So, I actually may be able to use my college's injection molding machinery for only cost of materials. I should be able to use it for prototypes, and if I end up with something functional, I'll look into buying a machine myself. As Melvang mentioned, molds are going to be the difficult part. I'm looking around for an ME on campus that would be able to make some, or teach me how to make some out of aluminum. I can design one easy enough, but damned if I know how to use an industrial cnc machine. Plus I'm sure there a lot of peculiar behaviours different materials exhibit in the manufacturing process like distortion due to heat and such, that I am unfamiliar with. In any case, I can do some prototype prototypes via 3d printer, then put several designs in a single mold, and see if it yields a good result. I may be jumping the gun here, but my hopes are to be able to produce completely clear switches, or a spot for 5mm leds for backlighting purposes, have cherry mx and alps compatability (in different models of course), and match as close as possible the force curve of traditional buckling springs. Trying to match the sound would probably be a wasted effort. I'll definitely start with functionality though haha
Sidenote: If this seems feasable, I'm totally producing alps keycaps too, cuz they just don't exist anymore, and theres no telling when matias is going to start producing them.