Mechanical Keyboard Design Project

Summary

Me and a friend are designing an entry-level mechanical keyboard.

What exactly is a mechanical keyboard?

Mechanical keyboards are keyboards that use mechanical switches as opposed to the more widely used membrane-type switches. The user typically buys a kit that comes with a case (top and bottom piece), a PCB, a stability plate for the switches, and a custom rotary encoder knob if applicable. The switches themselves, along with the keycaps, are purchased separately. The cases vary in color, design, and the material they are made of. Mechanical keyboards may also support peripherals like RGB backlighting for the switches, OLED screens, and/or rotary encoders. The user typically solders the switches and LEDs onto the PCB and assemble the keyboard case themselves. Usually these keyboards are crowd-funded and are limited runs.

Why own a mechanical keyboard?

Mechanical keyboards are very customizable because of the various part involved, providing users various ways to create a keyboard that is unlike any other. The switch alone can come in a variety of configurations with varying levels of force needed to press the switch and a large spectrum of "clickyness" of the switch. The case, stability plate, and rotary encoder can all come in a variety of different colors. Because the runs are limited this introduces more exclusivity to owning a mechanical keyboard.

Since most people use keyboards on a daily basis it seems to make sense to create something that you would not only enjoy using daily but look forward to using. Creating your own product from component selection to assembly establishes a user experience unlike any other.

Why am I Doing This?

My friend came up with this idea during the winter quarter our last year in university. He is into mechanical keyboards and he thought it would be a fun project to work on. He asked if I would be interesting in helping him since I knew more about mechanical and electrical design as his background was primarily in software. Initially I thought it would be a good exercise in practicing my CAD skills and helping out my friend but after doing more research into all the different aspects that went into designing a mechanical keyboard from scratch I got excited about this project. I loved the idea of going through the whole product design process including initial CADing, component selection and testing, prototyping, troubleshooting, and manufacturing. My ideal job would be designing products from initial ideation to customer delivery. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to learn many new skills and hone some of my current skills.

Our Progress

Initially we were trying to design an inexpensive, entry-level keyboard. In December 2020, we had finished CADing and 3D printing an initial prototype and had started electrical component selection but we found out that a large company had started to offer a similar product at nearly half the price that we could. Since designing a keyboard for this market is not possible at the moment we have decided to pivot to a new market. The new keyboard will be more high-end and will have more features.

We are currently modifying the existing mechanical design and working on component testing for the PCB. The electrical components we will be incorporating are the CPU, RGB LEDs, LED driver for the backlight RGBs, rotary encoder, and OLED screen.

Version 2.0

Coming soon...

This section will highlight the component selection and testing process.

Version 1.1

Version 1.0