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Where do all the 555's go?

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throbscottle

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I was just reading an article which says a billion 555 timers are produced annually. Well, as an inveterate user of board-pull parts, I think I've encountered maybe one of them on a scrap board in my life. They can't all be being eaten up by hobby projects, which are very often designed around them, so, where are they all being used?
 
I was just reading an article which says a billion 555 timers are produced annually. Well, as an inveterate user of board-pull parts, I think I've encountered maybe one of them on a scrap board in my life. They can't all be being eaten up by hobby projects, which are very often designed around them, so, where are they all being used?

Hi Throb

Any chance of a link?
Interesting reading :wideyed:

Regards,
tvtech
 
Frankly I have never seen a commercial product that had a 555 inside. I don´t say there are no such things, but I guess they are pretty rare.

And, according to farnell, you can´t get one in any package smaller than SO-8.
 
They are Probably all SMT parts Now!
I don't salvage Scrap parts, but I have seen quite a few on older boards.
And Some might be marked with In-House Numbers.

I Doubt ANY Through Hole IC's are being made anymore.
 
I have 10 of them!

I have a commercial pwm driver that uses a 555, the only other thing I can remember is my old bbc b computer had one in for the power on reset, I think the commodiore amiga did too.
 
Judging by the talk on forums; a 555 can do any job.
220V inverter, audio amp, pwm, color organ............................................

"I have a couple of 555 and I want to build a (fill in the blank). Can someone help me."

Sorry but that is one of my big complaints.
 
I have never seen a product that uses an ordinary 555 and I have never used one. But one time I designed and built a circuit that used a Cmos 555 for PWM DC motor speed control.
 
Some old radio scanners used them to switch crystals. Later they used them for DC-DC converter to get the higher voltage for the varactor. I've also seen them used as a window detector for reading digital tape.
.
I have used them in so many projects. My latest use is a misting timer for my greenhouse. Every 10 minutes the mister comes on for 8 seconds.
 
The (often yellow in color) photodetectors used on conveyor-lines often have a 555 to modulate the transmitter LED, or did a few years ago.
That should account for a fair number.
 
I have seen them used in spot welders to time the arc, cheap automobile/ low voltage alarm sirens, exposure timers, camera flashes, some multimeters and loads of other stuff that escapes me just now :)
 
"with over 1 billion units produced annually." This sounds like the statement: "47.5% of all quoted statistics are made up on the spot." ;)

Ken
 
The number doesnt seem right. Imagine having to use 3 million 555s somewhere each and every day just to keep the supply and demand balanced. Take three orders of magnitude off and it starts looking closer to reality.
 
Yesterday I found some Cmos logic ICs in my parts drawer dated 1976. I also still have some AC127 and AC128 germanium transistors.
 
Hi guys. if you go to e-bay and look for pic 555 Texas Instruments this 555 ic is in sale 10 pcs for $3.49, free shipping. seller is thaishine
 
Hi guys. if you go to e-bay and look for pic 555 Texas Instruments this 555 ic is in sale 10 pcs for $3.49, free shipping. seller is thaishine
And when the part comes, it is not made by TI. There has been some real problems with counterfeit parts.

If TI makes (some number) of parts, how many parts are made by counterfeiters and marked "TI"?
 
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