The also eliminate through many through holes in the PCB which makes them less expensive to manufacture.SMD has been around since about the 70s - I remember flatpack ICs on boards with square holes punched to accomodate the IC packages.
The main motivation was reduce size in computers with many stacks of boards, and probably the space program.
Now that, is scary ... ... the auto industry is looking for new and original ways to squeeze people's last penny
On the radio station I listen to, nearly half the adverts are for leased cars.I think there is a relatively clear line between, for example, major medical equipment and the owned family car. The former has evolved into a largely leased arrangement. The manufacturer maintains ownership, and the user pays lease and usage-based fees that include service. If you lease a car, maybe the same principle applies. But if you own a car, that is a different story. There are plenty of honest repair shops, but the refusal by auto manufacturers to allow access to all diagnostic codes and parts at a fair market price is anti-competitive.
Since medical supplies have been mentioned, let me give an anecdote from many years ago. In the early 1970's, a well known diagnostics company was pre-eminent in making instruments for doing hematocrits, hemoglobins, and basic blood counts. It sold the instruments, but then wanted to retain its hold on the reagent market. First it said that using reagents (e.g, saline) from other vendors voided all warranties, and it would not service the instruments. That approach did not do well in the courts. Then it tried changing the shape of its reagent packs and the instrument reagent compartments so only its packs would fit. Of course, it tried to copyright/patent the pack design. That approach didn't sit well with the courts either. That has been one of the major driving forces in medical instrumentation moving to leased arrangements.
I fail to see why the diagnostics company was subject to anti-competitive litigation, while the auto manufacturers seem to get by Scott free for cars they sell (i.e, doesn't retain ownership). Could it be the auto manufacturers have higher paid lobbyists?
John
In the 1990's I was given a tune up add on off a Ford to try and crack.
It was potted so the first job was to dissolve the potting.
Inside was a ULA and an EPROM.
It turned out the ULA was just a couple of counters for reading the EPROM with increment address signal.
.
I'm sure there are some very bright people in prison. However, the major population of prisoners must not be very bright if they have to resort to a life of crime to support themselves. Besides, I don't think I'd have a whole lot of faith in something that was repaired in a prison. What motivation would they have to do a "Good" job?otherwise-idle people (prisoners, for instance
My back yard neighbor is the owner of his father's auto repair business. I hired him to replace a fuel pump. When he got done, he cut the catalytic converter open to look inside it and failed to weld it back shut with his coat hanger welding skills.My 'theory' is what i call the "Grandfather-Father-Son" business degrading ethics evolution.
Are you sure he wasn't after the platinum?When he got done, he cut the catalytic converter open to look inside it and failed to weld it back shut with his coat hanger welding skills.
I think he's too stupid for that, but it doesn't matter to me. State Inspections stopped a long time ago. That car died a long time ago.Are you sure he wasn't after the platinum?
I'm with Max. I bet he stole your platinum knowing that you would not likely ever find out by failing an inspection. Even stupid people understand getting something by stealing it.I think he's too stupid for that, but it doesn't matter to me. State Inspections stopped a long time ago. That car died a long time ago.
His reputation lives on.
There is wrong understanding here.I've often thought a lot of value could be generated by having otherwise-idle people (prisoners, for instance, but also the chronically unemployed) learn to fix the stuff that's on its way to the dump for lack of a simple fix. It's a fact of life that a lot of "good stuff" will be thrown out by people too busy, rich or stupid to make those simple fixes. But it's also a fact that one man's trash is another's treasure.
The internet and sites like E-Bay and Craigslist have gone a long way to repurpose used junk. I think much more could be done at the local level. Put the idle to work. Give them useful training, a sense of purpose, and a share of the profits. It would start with a team that goes around in front of the trash trucks, to grab potential projects before the scrappers get there.
My how times change.
While I don't know about bikes vs. racing bikes, I DO know there are after market kits you can buy and install on your - oh, lets look at diesel pickup trucks. When you see a truck (Dodge, Ford, Chevy - or any other diesel) belching black smoke out of the exhaust chances are good they've installed a "Tuner" (actually a DE-tuner) to gain more power. They dump more fuel through the system creating more power. The EXACT nature of how they work - I don't know. I DO know that the black smoke is unburnt fuel. And yes, they DO make more power, and spew more particulates into the air. Aside from the "Bike" example, yes, they DO make de-tuners that allow you to dial up the power at the cost of the environment. I wish they had legislation against such in my state (Utah), but it appears that IF they have it they don't enforce it.The street legal version has more emissions friendly settings to meet EPA requirements. Here's the catch. The bike manufactures sell tools that allow the end user to adjust the fuel and timing maps inside the ECU. These work fine on the off-road-only bikes, but the street legal bikes have "locked" ECU's where the end user cannot make adjustments. This is to guarantee that the bikes continue to meet EPA emissions requirements.
The "G-father, Father, Son" example is best pointed out in Disney Land. I remember going there while Walt Disney was owner / operator of the park. It was a fun place to go, a bit expensive, but nothing like it is today. And the prices have skyrocketed. OK, over time the costs DO go up, but it appears the prices have outpaced inflation greatly.The Grandfather starts the business, and wants people to get quality for the price they pay. The Grandfather gets old, the Father takes over. The Father has less basic values than the Grandfather did, so the business ethics degrade. The Father then gets old, the Son takes over. The Son has exponentially decreasing values than the Father, so the business ethics degrade once again.
Viewing this process directly from the Grandfather to the Son, we see a marked decrease in the business ethics and quality, and of course always a price increase.
So as time goes on, we always get less for more money.
by Jake Hertz
by Duane Benson
by Jake Hertz