Re: Designed to break?

On Tue, 29 May 2007 16:59:54 -0400, "Charles"
<charlesschuler@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Just curious about this kind of thing:
http://blog.stayfreemagazine.org/2007/04/are_consumer_pr.html

Have any of you designed things to break?

Never. In electronics design, it would actually be difficult;
electronics doesn't have predictable wearout mechanisms like
mechanical parts do.

We design our stuff to be as reliable and as rugged as we reasonably
can.


I know about MTBF, by the way and do understand basic economics. This is
different.


We sometimes calculate product MTBF using the Bellcore standards. Our
actual field-failure rate on most products is a lot better than the
calculations predict.

As far as consumer products go, if you buy the cheapest stuff, expect
it to break sooner. A $29 microwave oven can't be expected to be very
good. My GE microwave lasted 15 years; my VW threw a gear after 14. My
Tek scopes, Sony camera, Vaio laptop, home furnace, garage door
opener, are all 5-15 years old and working fine. I'm looking at an art
deco electric clock on my desk, made in the 1930's, that still keeps
perfect time.

Tektronix did one sampling plugin that used mercury batteries to
back-bias the schottky sampling diodes. They were special welded-tab
button cells, very hard to get at, and soldered into the circuit. They
are very difficult to replace, and last a few years.


John


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