Datanetics

Datanetics Corporation

File:Datanetics logo.svg
Industry	Keyboard and keyswitch manufacturer
Founded	1967
Headquarters	Fountain Valley, CA, USA

Datanetics was an American keyboard and keyswitch manufacturer. Datanetics are best known for their DC-50 series tactile switches used by early Apple computers. It appears that "Datanetics Corp" was abbreviated to "DC" and "DNC" in their quality control stamps used on completed keyboards.<ref name="Apple_1" /><ref name="1720A" />

History

Founded in 1967, the original business plan was the manufacture of CRTs for the emerging terminal market. By December 1969 they decided to focus instead on keyboard manufacture, with diaphragm-based switch technology. In 1971, with rising sales, they were chosen by Monroe to build the keyboards for the Monroe 1200, the calculator company's first electronic printing calculator.

In 1972, with only two major customers (Monroe and Computer Design Corporation), Datanetics decided to broaden their customer base with a discrete keyswitch design. This became DC-50 series, fully introduced in 1973. DC-60 series, of low-profile, lower-cost switches designed specifically for high-end calculators, was also introduced in 1972. In the same year, the diaphragm switching technology was licensed to Futaba, which might have formed the origin of Futaba complicated linear with its sealed contact assembly.

Datanetics first shipped keyboards to Apple in 1976. Somewhere around 1978, Datanetics designer and general manager Michael Muller left to form The Keyboard Company, which later became the Apple Accessory Products Division, itself later bought by Alps Electric.<ref name="TKC" />

Datanetics was bought by ITT; according to Michael Muller, this occurred around 1976 (prior to his departure),<ref name="TKC" /> but based on Meryl Miller's notes, this occurred in 1979.

In 1982, TEC Incorporated bought Datanetics from ITT.<ref name="TEC" />

Products

• Datanetics keyboards
• Datanetics switches
• Datanetics catalogues and brochures

Gallery

• 
  Sales models, 1968–1969
• 
  DC-50 series switches
• 
  DC-60 series switches
• 
  DC-50 switch assembly in the factory
• 
  Assembled DC-50 switches in the factory
• 
  Datanetics history summary 1967–1975 page 1, from Meryl Miller, one of the founders of Datanetics
• 
  Datanetics history summary 1967–1975 page 2
• 
  Datanetics's first invoice, number 101, to RCA for their first shipped keyboard, $600, issued 1967-12-14

References

<references> <ref name="TKC">The Apple 1 Project — The Keyboard Company - History</ref> <ref name="TEC">Newspapers.com — Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona · Page 23</ref> <ref name="1720A">Deskthority — Fluke 1720A Programmer Keyboard - Switches?</ref> <ref name="Apple_1">The Apple 1 Computer 1976 — Datanetics Keyboard Assembly Complete</ref> </references>