Playstation 3 Controller Andy Barajas, Matt Boggs, Diego Martinez

We started off with a regular controller before we started taking it apart. Everything was intact

We cracked open the controller and took another picture before resuming the disassembly process

We removed the screws and case that held the controller together and removed the battery from the motherboard

We removed the small components including the screws that held the controller together and the triggers

We removed the battery to get a better view of the motherboard and shock producers.

We removed the motherboard that held the joysticks, shock producers, and battery/

We looked at the rubbers that held the buttons together, they were connected to the buttons and the case was the only thing holding them together.

We removed the motors from the battery and we noticed that they didn’t look the same because one of the metal parts were missing

We removed the hard and thin plastics that fit inside next to the motherboard that helps transmit information based on what buttons are being pressed.

We removed the joysticks to reveal the mechanism behind to show how the joysticks move in all directions and are kept upright. We also detached the motors from the battery to get a better look.

We laid out all of the components related to the controller We laid out all of the components related to the controller. We can see the smallest nail to the largest casing that was involved in making this product

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How do the parts interact? When an input is entered into the controller such as a joystick movement or a button press, the controller will give an output. For example, within a game, normally when you move a joystick, the character in game will react to the movement by also moving in the direction in which you are pointing the joystick. This is all processed by the motherboard which is powered by the battery. It also sends a Bluetooth signal which keeps the controller connected to the console. In certain instances, when an input is received, the rumbles in the controller shake, creating a shock or vibrate. The joysticks and buttons have a sensor attached to them which send the inputs and outputs to the motherboard.

Good and bad features The good features are that they have a black painted design which keep it looking clean, and it is made out of a lightweight plastic that keep the entire controller light and easy to hold. A couple of bad features could be that the controller may get uncomfortable with prolonged use because there is a lack of a place to rest the thumb. In addition to that, people have noted that the controller’s bumpers are a little too sunken in and could be extended a little more. Overall, people have said that the controller is correctly responsive, and it is overall successful in accomplishing it’s job. 

What has caused this product to succeed? The product has succeeded because of its sleek, lightweight plastic design that is sturdy and black colored in order to keep it looking clean and perfect while being used. It can be charged while in use which allows for a greater range of when it can be used. It has sleek movement that does not impair the use of the controller. It is fairly comfortable to hold for periods of time. All of these things contributed to the product succeeding the way it did.

Are the materials appropriate? They are appropriate because the plastic is lightweight and cheap to produce. It is easy to mold and therefore they can make more controllers. The black plastic design was appropriate because it keeps the controller looking clean, and the lightweight properties of the controller allow for a comfortable experience when you use it.

Manufacturing Process Robots are used to make the entire controller, with humans supervising that everything is going alright. The shell is injection molded with plastic and is pushed out onto a conveyer belt. The machines then insert components into the shell such as the buttons that are injection molded and motherboard which is soldered together by the machines. Then the joysticks and the other rubber parts that are molded are set in and screwed in to keep the parts in place. Finally the other half of the case is screwed into place by the machines and they are boxed together for shipping.

Estimated Cost Sony does not disclose the manufacturing cost of the Playstation Dualshock 3 controller, but by comparing the price of the XBOX controller, we can assume that the cost of manufacturing is around 11 dollars to make. Console controllers are sold around 60 dollars making a net gain of about 49 dollars per controller sold.