Editing Switch mount (section)

===Plate mount===

In a plate-mount keyboard, the switches are secured into a plate. Retention clips on each switch hold the switches in place. In most examples, the plate is made from sheet steel, but there are exceptions. Most [[BBC Microcomputer]] keyboards used aluminium plates, with the exception of the "Type 2" SMK keyboards, which had steel plates. Some keyboards used plastic plates, including the [[NTC KB-6251]] series and the Strong Man [[SMK-8112JU]].

Japanese websites are more likely to refer to steel plates as "iron" plates.

The steel plate is generally painted to protect against rust; the most common paint colour used is black, but white is also used in keyboards such as the [[Dell AT101]] series and [[Matias Tactile Pro]] family. [[Rosewill RK-9000]] is a commercial keyboard with a red plate; red is more commonly used in enthusiast keyboards.

<gallery widths=250 heights=187>
File:Plate-mount Alps keyboard.jpg|Steel plate-mounted [[Simplified Alps Type IV switch|Alps clone]] switches
File:BBC Micro Type 1.jpg|Aluminium plate-mount keyboard
File:PhantomPlateWithBrown.jpg|Bare [[Phantom]] plate with [[Cherry MX]] switches mounted
File:Smk-8112ju switch.jpg|Plastic plate with [[Fuhua Alps]] switches
File:NTC KB-6251EA -- plastic mounting plate.jpg|Plastic plate
</gallery>