{
 "version": "2026-10-20",
 "license": "Dimension sheets: CC BY 4.0. Standard and published-size files: CC BY 4.0. Xem Studio's own designs (files_license = Xem Studio Design License): free to use and sell things from, not to redistribute as files — https://xemstudio.com/license/. Other publishers' files: their own license, linked beside them.",
 "slug": "cherry-mx-switch-plate-cutout-and-pcb-footprint",
 "name": "Cherry MX switch: plate cutout and PCB footprint",
 "kind": "standard",
 "category": "Electronics",
 "group": "Keyboard switches & stabilizers",
 "year": null,
 "question": "What size is the Cherry MX plate cutout and where are the PCB holes?",
 "tags": [
  "keyboard",
  "mechanical keyboard",
  "cherry mx",
  "switch",
  "plate",
  "pcb",
  "footprint",
  "macro pad"
 ],
 "aliases": [
  "cherry mx plate cutout",
  "mx switch cutout 14mm",
  "cherry mx footprint",
  "mx switch pcb holes",
  "mechanical keyboard plate dimensions",
  "keyboard plate thickness",
  "cherry mx hole spacing",
  "gateron cutout",
  "mx switch dimensions",
  "macropad plate",
  "1u key size 19.05"
 ],
 "overall_mm": {
  "length": 19.05,
  "width": 19.05,
  "height": null
 },
 "official_cad": false,
 "xem_status": "free-files",
 "les": false,
 "free_files": 2,
 "url": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/cherry-mx-switch-plate-cutout-and-pcb-footprint/",
 "sheet_txt": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/cherry-mx-switch-plate-cutout-and-pcb-footprint/sheet.txt",
 "sheet": {
  "basis": "Cherry MX datasheet (plate, PCB, spacing; via ai03 wiki) and the KiCad SW_Cherry_MX_1.00u_PCB footprint (hole positions)",
  "overall_mm": {
   "length": 19.05,
   "width": 19.05,
   "height": null
  },
  "notes": [
   "The Cherry MX interface that MX-style switches share (Cherry, Gateron, Kailh BOX/Pro, Akko and other MX clones): the switch clips into a 14 × 14 mm square hole in a 1.5 mm plate and its pins go through the PCB 5 mm below the plate top.",
   "Hole coordinates are seen from the keycap side with the origin on the stem axis, x to the right and y towards the two contact pins (the LED window is on the opposite side). The centre post and the two fixing pegs line up on y = 0; the pegs exist only on PCB-mount (5-pin) switches, so a 3-pin plate-mount switch needs only the Ø4.0 and the two Ø1.5 holes.",
   "Switches sit on a 19.05 mm (0.75 in) grid: a key n units wide puts its switch at the centre of an n × 19.05 mm space, so the switch centres of a row are 19.05 mm apart; key widths are in the table (n × 19.05).",
   "The clips are made for the 1.5 ± 0.1 mm plate: for a thicker 3D-printed plate keep 1.5 mm at the cutout (a ledge) and thicken around it. Cutout and holes are drawn at true size: add your printer's hole allowance."
  ],
  "table": {
   "columns": [
    "parameter",
    "value"
   ],
   "rows": [
    [
     "plate cutout",
     "14 × 14 mm"
    ],
    [
     "plate thickness",
     "1.5 ± 0.1 mm"
    ],
    [
     "PCB thickness",
     "1.6 mm"
    ],
    [
     "plate top to PCB top",
     "5.0 mm"
    ],
    [
     "key pitch (1u)",
     "19.05 mm (0.75 in)"
    ],
    [
     "centre post (x, y)",
     "Ø4 at (+0.00, +0.00) mm"
    ],
    [
     "fixing peg (PCB-mount switches) (x, y)",
     "Ø1.7 at (-5.08, +0.00) mm"
    ],
    [
     "fixing peg (PCB-mount switches) (x, y)",
     "Ø1.7 at (+5.08, +0.00) mm"
    ],
    [
     "contact pin 1 (x, y)",
     "Ø1.5 at (+2.54, +5.08) mm"
    ],
    [
     "contact pin 2 (x, y)",
     "Ø1.5 at (-3.81, +2.54) mm"
    ],
    [
     "key width 1.25u",
     "23.81 mm"
    ],
    [
     "key width 1.5u",
     "28.58 mm"
    ],
    [
     "key width 1.75u",
     "33.34 mm"
    ],
    [
     "key width 2u",
     "38.10 mm"
    ],
    [
     "key width 2.25u",
     "42.86 mm"
    ],
    [
     "key width 2.75u",
     "52.39 mm"
    ],
    [
     "key width 6.25u",
     "119.06 mm"
    ],
    [
     "key width 7u",
     "133.35 mm"
    ]
   ]
  }
 },
 "sheet_text": "Cherry MX switch: plate cutout and PCB footprint — dimension sheet\nSource: Xem Studio, https://xemstudio.com/objects/cherry-mx-switch-plate-cutout-and-pcb-footprint/  (sheet CC BY 4.0)\nBasis: Cherry MX datasheet (plate, PCB, spacing; via ai03 wiki) and the KiCad SW_Cherry_MX_1.00u_PCB footprint (hole positions)\nCatalog version: 2026-10-20\n\nOverall (mm): length 19.05, width 19.05\n- The Cherry MX interface that MX-style switches share (Cherry, Gateron, Kailh BOX/Pro, Akko and other MX clones): the switch clips into a 14 × 14 mm square hole in a 1.5 mm plate and its pins go through the PCB 5 mm below the plate top.\n- Hole coordinates are seen from the keycap side with the origin on the stem axis, x to the right and y towards the two contact pins (the LED window is on the opposite side). The centre post and the two fixing pegs line up on y = 0; the pegs exist only on PCB-mount (5-pin) switches, so a 3-pin plate-mount switch needs only the Ø4.0 and the two Ø1.5 holes.\n- Switches sit on a 19.05 mm (0.75 in) grid: a key n units wide puts its switch at the centre of an n × 19.05 mm space, so the switch centres of a row are 19.05 mm apart; key widths are in the table (n × 19.05).\n- The clips are made for the 1.5 ± 0.1 mm plate: for a thicker 3D-printed plate keep 1.5 mm at the cutout (a ledge) and thicken around it. Cutout and holes are drawn at true size: add your printer's hole allowance.\n\nparameter  value\nplate cutout  14 × 14 mm\nplate thickness  1.5 ± 0.1 mm\nPCB thickness  1.6 mm\nplate top to PCB top  5.0 mm\nkey pitch (1u)  19.05 mm (0.75 in)\ncentre post (x, y)  Ø4 at (+0.00, +0.00) mm\nfixing peg (PCB-mount switches) (x, y)  Ø1.7 at (-5.08, +0.00) mm\nfixing peg (PCB-mount switches) (x, y)  Ø1.7 at (+5.08, +0.00) mm\ncontact pin 1 (x, y)  Ø1.5 at (+2.54, +5.08) mm\ncontact pin 2 (x, y)  Ø1.5 at (-3.81, +2.54) mm\nkey width 1.25u  23.81 mm\nkey width 1.5u  28.58 mm\nkey width 1.75u  33.34 mm\nkey width 2u  38.10 mm\nkey width 2.25u  42.86 mm\nkey width 2.75u  52.39 mm\nkey width 6.25u  119.06 mm\nkey width 7u  133.35 mm\n\nFiles elsewhere (not hosted by Xem Studio; license as stated by the publisher):\n- ai03 keyboard design wiki: Switch dimensions and physical specifications (Cherry MX datasheet values) — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://wiki.ai03.com/books/case-and-plate-design/page/switch-dimensions-and-physical-specifications\n- KiCad: kicad-footprints: Button_Switch_Keyboard.pretty (SW_Cherry_MX_1.00u/2.00u/2.25u/2.75u/6.25u_PCB), citing Cherry's MX catalogue — web — CC BY-SA 4.0 with KiCad exception (footprints) — https://github.com/KiCad/kicad-footprints/tree/master/Button_Switch_Keyboard.pretty\n\nFree files (CC BY 4.0, Xem Studio; STEP + STL, 2 parts): https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/cherry-mx-switch-plate-cutout-and-pcb-footprint/index.json\nAPI: https://xemstudio.com/api/geometry?object=cherry-mx-switch-plate-cutout-and-pcb-footprint\n",
 "sources": [
  {
   "publisher": "ai03 keyboard design wiki",
   "title": "Switch dimensions and physical specifications (Cherry MX datasheet values)",
   "url": "https://wiki.ai03.com/books/case-and-plate-design/page/switch-dimensions-and-physical-specifications",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "Publisher's page; dimensions are facts",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  },
  {
   "publisher": "KiCad",
   "title": "kicad-footprints: Button_Switch_Keyboard.pretty (SW_Cherry_MX_1.00u/2.00u/2.25u/2.75u/6.25u_PCB), citing Cherry's MX catalogue",
   "url": "https://github.com/KiCad/kicad-footprints/tree/master/Button_Switch_Keyboard.pretty",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "CC BY-SA 4.0 with KiCad exception (footprints)",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  }
 ],
 "xem": {
  "status": "free-files",
  "sheet_free": true,
  "mesh_price_usd": null,
  "step_price_usd": null,
  "tolerance_mm": null
 },
 "related": [
  "cherry-mx-pcb-mount-stabilizers",
  "panel-cutouts",
  "tactile-switches",
  "keychron-q1-max",
  "logitech-mx-mechanical"
 ],
 "fits": [],
 "dimensions": "exact (nominal, no printing tolerance)",
 "dimension_rule": "All geometry on Xem Studio is exact (nominal, true size) with no printing tolerance. Where a part meets another part, the object lists its mating features (feature, exact size, what it mates with, fit class: press, slide, run, socket, clamp or designed). Apply your process's allowance to those features only; 'designed' gaps are part of the design and stay as drawn.",
 "mating": [],
 "faq": [
  {
   "q": "What size hole does a Cherry MX switch need?",
   "a": "A 14.0 × 14.0 mm square in a 1.5 mm (± 0.1) plate; the switch clips latch under the plate."
  },
  {
   "q": "How far apart are keyboard switches?",
   "a": "19.05 mm (0.75 in) centre to centre for 1u keys; wider keys keep their switch at the centre of n × 19.05 mm."
  },
  {
   "q": "What PCB holes does a 5-pin MX switch need?",
   "a": "Ø4.0 centre, two Ø1.7 pegs at ±5.08 mm on the centre line, and two Ø1.5 contact pins at (+2.54, +5.08) and (−3.81, +2.54) mm, seen from the keycap side."
  }
 ],
 "files_license": null,
 "offers": [
  {
   "file": "mx-plate-1u",
   "formats": [
    "step",
    "stl"
   ],
   "price_usd": 0,
   "license": "CC BY 4.0 (Xem Studio)",
   "step": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/cherry-mx-switch-plate-cutout-and-pcb-footprint/mx-plate-1u.step",
   "stl": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/cherry-mx-switch-plate-cutout-and-pcb-footprint/mx-plate-1u.stl",
   "note": "1u plate square 19.05 × 19.05 × 1.5 with the 14 × 14 mm switch cutout, true size (square corners as drawn by Cherry)"
  },
  {
   "file": "mx-pcb-footprint-1u",
   "formats": [
    "step",
    "stl"
   ],
   "price_usd": 0,
   "license": "CC BY 4.0 (Xem Studio)",
   "step": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/cherry-mx-switch-plate-cutout-and-pcb-footprint/mx-pcb-footprint-1u.step",
   "stl": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/cherry-mx-switch-plate-cutout-and-pcb-footprint/mx-pcb-footprint-1u.stl",
   "note": "1u PCB hole pattern as a 1.6 mm drill jig: Ø4.0 centre post, 2 × Ø1.7 fixing pegs, 2 × Ø1.5 contact pins at true positions"
  }
 ],
 "markdown": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/cherry-mx-switch-plate-cutout-and-pcb-footprint/index.md"
}