Mouse bites are lines of small non-plated holes, often about 0.5 mm across, drilled through the tabs that hold a tab-routed board in its panel. They weaken the tab along a line so it snaps cleanly when the board is broken out, leaving a scalloped edge that looks as if a mouse chewed it. Placing the holes slightly inside the board outline leaves less of a nub to file off.
Put the mouse bites a hair inside the outline, last time the nubs stopped the board sliding into the enclosure.
Also heard as
- mouse bite
- breakaway holes
Related terms
Tab routing
Routing out each board in a panel but leaving small tabs that hold it in place until it is broken out.
Panelization
Arranging several boards on one production panel so they are fabricated and assembled together.
V-score
V-shaped groove cut partway into a panel from both sides so boards snap apart along straight lines.