How do you design these days?
in [Design]
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From: John Larkin on 6 Jan 2010 13:16 On Tue, 05 Jan 2010 22:15:13 -0800, "JosephKK"<quiettechblue(a)yahoo.com> wrote: >On Wed, 30 Dec 2009 22:15:46 -0800, John Larkin <jjlarkin(a)highNOTlandTHIStechnologyPART.com> wrote: > >>On Wed, 30 Dec 2009 20:02:02 -0800, D from BC >><myrealaddress(a)comic.com> wrote: >> >>>On Wed, 30 Dec 2009 20:01:39 -0600, "RogerN" <regor(a)midwest.net> >>>wrote: >>> >>>> >>>>When I was in school components fit on solderless breadboards and we made >>>>circuits using breadboards, power supplies, meters and oscilloscopes. Many >>>>of today's components don't appear to be breadboard friendly, so how is it >>>>done today? >>>> >>>>Is circuit design software and simulation good enough to go straight to a PC >>>>board? Or do you use surface mount to breadboard adapters? Do you still >>>>use a soldering Iron to solder or paste solder and an oven? >>>> >>>>I'm wanting to tinker with some circuits but some chips I'm interested in >>>>only comes in MSOP or other packages that look intimidating to attempt to >>>>solder. >>>> >>>>Thanks! >>>> >>>>RogerN >>>> >>> >>>My motto: >>>If it works on a breadboard, it's not worth producing. >>> >>>On my current project, I have to feed the simulator pcb parasitics and >>>component parasistics to get accurate simulations. >>>I've had to bench test to get some parasitics. Once parasitics are >>>included, scope results and simulation results get close. >>> >>>If all looks good on sim, I make a pcb, etch it and bench test it. >> >>One problem is that device models often aren't available for fast >>parts, or all you get are S-params when you need large-signal >>time-domain stuff. So sometimes you can learn a lot by hacking some >>FR4 and testing parts. >> >>I never breadboard entire products, or even complex circuits... just >>enough to characterize parts or simple subcircuits. >> >>This is an EL07 driving a PHEMT... >> >>ftp://jjlarkin.lmi.net/BB_fast.JPG >> >>which made decent 5-volt, 1 GHz square waves. >> >>John > >Is that 0.085 or 0.141 semirigid. 85. I have buckets of roughly 8" long chunks of hardline with an SMA on one end, off ebay. John
From: RST Engineering on 6 Jan 2010 13:35 On Tue, 05 Jan 2010 10:52:53 -0800, Joerg <invalid(a)invalid.invalid> wrote: >I've worked with one that did switch-mode supply designs, something most >engineers seem not to enjoy at all. Note to readers: Too late, she's now >married. That didn't seem to slow Tiger down. {;-) Jim
From: Joerg on 6 Jan 2010 14:12 Jim Thompson wrote: > On Wed, 06 Jan 2010 09:28:54 -0800, Joerg <invalid(a)invalid.invalid> > wrote: > >> Jim Thompson wrote: >>> On Wed, 06 Jan 2010 08:50:43 -0800, Joerg <invalid(a)invalid.invalid> >>> wrote: >>> >>>> Jim Thompson wrote: >>>>> On Wed, 06 Jan 2010 08:30:46 -0800, John Larkin >>>>> <jjlarkin(a)highNOTlandTHIStechnologyPART.com> wrote: >>>>> >>> [snip] >>>>>> We're contracting out an FPGA design for $125 an hour, discounted from >>>>>> the guy's "big company" rate of $175. >>>>>> >>>>>> My lawyer charges $400. >>>>>> >>>>>> John >>>>> SF prices. My chip layout guy (Columbus, OH) charges $100/hour. >>>>> >>>> For board layout that would be way high. Even chip layout was a lot >>>> cheaper although my last one dates back to the last millenium. Looks >>>> like my next one will be done in China. >>> Virtually ALL my processing is now done in China. ... >> >> Mine will probably even be designed there on the transistor- and >> macro-level after I finish the architecture. Would have loved to keep it >> in the US (Arizona, in particular) but that'll be out of my hands. > > If it's analog, you're risking design by theoreticians (at best) with > no hands-on (so'dering :-) experience. > Actually I've seen the work of this guy. Top notch, from what I could tell in the short time I had back then. And oh, that one worked right off the bat :-) > After it's a monumental failure give me a call. (*) > > (*) Often happens... I quote, customer says too high, goes to low > bidder. One-two years later, comes back in a panic... I point out > inflation applies to my pricing ;-) > BT. For one potential client that comeuppance came too late, their creditors were already banging down their doors :-( > Recent 6 weeks quicky project (only 6 cells): Customer is astonished > at the detail in my design review... all conducted via GoToMeeting > (New Zealand ;-) > Can you do a presentation screen share as an invited participant or do you have to pay those $49/month to do that? >> >>> ... And my next likely >>> big project is in Hong Kong, with funding from Dubai World ;-) >>> >> Might want to think about a retainer on this one :-) >> >> http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aoFe12bwzZ2M > > I typically ask for 1/3 to 1/2 up front. > Difficult for me since I work by the hour. In my line of work the effort is often unpredictable until I am headlong (meaning many hours) into their schematics, Gerbers and so on. So far, knock on wood, my uncollectables due to insolvency total less than $200. One big ticket case was resolved by another company buying up the assets. After I put the liquidator attorney on written notice that I'd otherwise assume IP ownership and sell. The liquidator had me ticked off by saying that it's his call whether I am important or not, so ... Oh, did that speed up the decision making process, he must have placed a panic call to the potential buyer :-) -- Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com/ "gmail" domain blocked because of excessive spam. Use another domain or send PM.
From: Jim Thompson on 6 Jan 2010 14:28 On Wed, 06 Jan 2010 11:12:07 -0800, Joerg <invalid(a)invalid.invalid> wrote: >Jim Thompson wrote: >> On Wed, 06 Jan 2010 09:28:54 -0800, Joerg <invalid(a)invalid.invalid> >> wrote: >> >> [auto-snip] >> If it's analog, you're risking design by theoreticians (at best) with >> no hands-on (so'dering :-) experience. >> > >Actually I've seen the work of this guy. Top notch, from what I could >tell in the short time I had back then. And oh, that one worked right >off the bat :-) > > >> After it's a monumental failure give me a call. (*) >> >> (*) Often happens... I quote, customer says too high, goes to low >> bidder. One-two years later, comes back in a panic... I point out >> inflation applies to my pricing ;-) >> > >BT. For one potential client that comeuppance came too late, their >creditors were already banging down their doors :-( > > >> Recent 6 weeks quicky project (only 6 cells): Customer is astonished >> at the detail in my design review... all conducted via GoToMeeting >> (New Zealand ;-) >> > >Can you do a presentation screen share as an invited participant or do Yep. My rule, the client always hosts the meeting, then he assigns me as the "presenter". >you have to pay those $49/month to do that? > >> >> I typically ask for 1/3 to 1/2 up front. >> > >Difficult for me since I work by the hour. In my line of work the effort >is often unpredictable until I am headlong (meaning many hours) into >their schematics, Gerbers and so on. So far, knock on wood, my >uncollectables due to insolvency total less than $200. One big ticket >case was resolved by another company buying up the assets. After I put >the liquidator attorney on written notice that I'd otherwise assume IP >ownership and sell. The liquidator had me ticked off by saying that it's >his call whether I am important or not, so ... Oh, did that speed up the >decision making process, he must have placed a panic call to the >potential buyer :-) In risky hourly situations I'd ask for a retainer. Also my rule... you default, I own the IP. I've had a couple of cases like that where the liquidator became very cooperative when he realized. When Bowmar went belly-up in 1975 I was owed a big chunk of money (~$6K) for hourly work. A year later a bankruptcy judge ruled that "contractors" were employees as far as the bankruptcy pay-out was concerned... and I got 100% of money owed ;-) You might keep that case in mind in the event you get whacked over hourly pay. ...Jim Thompson -- | James E.Thompson, CTO | mens | | Analog Innovations, Inc. | et | | Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus | | Phoenix, Arizona 85048 Skype: Contacts Only | | | Voice:(480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat | | E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 | I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.
From: Joerg on 6 Jan 2010 14:48
Jim Thompson wrote: [...] > In risky hourly situations I'd ask for a retainer. > So do I. But it's quite rare. > Also my rule... you default, I own the IP. I've had a couple of cases > like that where the liquidator became very cooperative when he > realized. > I had a call back from the attorney and right afterwards from the potential buyer the day they received my certified letter. Then the buyer insisted on flying up for signature. I told him that wasn't required, that it was just the liquidator I did not trust. But he really didn't want to risk it. Very nice guy and my wife cooked a gourmet lunch for us. > When Bowmar went belly-up in 1975 I was owed a big chunk of money > (~$6K) for hourly work. A year later a bankruptcy judge ruled that > "contractors" were employees as far as the bankruptcy pay-out was > concerned... and I got 100% of money owed ;-) > > You might keep that case in mind in the event you get whacked over > hourly pay. > IIRC it is or has been duked out in Delaware some time. It was in 2007 but no idea what the judge decided, or whether the case is through. Technically they should put contract and employed work at the same priority level but it's probably not that fair in case law. -- Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com/ "gmail" domain blocked because of excessive spam. Use another domain or send PM. |