From: news@analogconsultants.com   
      
   On 11/29/25 3:38 AM, Bill Sloman wrote:   
   > On 29/11/2025 8:56 am, Joerg wrote:   
   >> On 11/28/25 1:32 PM, Joe Gwinn wrote:   
   >>> On Fri, 28 Nov 2025 12:52:07 -0800, Joerg    
   >>> wrote:   
   >>>   
   >>>> On 11/28/25 12:45 PM, Joerg wrote:   
   >>   
   >> [...]   
   >>   
   >>>>> To the surprise of my clients it's the contrary. The most   
   >>>>> client-shocking redesign was an auto-align circuit for ganged   
   >>>>> ADC-channels. High speed, high phase accuracy and all that. They   
   >>>>> had an   
   >>>>> elaborate time domain method with a fat DSP, lots of code and very   
   >>>>   
   >>>>   I meant they used a frequency domain method.   
   >>>>   
   >>>>> expensive chips used as programmable delay chips. The NRE alone had   
   >>>>> been   
   >>>>> humongous. It never reliably converged so the system hung a lot. I   
   >>>>> suggested to ditch all that and use time domain. This caused an uproar   
   >>>>> because I had rocked the boat a lot and usually consultants aren't   
   >>>>> supposed to do that. "I don't think this can possibly work", "It won't   
   >>>>> deliver the accuracy", "It won't converge either" and all that.   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>> Yet the boss let me do it. In the end the whole thing dropped from   
   >>>>> three-digit dollars in HW to under 10 bucks. Instead of expensive   
   >>>>> discrete-step time delay chips I used inductors, caps and varicap   
   >>>>> diodes   
   >>>>> for almost infinite granularity. The DSP became unemployed because the   
   >>>>> connected PC could easily handle the computations. It converged in   
   >>>>> less   
   >>>>> than a second, always. The NRE was low because it took less than two   
   >>>>> weeks of my time and less than a day for the programmer, and we didn't   
   >>>>> need an expensive DSP programmer.   
   >>>   
   >>> Embarrassing.  Were any of the customers design team later   
   >>> defenstrated?   
   >>   
   >> No, they were pretty good. It's the usual phenomenon where, in an old   
   >> German saying, you can't see the forest because of all the trees.   
   >   
   > Brainstorming is designed to get around that to some extent, but if you   
   > aren't used to thinking outside the box it's difficult to step back far   
   > enough to get outside the box.   
   >   
      
   My experience with brainstorm sessions is not good. The results are   
   often encouraging but then hardly anything of it gets documented and   
   typically none of itv is implemented. All I need is a large whiteboard   
   or a large piece of paper. Plus coffee or mate (having a mate right now).   
      
      
   >> Frequency domain, FFT and all that is the classical approach but   
   >> consultants can help companies see other more unorthodox methods.   
   >   
   > Frequently poached from other companies that the consultants have   
   > helped. ...   
      
      
   That I make darn sure won't happen here. All client files are strictly   
   separated and each client's stuff has its own shelf. No crossings allowed.   
      
      
   >  ... It's not about stealing industrial secrets - just starting off   
   > from a different place.   
   >   
   >> Most of my design jobs boil down to that. The other jobs are more   
   >> boring, failed EMC tests and such.   
   >   
   > There's nothing boring about EMC.   
   >   
      
   After a dozen times of telling people not to use anodized aluminum for   
   gear that needs to shield and they did it anyhow it does become boring.   
   Then, explaining for the umpteenth time that split grounds do not work   
   and that pigtail ground connections have close to zero effect at VHF and up.   
      
   --   
   Regards, Joerg   
      
   http://www.analogconsultants.com/   
      
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