Connectors (was: NEXT Color Printer find

From: CLeyson_at_aol.com <(CLeyson_at_aol.com)>
Date: Mon Dec 31 19:14:52 2001

In a message dated 31/12/01 Tony Duell writes

>> Most of the engineers I work with have never heard of Amphenol or Cannon,

>Then I would suggest you're working with engineers who are not
> particularly knowledgable about practical electronics. If they're (say)
> mechanical engineers or civil engineers, then no problem. If they claim
> to tbe electronic engineers I'd probably dispute that claim.

I agree, last year they couldn't even build a set of LED Christmas tree lights
without blowing them up, never heard of constant current drive !!! I'm not
talking
about graduates straight out of college but people who've been in industry
for a
few years. In the engineering department I work in there is only ONE other
true
practical engineer who lays out his own PCBs, is keen to learn about new and
emerging technologies etc. He is, like myself, mostly self taught, and has a
passion for this stuff - a rare breed these days. But there we are - pay
peanuts
and get monkies.

> Far too many courses (in all aspects of science and engineering) miss out
> the simple practical stuff. Without which the complicated stuff is
essentially
> useless..

Agreed, I believe any so called engineer should have a practical "hands on"
experience in both hardware and software, after all if they don't understand
the
basics they are of little use.

>> On the subject of D-sub connectors I've sometimes come across some with
>> metric threaded jackscrews instead of the usual UNF thread, or is it UNC ?
> I thought it was 4-40 UNC....

Thanks Tony, wasn't sure of the thread.

> FWIW, the stnadard for HPIB jackscrews is M3.5 (metric). I've had to make
> such parts on occasions. One HP manual I was reading recently said that
> the instrument used metric screws on the connectors, and that a
> conversion kit (presumably consisting of 2 jackscrews) was available for
> converting older HPIB cables. So I assume that the original HPIB used UNC
> jackscrews (probably 6-32).

One day I will have to do a search for the original IEEE-488 standard just to
see what they specify. I suspect that jackscrew threads are not part of the
standard.

Chris
Received on Mon Dec 31 2001 - 19:14:52 GMT