Hi-Endurance Switching, Sensing
& Linear Position Sensors
& Linear Position Sensors
Since 1946, CPI has been providing thermal and waterproof switches to the military & law enforcement industries from tanks to armored personnel carriers to shotgun forend light switches. We have over 100 National Stock Numbers (NSN), QPL, USATAC and MS items in our catalog.
View our Switches and Military Vehicle Programs sheet (5MB PDF) showing some of our past and present military vehicle applications.
With numerous options available, it’s easy to adapt our commercial products for military applications by simple addition of MIL-compliant components or alterations.
The list below is just a sample of the dozens of applications for which our switches are used.
Whether for flight or for ground programs, we offer a variety of products that have been qualified to the demanding requirements of the aerospace and military industries.
CPI has supplied reliable thermal switching solutions to various major aircraft manufacturers worldwide for applications in ECS.
APUs, compressors, galley equipment, and many more. Our most common aerospace designs have been qualified per RTCA DO-160C and MIL-STD-810.
Due to their compact size and low profile, our Waterproof Momentary Switches are a popular choice for push-to-talk (PTT), laser sighting, and field night vision applications. These same switches, mounted in our robust bracket & actuator designs, have provided solutions for tank turrets (M1 Abrams), engine kickdown (HMMWV), and various limit switch applications for the HMET programs. Our most demanding application yet, cab position indication for the LTAS chassis, employs our J4 Plunger Switch, capable of withstanding high vibration. These units still function with the plunger encased in hardened sand and/or ice.
Built for the harshest defense environments, the RTD TS1000 delivers precision temperature monitoring where reliability matters most. Engineered for aerospace and military applications, this rugged sensor is designed to withstand extreme vibration, thermal cycling, dust, and moisture while maintaining highly accurate performance.
From engine bay and propulsion monitoring to avionics cooling circuits, military vehicle power systems, and weapon platform thermal management, the RTD TS1000 helps mission-critical systems operate safely and efficiently in the field.
With customizable configurations and a rugged stainless-steel probe design, CPI continues to provide sensing solutions trusted across next-generation defense systems and weapons platforms.
Back around 1945, our first thermal switches were actually produced for the US military. We’ve come a long way since then, but the standalone reliability of our products has remained our “raison d’etre.”
Please call our engineering team today and we can guide you to the final solution to your switching or sensing challenge.
CPI J4 series Plunger Switches are as tough as they come, seeing field use in some of the toughest operational environments in the world.
CPI’s newest innovation brings precision sensing and rugged switching together in a single, mission-ready assembly engineered for the toughest aerospace and defense environments. By embedding a platinum RTD directly into our proven stainless-steel probe architecture, this design delivers high-accuracy temperature measurement from -40°C to 150°C (-40°F to 302°F) while maintaining the reliability CPI is known for.
This switch combines our E1117 stainless steel roller lever actuator, with our B9113 SPDT low-pushbutton waterproof switch. Designed for high durability and outdoor use, this commonly used limit switch configuration boasts an extended temperature range (-40F to 221F) coupled with extreme environmental durability and long cycle life. This version is with angle bracket mounting but other options are available.
CPI’s J4 Ball switches are used around the world for detection applications in harsh, wet, outdoor environments when field failures are not an option. Tested for electromagnetic endurance over 1 million cycles, the stainless steel J4 ball switch represents precision manufacturing along with a patented double seal design that makes the switch very hard to kill.
