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?
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 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.
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.
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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
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.
Almost every bosch electric screwdriver use 555 for PWM DC motor speed control. https://obrazki.elektroda.net/69_1285747297.jpg
Also in welding machine I see 555 also as a PWM for wire feed unit.