The Candy Switch series is comprised of five major components: an input shaft, a rotating cam, a switching mechanism, a dwell control assembly and a timing control assembly. The only components which change depending on the model of Candy Switch (electro-mechanical or solid-state) are the cam and the switching mechanism.

To actuate the switch, the input shaft must be coupled, in some manner, to a rotating member of the parent machine. The Candy Switch is a 1:1 unit, meaning that one full revolution of the input shaft represents one full cycle of the dwell and timing set points. If one revolution of the input shaft does not match the machine cycle, a ratio must be added between the parent machine and the Candy Switch, bringing these relationships back to a 1:1 ratio.

Rotating the input shaft causes the cam to rotate via a parallel-shaft and helical gear arrangement. In electro-mechanical Candy Switches, the cam has a physical, uniformly increasing rise which rotates over a snap action type switch or air valve. When the nylon roller of the switch hits the rise, the circuit "trips on" until the cam rotates and the nylon roller falls off the rise, thus turning the circuit "off".

Solid-state Candy Switches employ a solid cam wrapped with a two-tone reflective material. The solid-state cam rotates above a photo sensor which is part of the solid-state switching mechanism.

The switching mechanism activates both the dwell and the timing by opening or closing a circuit based on the cam location. This mechanism also serves as the terminal block for incoming and outgoing signals or voltages. Electro-mechanical switches typically incorporate a snap action type micro switch or a two or three way air valve. Solid-state switching mechanisms are typically photo sensor based boards which pick up a reflective pattern off a printed cam.

The unique internal design of the Candy Switch permits on-the-fly control of both circuit dwell and timing. The dwell control assembly increases or decreases the dwell by moving the cam back and forth over the switching mechanism. Circuit timing is achieved by rotating the cam on its axis over the switching mechanism. Both adjustments are actuated by the respective control knobs on the front face of the Candy Switch.

Most models provide a full 360° range for both timing and dwell. The values for these setpoints may be monitored from the reference scale on top of the Candy Switch.