Wireless Mouse Teardown

Product name: JLCPCB Wireless Bluetooth Mouse

Teardown process

Part teardown

1. Anti-slip mouse skates

Material: Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)/Teflon plastic
Function: Allows the mouse to glide smoothly with minimal friction on surfaces, keeps the mouse elevated from the surface.
Manufacturing techniques: High-precision die-cutting, CNC milling or solid machining.

2. Manufacturing sticker

Material: BOPP (Biaxially-Oriented Polypropylene) plastic
Function: To help provide key information about the product.
Manufacturing techniques: Heating and stretching molten polypropylene in two directions, followed by a surface flame treatment. Text printed using methods like flexography or rotogravure, adhesive application and cutting material into rolls.

3. Anti-slip mouse skates

Material: Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)/Teflon plastic
Function: Allows the mouse to glide smoothly on surfaces, keeps the mouse elevated from the surface, and minimizes friction created between the surfaces.
Manufacturing techniques: High-precision die-cutting, CNC milling or solid machining.

4. Mouse shell top

Material: ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) plastic
Function: Provides protection, ergonomics, and structural support for the internal components.
Manufacturing techniques: Injection molding. The logo is then printed on shell using methods of pad printing or UV printing.

5. USB-C adapter port

Material: Nickel coated shell, Polyamide plastic housing
Function: Allows for charging the internal battery or connecting the mouse via a USB-C receiver/dongle.
Manufacturing techniques: Stamping and plating of shell, injection molding of the plastic housing.

6. USB-A receiver housing shell

Material: ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) plastic
Function: Helps connect the mouse to the computer by converting radio frequency signals into signals that can be understood by the computer.
Manufacturing techniques: Injection molding.

7. USB-A receiver housing cap

Material: ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) plastic
Function: Helps enclose the components of the receiver within the housing.
Manufacturing techniques: Injection molding.

8. USB-A receiver EMI/EMF shielding

Material: Aluminum
Function: Prevents external interference from entering and prevents internal noise from escaping.
Manufacturing techniques: Stamping of metal sheet.

9. USB-A System on a Chip (SoC)

Material: Silicon, aluminum and copper
Function: Creating a single integrated circuit to help transmit and receive data that allows the mouse to function.
Manufacturing techniques: Wafer production, photolithography, etching, ion implantation, deposition, planarization, and metallization.

10. Mouse shell middle

Material: ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)
Function: Provides structural support and housing for the internal components.
Manufacturing techniques: Injection molding.

11. Mouse shell bottom

Material: ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)
Function: Provides structural support and housing for the internal components.
Manufacturing techniques: Injection molding.

12. Battery coil negative terminal

Material: Nickel-coated music wire/Stainless steel
Function: Aid the electrical connection of the mouse, while providing mechanical support to the battery.
Manufacturing techniques: Coiling, heat treatment, grinding, finishing and plating.

13. Battery coil positive terminal

Material: Nickel-coated music wire/Stainless steel
Function: Aid the electrical connection of the mouse, while providing mechanical support to the battery.
Manufacturing techniques: Coiling, heat treatment, grinding, finishing and plating.

14. Printed Circuit Board (PCB)

Material: Fiberglass (FR-4), Copper
Function: Translates user movements and clicks into digital signals that can be understood by the computer.
Manufacturing techniques: Software design, substrate preparation, fabrication and etching.

15. Micro switch Type A

Material: Polycarbonate (PC), Polyphenylene Terephthalate (PBT), or nylon for the housing, Metal contacts
Function: Provide tactile feedback, ensure responsiveness and functionality of the mouse.
Manufacturing techniques: Injection molding, stamping, shaping, forming.

16. Micro switch Type B

Material: Polycarbonate (PC)/Polyphenylene Terephthalate (PBT)
Function: Provide tactile feedback, ensure responsiveness and functionality of the mouse.
Manufacturing techniques: Injection molding.

17. Micro switch Type C

Material: Polycarbonate (PC)/Polyphenylene Terephthalate (PBT)
Function: Provide tactile feedback, ensure responsiveness and functionality of the mouse.
Manufacturing techniques: Injection molding.

18. Optical mouse sensor

Material: A tiny camera (CMOS sensor), semiconductor substrate, plastics, and various metals
Function: Illuminates the surface beneath the mouse, capturing a series of images of the surface’s texture with a tiny camera sensor.
Manufacturing techniques: Semiconductor fabrication techniques.

19. LED Light

Material: Aluminium gallium indium phosphide alloys and indium gallium nitride alloys
Function: Detect the changes beneath the mouse, and to track the movement of the cursor.
Manufacturing techniques: Semiconductor wafer creation, chip formation, etching and coating.

20. Toggle switch housing

Material: ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)
Function: Houses the actuator that helps control the mouse circuit.
Manufacturing techniques: Injection molding.

21. Toggle switch actuator

Material: ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)
Function: Allows the mouse to manually be switched on and off.
Manufacturing techniques: Injection molding.

22. M1.6 screw

Material: Carbon steel/Stainless steel/Alloy steel
Function: Holds the bottom mouse shell and middle mouse shell together.
Manufacturing techniques: Straightening, cold heading and thread rolling.

23. F-Switch component encasing

Material: Aluminum
Function: Helps complete the circuit of the mouse.
Manufacturing techniques: Die-cutting, stamping.

24. F-Switch component housing

Material: ABS/Other polymer blends
Function: Houses the internal components of the F-Switch to complete the circuit.
Manufacturing techniques: Injection molding.

25. F-Switch component contact

Material: Gold/silver-plated metal
Function: Prevent oxidation and ensure good electrical conduction.
Manufacturing techniques: Die-cutting, stamping.

26. F-Switch component core

Material: ABS/Other polymer blends
Function: Mechanical scroll wheel encoder.
Manufacturing techniques: Injection molding.

27. Scroll wheel

Material: ABS/Polycarbonate
Function: Aids the functionality of the mouse.
Manufacturing techniques: Injection molding or insert molding.

28. AA Battery

Material: Zinc and manganese dioxide mixture, with a potassium hydroxide electrolyte, enclosed in a steel casing
Function: Power source for the mouse.
Manufacturing techniques: Assembling an outer steel can, which serves as the positive cathode, and filling it with the cell’s internal components in a highly automated process.

29. Tool used – Small Phillips Head Screwdriver

30. Tool used – Small Flat Head Screwdriver

31. Tool used – Tweezers

Teardown Process

Notable design elements

• The USB-A receiver housing was quite interesting to me as the slotting mechanism at the bottom of the housing not only made it easy to disassemble the part, but also must’ve eased assembly of the receiver. The sleekness of the cap was ergonomically great to open the piece using just an index finger and thumb. Lastly, the ridges on the bottom of the housing acted as a good grip as well for easy removal from the USB port.
• The overall transparency of the mouse shells evoked a lot of curiosity for me personally, since I was able to see all the components at once. The composition that all the parts created together also gave me a sense of engagement with the product. Lastly, the transparency of the mouse shells also helped see the internal working of the mouse.