and mechanical life ratings. This limits the risk of failure in high-use, mission-critical devices. Durable switches also reduce maintenance needs, further boosting their long-term value over a cheaper alternative.

Types of Switches by Poles or Throws

Not all switch manufacturers categorize their products by function, or even by industry. Some suppliers list them by the number of poles and throws.

• Poles refers to the number of separate circuits the switch can control. 
• Throws refers to the number of positions each pole can connect to when the switch operates.

Most switch types – including push-button, toggle, rotary, and others – come in various options for poles and throws. This variety makes a supplier’s product line adaptable to a wide range of systems and circuit complexity for slick integration and performance.

The most common configurations are:

The formats above are in order from least to most complex. However, there are also more-specialized industrial switches for work that require some serious control over a circuit. These types of switches can improve safety, functionality, and performance:

Their use, while niche, is critical in applications demanding high levels of reliability and precision.

What Are Sealed Switches?

Sealed switches are an entire subset of electromechanical products built to stop the influx of corrosives and contaminants. These switches are essential to applications where reliability is a must, no matter the conditions:

• Manufacturing systems
• Auto
• Marine

“Sealed” a protective trait rather than a true “type” of switch. Sealed switches can be toggle, push-button, or any other kind.

The rating of sealed switches is according to standards such as IP (Ingress Protection) or NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Association). These ratings are a tell of the component’s ability to hold up against environmental influences.

Source All Types of Electronics Parts With Success

It’s inevitable that you’ll need basic knowledge of switches to source them effectively. At the very least, you should be able to tell what’s industrial-grade and what’s cheap for the sake of being cheap.

Get it wrong, and you’ll introduce downtime and product failures into your operations. Get it right, and you’ll be a source of reliability and high performance.

The sourcing struggle is real for many components besides switches. If you need more generalized tips for procurement in the modern supply chain, we recommend this free e-book: