A: “PCB Mouse bites” on a printed circuit board refer to small perforations or cuts made along the edges of the PCB to facilitate the separation of individual PCBs from a larger panel during manufacturing. These perforations create small tabs or bridges of material that hold the PCBs together until they are ready to be broken apart.

Example: NOT PCB Mouse Bites!

PCB Mouse Bites are essentially small notches or breaks in the printed circuit board edge, and they are typically created using a CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machine or a specialized PCB routing machine during the PCB fabrication process. The name “mouse bites” may come from the appearance of the notches, which can resemble minor bite marks.

The purpose of mouse bites is to make it easier to separate individual PCBs once they have been assembled and soldered. After assembly, the manufacturer can use manual or automated methods to snap or break the tabs, allowing the individual PCBs to be removed from the panel without causing damage to the components or traces on the PCB.

Mouse bites are common in PCB manufacturing, mainly when multiple PCBs are fabricated on a single panel to improve manufacturing efficiency. They are a convenient and reliable way to ensure that PCBs can be separated cleanly and without causing any damage to the circuits.