Just a note to let you know, there has been a breakthrough in planned obsolescence: electronic parts that dissolve on command. No reason to worry. Nobody would ever use this technology to make perfectly good machines malfunction.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140404085419.htm

 

Awesome! The trend continues...

And if destruction on command is the goal, that technology exists today too but in a more limited way.

If a microcontroller drives a FET in the SMPS of an appliance, the micro can just turn the FET on full (instead of oscillating) and blow the crap out of it. Whole PSU goes down, dead appliance on command.

 

If a microcontroller drives a FET in the SMPS of an appliance, the micro can just turn the FET on full (instead of oscillating) and blow the crap out of it. Whole PSU goes down, dead appliance on command.

Now I understand...! Mr Mostazami has been experimenting with my universal filter lately. That's why it does not work. Obviously, he did not succeed in destroying it completely.

 

Ayn Rand conceived this first.

 

"Electronics shrugged"?

 

If a microcontroller drives a FET in the SMPS of an appliance, the micro can just turn the FET on full (instead of oscillating) and blow the crap out of it. Whole PSU goes down, dead appliance on command.

That's why I installed a power switch on the outlet for my new clothes washer. If it doesn't have power or a small battery, it can't run the internal clock and count up to one year.

ps, I checked for wi-fi connectivity. It doesn't have that so it can't check the internet for the correct time and date. If it did, I would give it an aluminum foil hat like mine.

 

Hmmm aluminum hats for washers! I see a gap in the market , I wll post a link to ebay webshop when I have them in stock .
How long do you think I should make them last for before destructing?

 

Hmmm aluminum hats for washers! I see a gap in the market , I wll post a link to ebay webshop when I have them in stock .
How long do you think I should make them last for before destructing?

I think you need to market a portfolio of hats. A cheap foil hat that lasts one year, some midrange products and an extra tough sheet metal hat that lasts at least 5 years.

 

Here's the Classic self-destruct mechanism:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQV0hbK6P6c

 

That's why I installed a power switch on the outlet for my new clothes washer. If it doesn't have power or a small battery, it can't run the internal clock and count up to one year.
...

Maybe it has a hidden light sensor, and late at night it measures the phase of the moon?

 

Light of the moon?

Oh no! It's in a room with a sky light!!!

 

I worked on 5 Hilti hammer drills that were dead with flashing service light.

Call to Hilti found that they must be returned for factory service after a certain hour run time.

Return must be accompanied by cc authorization for a few hundred dollars. I don't recall the exact amount.

All were from a large distributor who sold cx new drills rather than paying the ransom.

 

You should post that in this thread;
http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/showthread.php?t=95669
where people were arguing that manufacturers don't do this kind of thing.

And "ransom" is the right word for it.

 

Yup... I ran across that when working the oft-mentioned HVAC shop, repairing industrial and consumer power tools.

Off the top of my memory, [ for all that's worth ] We had to have Hilti tools done by the factory, or some other facility, and they did not sell parts to independents...

The company I believe is located in Liechtenstein.... a quick google...

HILTI logo ... Products; Engineering; Resources; Company ... Direct Fastening;
Power Tool Consumables; Anchor Systems; Installation Systems; Firestop .... The
headquarters of the Hilti Group are in Schaan in the Principality of Liechtenstein.

 

The service timer is ostensibly, for brush replacement, to save the armature.

I have no first hand knowledge of actual charges, but just shipping both ways is inconvenient enough. And the warning was that it could be a few hundred dollars.

A normal backyard mechanic could not get the drills to run, as they need a 70vdc clutch pulled in. They picked that so 120vac would not pull it in. Nor will a 1/2 wave. And full wave will overheat.

I made a replacement circuit to fix the ones that I had to work on.

The newer drills have bldc motors and hacking might not be possible.

 

I worked on 5 Hilti hammer drills that were dead with flashing service light.

Call to Hilti found that they must be returned for factory service after a certain hour run time.

Return must be accompanied by cc authorization for a few hundred dollars. I don't recall the exact amount.

All were from a large distributor who sold cx new drills rather than paying the ransom.

100 years ago when I was a Millwright, we used several Hiltis for fastening motors and other machinery to concrete, steel, etc.

Never had one go bad, but remember one guy dropping one from about 25' in the air and smashing the housing but it still worked......somewhat.

Similar to this guy:

https://www.us.hilti.com/drilling-&-demolition/rotary-hammers/3476286

Too bad that they are not making them as solid, electrically; as the old models.

That is stated correctly as Ransom.

 

Interesting. Now I, for one, won't be buying Hilti tools.

 

Talking of dropping things, years ago my mum dropped by Gameboy advanced from the 6th floor of a car park (it was in her bag) onto the concrete below.

Aside from the case popping open by 1mm on one corner it all was fine.

I was so impressed I wrote a letter to Nintendo saying how happy I was that they built their Gameboys to high standards, a couple of weeks later I got a thank you letter from them and a bundle of Gameboy goodies.

There may be some companies out there who have terrible PR and products, but there are also those who have great products and great PR too.