Cicero
Active Member
Wondering if any of you folk have some suggestions for me:
We use(d) a Linear Tech LTC485 for our RS485 comms, and over a few months have had several board failures, and a few field failures. Swap the chip and its all good again - the majority of the time. We use the DIP8 package, and so have placed an IC holder because it happens so frequently. It is the only part we have these problems with as well.
More recently though, the failure rate has progressed passed the point of thinking its just coincidence/normal wear-and-tear, and I had to get involved to find out why, and resolve it.
My gut feel was that its super sensitive to ESD, however its purely an 'educated' gut feel. I'd like to have some decent data to back myself up, but lack a test process to get this data. Most of our failures are during the manufacturing process, and picked up during first test of the 485 comms. Field failures are minimal, but still happen.
We have taken some additional measures to protect against ESD in the manufacturing and handling process, and have also purchased a different manufacturers part which can withstand harsher conditions. So far so good on that, and no failures, so people are happy.
But I've still got that nagging feeling that I want to know if it is in fact ESD or not, and I'd like to investigate further.
I was wondering what any of you have done in a similar situation?
We use(d) a Linear Tech LTC485 for our RS485 comms, and over a few months have had several board failures, and a few field failures. Swap the chip and its all good again - the majority of the time. We use the DIP8 package, and so have placed an IC holder because it happens so frequently. It is the only part we have these problems with as well.
More recently though, the failure rate has progressed passed the point of thinking its just coincidence/normal wear-and-tear, and I had to get involved to find out why, and resolve it.
My gut feel was that its super sensitive to ESD, however its purely an 'educated' gut feel. I'd like to have some decent data to back myself up, but lack a test process to get this data. Most of our failures are during the manufacturing process, and picked up during first test of the 485 comms. Field failures are minimal, but still happen.
We have taken some additional measures to protect against ESD in the manufacturing and handling process, and have also purchased a different manufacturers part which can withstand harsher conditions. So far so good on that, and no failures, so people are happy.
But I've still got that nagging feeling that I want to know if it is in fact ESD or not, and I'd like to investigate further.
I was wondering what any of you have done in a similar situation?