You Owe Your PC to a Circuit Board Screwed onto a Piece of Plywood

It all Started with a simple integrated circuit board screwed onto a piece of plywood.

You owe your laptop or PC to a kit for flashing lights.

How was it that in our time the Personal Computer (P.C) and the laptop computer came about to be?

It all started with the invention of the transistor in 1949 by Bell Labs – the research arm of the “phone company”. . The transistor was nothing more than a solid state electronic switch. The transistor or integrated circuit replaced the much larger vacuum tubes of the day. Vacuum tubes were large, hot and unreliable. Transistors performed essentially the same functions as tubes but were smaller , lighter , cooler and more reliable All said and done they were better ,smaller and more efficient than the vacuum tubes they replaced. . And transistors did not “burn out” like a vacuum tube.

Transistors allowed a trend of miniaturization that has led all the way to our present portable small laptop / notebook computers which can run on batteries. It is hard to visualize for us today that computers used to house large office buildings themselves – along with maintenance backup support staff and even their own air conditioners to remove the great amounts of heat the early, primitive computers produced.

In 1959 engineers at Texas Instruments figured out how to put more than one transistor on the same base and connect these transistors without wires. Thus the next step was born – the integrated circuit. The first integrated circuit consisted of only six transistors. Current computers have in the range of 100 million transistor equivalents.

In 1969 Intel introduced the 1 k memory chip. This was much larger than anything else produced at the time. Through coordination of Intel with a Japanese calculator manufacturer named Busicomp the next step was made where a generic multipurpose chip was devised. What made this step important was that no one chip could do a number of tasks. Previously each chip had a purpose that was burnt in. Now one integrated chip could do a number of different functions. One single integrated circuit chip was almost an entire computing device. The successor to this multi purpose integrated circuit or “CPU” was what went on to the basis of our whole generation and concept of personal computers/

In 1973 some of these microcomputer kits based on the initial 8080 Intel integrated chip were developed. In the hands of hobbyists these kits were put together and were nothing more than blinking lights. However the impetus was on. Many of these early hobbyists went on to become computer industry giants. With Intel introducing an even much more powerful microprocessor chip the computer industry was on its way.

A company MITS introduced the “Altair Computer Kit”. The Altair was the impetus for fledgling software companies, such as Microsoft and Lotus, to write software programs for these early computers. Among the early innovators and producers of software in this field was Microsoft with its first version of Microsoft “Basic”.

Along came the computer industry leader and stodgy monolith IBM to introduce the first “personal computer” in 1975. The model 1500 was beyond piddly compared to today’s dollar store calculators and cost only $ 9,000.

Next came a smaller “upstart “Computer Company which came to be called Apple Computer. Apple computer introduced the Apple I computer in 1976 for the princely sum $ 695. Believe it or not original “Apple 1 computer” consisted of a main circuit board screwed into a piece of plywood. Talk about IBM having to hold its laughter The Apple I appeared to be such a home garage made amateur none professionally made product that the case and power supply were not even included. The buyer of the Apple I had to scrounge or source this himself. IBM thought the Apple I was nothing more than a foolish fad. A minor inconvenience that would soon go away and disappear. Yet department heads started buying these simple computers for uses in business departments. This was in spite of serious advice from IBM experts to corporations about the perils and shortcomings of these toy computers and outright threats by IBM salespeople to IT staff and heads.

The Apple I was followed in 1977 by the Apple II. The Apple II because of its enormous success set the standards for nearly all the important microcomputers to follow, including the IBM PC.

The very core of the early computer world – IBM “International Business Machines” – the master of the profitable mainframe computer industry had been awoken from its deep profitable slumber by a small upstart computer maker with a simple computer system that began its product cycle as an integrated circuit board screwed onto a piece of plywood.

Max Rubin
Retro Vintage Computer Manuals
vintagecomputermanuals@yahoo.com
http://www.badgerlinux.net
http://www.vintagecomputermanual.com

 

Some Pointers To Better Printed Circuit Board Layout

PCB (printed circuit board) layout
This is a topic that has grown closer to my heart over the decades that I have been designing and laying out printed circuit boards. The issue came up because a company I was doing contract work for has been outsourcing their layout work with the result that the final product left much to be desired. Electrically all the correct points were joined up but mechanically, aesthetically, technically it was a disaster. There was a gaping void between knowing the functionality of a particular design and routing accordingly and this particular design where the the individual that routed the pcb clearly had no idea about either the functionality or the final operation of the design.
There are many elements to laying out a printed circuit.
 

* Make sure you have the correct pcb size according to the chosen enclosure. This may have to take into account that there might be a number of different boards that have to mechanically connect and electrically relate to each other.
* Make sure that all the components have been correctly specified, specially their physical sizes and pin spacing
* The input and output connectors must be correctly specified for the appropriate voltage and current.
* The positions of the i/o components relative to the enclosure must be carefully measured and placed. This includes not only the electrical i/o but also the visual components if lcd screens, 7 segments displays, LED's, pushbuttons etc are being used.
* Plan the high current paths because bad planning can lead tracks that are too narrow, too long or too close to sensitive components.
* Plan the high frequency paths taking note of proximity to ground planes and metal surfaces. Lengths of track can also be a critical factor when rf paths are being layed out.
* Plan the power supplies blocks as careless planning can lead to noisy power supplies with subsequent interference and malfunctioning of the rest of the circuit. Rather take your time now than have to redo a board several times because of hasty component placing the first time round.
* Place all the components before starting with a layout. If the components have been placed properly, laying the tracks can be quick and painless. Sometimes I do a provisional layout to see how particular paths will look but the bulk of the routing I do when all the components have been placed.
* Plan the horizontal and vertical routing paths on double sided boards carefully as this allows for the possibility of denser routing if required.
 

I have found that as I have grown older I have become more patient with my layouts regarding them as personal works of electronic art. A finished product needs to be a thing of beauty and not just be functionally correct. All good layouts naturally spend most of their time with the positioning of the components with the connecting up taking a lesser proportion of the time. Planning, as with anything in life, is the most important part of the layout project. One item I have not mentioned and that is the role of auto routers. I am not a great fan of auto routers and cannot recall one board in the last 20 years that I have auto routed and sent out to the pcb manufacturers without extensive tidying up and usually scrapping the entire auto route and starting again. I know there are cost implications but I have found that I rate satisfaction with a routed board much higher than speed of routing.

Marc Jarchow 46 year old entrepeneur providing MODular ElecTRONics solutions for the Professional (custom instruments for your business), Educator (can be used as a training aid), Entrepeneur (can be packaged with your logo) and Hobbyist (make your own home based products) using low cost modules to create whatever application you have in mind. All items available at www.modetron.com

 

New Pcb Design Software Has Been Developed By Novarm, Ltd.

DipTrace is an advanced PCB design software application that comes with a PCB Layout module, a powerful auto-router, Schematic Capture and Component/Pattern editors to design your own component libraries. Besides being very simple to learn, which is quite an accomplishment for an engineering software application, the software has a very intuitive user interface and many innovative features. For instance, a schematic can be converted to a PCB with one mouse click. The board designer can instantly renew the PCB from an updated version of the schematic and keep existing placement, routed traces, board outline, mounting holes and other work. DipTrace has a high quality automatic router, superior to many routers included in other PCB layout packages. It can route a single layer (bottom side) and multilayer circuit boards, and there is an option to autoroute a single layer board with jumper wires, if required. Smart manual routing tools allow users to finalize the design and to get the results they want in a blink of an eye.

DipTrace has an accurate shape-based copper pour system with different possible fill types and thermals to make plane layer or to reduce manufacturing costs by minimizing the amount of etching solution. Another important feature is Design Rule Check (DRC) - the function that checks the clearance between design objects, minimum size of tracks and drills, which ensures board accuracy. A net connectivity check allows you to check all electrical connections and find all broken nets and their isolated areas. A feature comparing a PCB to a schematic helps detect possible design mistakes and correct them before prototyping. Output formats are DXF, Gerber, N/C Drill and G-code. DipTrace allows you import DXF files in PCB Layout and Pattern Editor. Standard libraries contain 50.000+ components.

Alex Tikhonov DipTrace Team http://www.diptrace.com

PCB Prototyping Advantage

Advancement in technology and computerization paved way to convenience in mass production of PCB/s worldwide. Prototyping is a modern system used for cost effective manufacturing of PCB boards, primarily a main electronic component.

Being aggressively introduced to companies, prototyping machines are not ordinary commodity like a photocopy machine, which users can use at once with ease. PCB machines need careful study and training before it can take off for efficient use. As a modern, priced item and investment, it takes a lot of experience to judge the equipment before acquiring one.

The basics of PCB Prototyping

BENEFITS - If a business involves mass production, the first process is making master copies for checking before it can be carried over to the next step of producing millions. With PCB milling system, the tedious traditional process is lessened because of the speed of creating and testing is guaranteed.

CHEMICAL FREE - compared to chemical etching, PCB milling is cleanly done by subtractive method without involving the use of chemicals. Circuit boards are cut through to remove the copper portions. The speed in accomplishing the task is controlled by the user with great accuracy.

COMPACT - Imagine one machine handling the multiple complex tasks of milling, drilling, routing, and other special processes, where task are all done by prototyping machine to make PCB boards. The only additional item required for operating the equipment is backing it up with industrial vacuum cleaner for maintenance purposes. The compactness can be achieved in the setup process, which is also a part of training required in handling prototyping machines.

MECHANISM - PCB prototyping is a precision-controlled device that is highly mechanical in make. It involves drive systems fully manipulated by engineered assembly. Once put up, everything depends on the user and the integration of software coordinating the movement of the heads in its coordinates (x, y and z). It is computerized making repetitive process free of errors.

SAFE - designed for high sophistication with the use of small bits for routing, it has been customized for rigidity of application. However, for safety reasons, user is required to wear protection glasses for the eyes. Minute dusts emitted are required to be vacuumed off all the time.

Years of experience will be enough to efficiently use PCB prototyping machines. It made manufacturing safe, easy, productive and rewarding in general. It is best to get upgraded in technology especially with use of computerized equipments.

Low Jeremy maintains http://prototyping.articlesforreprint.com . This content is provided by Low Jeremy. It may be used only in its entirety with all links included.

PCB Prototypes

A PCB is the acronym for Printed Circuit Boards, which are cards or circuit boards that are composed of a very thin flat metal or hard plastic-type board called an insulator. It is upon this that computer silicon chips and other similar electronic components are mounted. These PCBs are then used in electronic appliances like televisions, computers, washing machines, digital cameras, and so forth.

A prototype can be considered the first working model of an invention. So in this case, a PCB prototype is the first circuit board that is invented for a new electronic device. By using this PCB prototype in the electronic device, the inventor can see if the prototype serves its purpose in the invention. Once the electronic device is made to function with the PCB prototype, any mistakes that take place can be rectified in the prototype. In this way, the PCB prototype saves the inventor of the electronic appliance lots of money, as any mistakes that may be present in the PCB will be pinpointed before the actual commercial manufacture of the PCB.

Without having a PCB prototype, the model of a new invention will be of no use if its PCB is not in good condition and up to requirements. Electronic appliances are getting more and more technologically advanced by the day. This advancement is done through changes on a PCB prototype, which is then tried on the appliance to see if the advancement is in right order. Using different materials of the PCB also account for changes in the PCB prototype. You can use fiberglass, Teflon or cross-linked polystyrene for the PCB, and it is through the PCB prototype that you find out which PCB material best fits your PCB. Nowadays, new PCBs are in use in electronic appliances, thanks to the PCB prototypes.

Prototypes provides detailed information on Prototypes, Prototype Makers, Pcb Prototypes, Car Prototypes and more. Prototypes is affiliated with Invention Patents.