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HMX Switch - Major R&D Breakthrough and Improvements in 2026

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Hello everyone,

HMX has always been known for stability, sound performance, dryness, and high consistency. With a relentless pursuit of excellence, we are committed to developing new processes, materials, and molds. Innovation and precision have always been at the core of what we do.

As we step into 2026, we’d like to share a comprehensive update on our R&D progress over the past year, as well as the exciting new developments coming this year.

New Factory Lubrication System
The second-generation lubrication system—introduced alongside our new equipment last year—has now completed full validation and officially entered production in early March 2026. Here are the key improvements:

Stem lubrication points: Increased from 4 to 8
Bottom housing rails: Increased from 2 to 4 points for more even distribution
Spring seat (bottom housing): Increased from 2 to 3 points for improved consistency

While adding lubrication points may seem straightforward, achieving stable and highly consistent results at scale is extremely challenging. It took nearly a year of repeated testing, iteration, and redesign to ensure every single switch meets our standards.

After full optimization, the lubrication performance now closely resembles custom hand-lubed switches, delivering a more solid, focused, and full sound profile.

Key Optimization Decisions
During validation, we also made two deliberate removals to achieve the best possible experience:

Removed lubrication between the top housing and stem separation point
→ This area introduced subtle noise from lubricant separation during actuation, so it was eliminated to maintain sound purity.
Removed lubrication between the spring and stem contact area
→ Testing across extreme temperatures showed that lubricant in this area would eventually migrate into the stem pole hole, causing muted bottom-out, inconsistent feel, and degraded sound. To ensure long-term stability, this lubrication point was also removed.
Although lubricating the stem pole can significantly increase perceived smoothness, it introduces serious long-term risks. Instead of relying on lubrication for “artificial smoothness,” we focus on mold precision and consistency to deliver a truly reliable typing experience.

Dual-Material (Hybrid) Molding

Next, we’re excited to introduce the progress of our Dual-Material Series.

Beyond lubrication, material selection plays a crucial role in determining both typing feel and sound. However, due to inherent material limitations and traditional switch structures, many high-potential materials have historically been unusable in switch production.

Examples include:

Hard and brittle materials:
Difficult to mass-produce reliably—prone to broken clips, poor fit, or instability.
Soft and flexible materials:
Prone to deformation, inconsistent dimensions, and unreliable performance.
These limitations have restricted switch material innovation for years.

Our Breakthrough
After nearly a year of intensive R&D, we’ve developed a patented dual-material solution that overcomes these challenges.

First Product: Dual-Material Bottom Housing
Our first fully validated product is a dual-material bottom housing, which will be released soon.

No material compatibility risks
No structural issues
Fully production-ready

We’ve innovatively separated the bottom housing and acoustic chamber, allowing different materials to be combined through precision molding and automated assembly.

This design:

Breaks the limitations of single-material housings
Enables combinations of materials previously impossible to mold
Greatly expands customization possibilities
Brings users closer to truly personalized switch experiences
What’s Next
Other core components in the dual-material series are also progressing steadily:

Dual-material stems
Dual-material top housings
These are designed to:

Enable material interchangeability
Optimize both bottom-out feel and return sound
Deliver more refined, crisp, or balanced typing characteristics
These components are currently in final testing and optimization, with an expected release in Q3–Q4 2026.

A Note to the Community
All product details and optimizations mentioned above are based on our engineers’ professional judgment and efforts to minimize potential risks. They are shared purely to improve user experience and are not intended to criticize or target any other brands.

A Few Words from Us
We’d also like to take this opportunity to share something from the heart.

As Lei Jun often says:
“People become great because of their dreams, and grow because they persist in them.”

HMX started just like many others—without advantages, without shortcuts. Through relentless attention to detail and a refusal to compromise, we’ve gradually grown from being unknown to gaining recognition.

Above all, we want to say thank you—to every enthusiast who has supported and trusted us along the way.

We believe the world rewards those who are diligent and sincere. Every bit of persistence matters, and every passion deserves to be fulfilled.

May we all continue to grow in our own paths, stay grounded, and one day become the person we aspire to be.

Thank you.

Shop HMX Switches: https://unikeyboards.com/collections/hmx-switches

Please stay tuned as we are going to release the new designs pretty soon