November 15, 2023

MinebeaMitsumi's ultra-high performance ball bearings,
Notice of adoption for trackballs to be sold by Elecom Co., Ltd. from mid-November 2023

We are pleased to announce that ball bearings from MinebeaMitsumi Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Nagano Prefecture, Chairman and CEO Yoshihisa Kainuma, hereafter MinebeaMitsumi) will be adopted for the high-end trackball mouse “IST” (released from mid-November 2023) of Elecom Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Osaka Prefecture, President and CEO: Yukio Shibata, hereafter Elecom).

Elecom “IST” radio model

Elecom “IST” wired model

Recently, in the trackball mouse market, products that use an alumina ceramic or artificial ruby ball as a support ball for the trackball support have become mainstream, mainly in terms of cost. However, although all materials such as ceramics are materials with a low coefficient of friction, there is an issue where dust and debris tend to accumulate on the support part when the support ball rubs against the surface of the trackball, the rotation of the ball slows down, and the trackball's sliding comfort deteriorates during precise work. Also, pursuing the sliding comfort of the moving part of a small product called a mouse was difficult in terms of design, such as the need to devise a method for fixing the support ball in the limited space inside the mouse.

Therefore, based on user questionnaires, Elecom focused on the essential part of how slippery a trackball is, and as a result of repeated experiments and prototyping, MinebeaMitsumi's ball bearings received high praise for their high accuracy and small size, and their good operability and ease of operation, and now they have been adopted in new trackball mouse products.
Since the ball bearing rotates in accordance with the rotation of the trackball, the ball follows the movement of the fingers without requiring extra force from the beginning of sliding, achieving smooth maneuvering and high operability, and it is possible to perform even delicate work smoothly. Also, when a ball bearing is used on the support part, the surface of the trackball is not rubbed, so there is no scraping, and it is difficult for dust etc. to adhere to the support part, so the frequency of maintenance can also be minimized.

Based on the management philosophy of “contributing to the realization of a sustainable, earth-friendly, and prosperous society by making better products faster, more, cheaper, and smarter,” MinebeaMitsumi will endeavor to develop, manufacture, and sell products that can help realize a prosperous society by responding to a wide range of needs from customers in various industries, such as high-precision and ultra-precision bearings.

ELECOM CO., LTD. Comment

As a result of pursuing the sliding comfort of a ball, which is the essence of a trackball, we arrived at the origin of trackballs called bearing support. In order to achieve interchangeable support units and smooth sliding, which are features of this product, we have come to adopt small, high-performance bearings made by MinebeaMitsumi. Please experience the “feeling of flying in the air” made by MinebeaMitsumi's bearings.

Trackball Mouse “IST” Overview

Replacement bearing unit that uses MinebeaMitsumi ball bearings

Bearing unit replacement image using a removal tool

Replaceable support unit (replacement bearing unit)

Product Overview List

※For details, see Elecom'spress releasePlease check it out.

Overview of replacement parts

Ball Bearings Overview

About Elecom Co., Ltd.

Elecom Co., Ltd. develops, manufactures, and sells products related to IT peripherals. In recent years, we have expanded not only into digital fields such as personal computers and smartphones, but also into various fields such as healthcare, medicine, broadcasting, and social infrastructure, delivering unprecedented comfort and convenience to “lifestyle” and “society.” We provide new products and business solutions that serve as a “bridge” between innovation brought about by new technology and users.

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About MinebeaMitsumi

MinebeaMitsumi has the world's No. 1 market share^*Compatible (Sogo) handles various mechanical and electronic parts such as motors, sensors, semiconductors, etc., with a focus on core technology representing ultra-precision processing technology, such as miniature small-diameter ball bearings (bearings) that make machines rotate smoothly, and protection ICs for 1-direct lithium-ion batteries, etc.^**We are a precision parts manufacturer. Our ultra-precision technology is used in a wide range of fields, such as home appliances such as air conditioners, vacuum cleaners, dryers, game consoles, etc., information devices such as smartphones and computers, automobile/aerospace/space products, and medical devices, etc., to support everyone's lives in invisible places.

* MinebeaMitsumi research

• ** Compatibility: It means “matching,” not “integration,” and it means evolving “core products” by fusing and utilizing technologies owned by the company, and creating new products in various fields by further matching those evolved products.

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