TW>-> I 'discovered' surface mount after a long hiatus from reading
TW>-> about electronics some years ago. It was quite interesting that
TW>-> they had 'projects' to build circuits on business cards and
TW>-> draw the circuit board using a pencil. Amazing.

TW>-> While it's true I'm not up to speed (at all) regarding
TW>-> electronics circuits there remain many things that need fixing
TW>-> that do not involve electronics. :-)

TW> Even for electro-mechnial things though the Automated production
TW>process causes some Items to be unrepairable. In fact some things you
TW>have to destroy almost just to get then open.
TW>Then with the Buy/use/throway mentality there is typicaly NO spare part
TW>supply chain. The manfacturers only buy for the production line.

That may be true in the over-the-counter market but not in the medical
industry (I think we share some experience there in the past); where it
is the high cost of knowledgeable people fixers has worked a major work
around by some hardwear suppliers.

As in the instance of GE Medical Systems where they setup a major off
site test facility in St Louis, Missouri; to which hospitals can dial
up to have malfunctioning x-ray equipment diagnosed so that a needed
replacement part can air-fedex to the hospital for their in house
maintenance staff replace the defective item and have the equipment
back on-line in less that 24 hours many times. (We still maintain a
service department that can take care of the needs of small hospitals
that don't maintain an in-house staff trained to facilitate this.)

Incidentally the new CEO of GE Corporation was Group Vice President
of GE Medical Systems before Jack Welch retired. His Dad had worked
for 34 years for GE before he retired. GE stock market price increased
$0.69 to $36.67 per share today, after they increased the quarterly
devidend 2 cents per share.

There are some positive things left in our world!

Ciao, Ack.

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 þ SLMR 2.1a þ Enjoy a Happy Holiday of your choice.