5.7 Mechanical switches

Switches, mechanical

A switch is a device that can change a circuit's connections. These devices are used in many applications and may or may not be used in conjunction with a real-time computer. For example, a limit switch¹ could be detected by an interrupt in a real-time computer to stop motion before damage occurs.

Mechanical switches have movable parts that make and break connections. There are many varieties of mechanical switch available, so it is helpful to describe them in terms of categoriesSwitches, mechanical!categories of and subcategories, as in table 5.5. A switch will fit into only one subcategory in each column. Not all combinations are available, but most are.