This section provides an overview for electric switches as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 15 electric switch manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked electric switch companies as of November, 2024: 1.Electro-Mech Components, Inc., 2.Clippard, 3.OTTO Engineering, Inc.
Table of Contents
An electric switch is a component designed to control AC power.
AC stands for alternating current, which is an electric current that alternates in direction, cycling between positive and negative. Most commercial power sources utilize AC power.
A switch is a component that can interrupt, allow, or change the flow of electric current.
An electric switch is a component that fulfills both of these functions, specifically designed to control the flow of alternating current.
Electric switches are common components found in households and everyday life.
A common example is the light switch. In most cases, electric switches are used to control lighting. The voltage used for household lighting is typically 100 VAC. While switches for lighting may handle currents of about 2-5A, household lighting typically requires only around 0.4A.
In addition to household use, switches are employed in various applications, including fan controls.
Even in industrial settings, electric switches are utilized to control small loads.
The principle of electric switches is among the simplest in the realm of industrial components.
An electric switch consists of two points that can be opened or short-circuited to control the potential difference between them. The contact surface that manages this switching action is called the contact point. Contacts are typically made of highly conductive and chemically stable materials such as gold, silver, platinum, or brass.
Surrounding the contact area, an insulating material like resin or rubber is used to provide electrical insulation between the contact points and any surfaces that may come into contact with people. Some electric switches include built-in indicator lamps within the contacts to display the switching status. These are often found in household lighting switches.
In addition, electric switches have one or more points where wires with different potentials can be connected. For lighting wiring, VVF wiring is commonly used, which does not require terminal treatment. As a result, electric switches designed for lighting applications often feature screw-in terminals for easy wiring connections.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Clippard Instrument Laboratory, Inc. was founded in 1941 in Arkansas and is now located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The company is a manufacturer of miniature pneumatic valves, specializing in ultra low leak, precision pressure control, and high-resolution flow control. Categories of Clipard Products include electronic valves, proportional valves, isolation valves, electronic controls, custom solutions, ppressure regulators, control valves, directional control valves, air pilot valves, air preparation equipment, and fittings hose, and tubings.
OTTO Engineering Inc., established in 1961 in Carpentersville, Illinois, USA, is a manufacturer of a full line of control switches used in industry. The company's products include electromechanical switches, capacitor switches, and joysticks. These products are used in industrial applications that include factory equipment, excavation equipment, and material handling machinery. The company serves original equipment manufacturers with design, build, and debugging services for stamping tools in markets that include excavation, military, and medical support crews.
Electro-Mech Components, Inc. (EMC), established in 1963, is an American manufacturer and supplier based in South El Monte, California, specializing in illuminated pushbutton switches and miniature switches. The company offers light-emitting diode (LED) switches, including single-lamp, multi-lamp, and built-in models, as well as daylight readable and exit door lamp switches. It also provides other types of switches, such as potentiometer switches and multi-station switch assemblies, along with customized products. Notably, the company provides products that cross-reference with Pendar brand switches from European Switches Manufacturing (ESM), which has undergone bankruptcy. These products find applications across various industries, including aircraft, simulation, and transportation.
Amphenol Nexus Technologies, established in 1961 and headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, is a manufacturer and supplier of audio connectors and interconnect systems. Their product portfolio includes XLR connectors, MIL-DTL-55181 connectors, and tactical fiber optic systems, ensuring seamless communication and signal transmission. Other products include telephone plugs and jacks, waterproof breakaway connectors, microphone plugs and jacks, and push-button switches. They hold ISO 9001:2015 certification, serving industries such as broadcast, military, aerospace, and industrial automation.
Euchner was established in 1953 as a manufacturer of industrial safety products and is based in Germany. The products designed and manufactured by the company are used by industries that want to minimize risks and hazards. One example of their equipment is a Transponder with Coded Key Systems EKS and CKS which is used for controlling machine functions, storing process parameters, maintaining different access rights, and much more and it helps with procedures like automatic logging on and off for safe and controlled access. There are also safety switches, relays, identification systems, emergency stop devices, and similar items.
Highly Electric Co., Ltd. was established in 1974 in New Taipei City, Taiwan, as a manufacturer of industrial switches. The company provides a diverse range of products, including safety door limit switches, snap-action switches, toggle switches, rocker switches, foot switches, and sensors, among others. These components have diverse applications: safety door limit switches enhance machinery safety; snap-action switches offer swift switching; toggle and rocker switches control functions; foot switches enable hands-free operation; and sensors detect and transmit crucial data for automation and robotics. The industrial sectors where these components find applications include manufacturing, electronics, machinery, appliances, automotive, medical, and automation.
Hubbell, incorporated in the late 1800's, and based in Shelton, Connecticut, USA, is a manufacturer of electrical and electronic products. Its comprehensive product range covers standard and specialized wiring devices, rough-in electrical products, connectors, grounding solutions, lighting fixtures, and various electrical equipment for use in industrial, commercial, and institutional facilities. These products find application in diverse settings, from controlled data centers to power grids. The company's products address business challenges, improve energy efficiency, enhance safety, withstand harsh environments, and enable easier management of wiring and grounding systems around buildings.
ST Micro Electronics is a global semiconductor company serving customers with innovations to have a positive impact on people's lives. Their product line is micro electronic systems, such as switches, controllers, sensors and drivers. The main selling point of ST Micro Electronics is its provision of sustainable products, and introducing their electronics to create a more sustainable world. The company, as well as providing the electronic devices, also provides software and support, ensuring that all fields are covered to provide a fully provide a supported and strong relationship with their customer base. ST Micro Electronics believe that technology plays a key role in helping to solve environmental and social challenges, which is why their semiconductor technologies start with their employees, their customers and partners.
Omron Corporation, started in 1933 and headquartered in Kyoto, Japan, is a manufacturer of automation components, equipment, and systems, and it developed the first contactless proximity switch in 1960. It has four domains, including industrial automation, electronic components, healthcare, and social systems, and it provides products and services in around 120 countries and regions. Some of its products include microsensing devices, access control systems, industrial robots, surveillance cameras, and blood pressure monitors. In 1971, it developed the first online cash machine, and in 1972, it established Japan’s first welfare factory.
DELTA SYSTEMS INC. is a manufacturer of outdoor power equipment that is headquartered in Streetsboro, Ohio and was established in 1972. The company specializes in engineering solutions, vertical integration, automation, motor controllers and switches, and product differentiation. Its product catalog includes switches, controllers, and displays, as well as various services, including electronics manufacturing, plastic injection molding, design engineering, value analysis, and tooling. The company caters to the appliances, electrical, and electronics manufacturing sectors.
NIDEC COPAL ELECTRONICS was established in Japan in April, 1967 as a specialty manufacturer of electronic components. NIDEC’s offerings have increased to serve the automotive, construction, medical equipment, FA equipment, analytical measuring equipment, and residential security industries. Among the offerings are components for LiDAR, railway pressure sensors, CPAP, dialysis, MRI, and ultrasonography machines, wireless base stations, and power tools. These components include switches, sensors, mirrors, motors, and fans.
Esco Company Ltd., established in 1972 and headquartered in Osaka, Japan, is a supplier of maintenance, repair, and operations tools, parts, and equipment. Some of its products include test instruments, magnets, office furniture, protective equipment, and generators, and it serves customers in various fields, including construction sites and office buildings. The company was started to market tools to the air conditioning and refrigeration industry in Japan, and every year since then, it has published a catalog of its tools. In 2015, the catalog reached 110,000 products, and the company has approximately 149,000 items in stock for delivery.
Fuji Electric Equipment Control was established in 2008 in Saitama-ken, Japan is a manufacturer of power distribution and control equipment. The company boasts an extensive and diversified product portfolio including motor controls, MV distributors, energy control equipment, LV distributors, and industrial control relays. These products find applications in construction as magnetic contactors, automotive as manual motor starters, home appliances as air circuit breakers, health care devices as sensors and switches, and in environmental management for quality assurance and protection of high-voltage electric power and management of low-voltage consumption rate.
AutomationDirect.com was founded in 1994 to provide solutions for the industrial automation market and has been growing its list of offerings ever since. AutomationDirects’ extensive catalog includes individual components such as cables, various controls, I/O devices, relays, gauges, fittings, and sensors to complete systems. Many parts and devices, especially PLC units are customizable. AutomationDirect.com also provides support via video instructions, online manuals, a learning library, an active community forum to further assist customers.
Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation MethodRank | Company | Click Share |
---|---|---|
1 | Electro-Mech Components, Inc. |
13.1%
|
2 | Clippard |
12.2%
|
3 | OTTO Engineering, Inc |
11.4%
|
4 | Hubbell. All Rights Reserved |
11.0%
|
5 | Osaka Automatic Electric Co., Ltd. |
8.4%
|
6 | Amphenol Nexus Technologies, Incorporated |
7.6%
|
7 | Omron |
7.2%
|
8 | DELTA SYSTEMS INC. |
5.5%
|
9 | Highly Electric Co., Ltd |
4.6%
|
10 | EUCHNER GmbH + Co. KG |
4.2%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the electric switch page as of November 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
---|---|---|
United States of America | 4 | 50.0% |
Japan | 2 | 25.0% |
Germany | 1 | 12.5% |
Taiwan | 1 | 12.5% |