[time-nuts] Form factor

[bownes]

I love those Hammond boxes until I have to pay the bill. The one for my n2pk VNA was about $28. 

But one of those as the primary enclosure with input boards and output boards that plug into a main board would be feasable if a tad expensive. 

Some modules lend themselves to plugins on a main board (output modules for example) while things that need to chain like input modules ( think pre amp followed by prescaler followed by trigger sense) don't. 

On Dec 21, 2010, at 1:29 AM, Chris Albertson <albertson.chris at gmail.com> wrote:

>>> Eurocard has been one suggestion as a form factor. While I personally
>>> love Eurocard, the boards and connectors are expensive.
>>> 
>>> Stackble connectors are a pain in assembly.
>>> 
>>> Backplanes are inherently evil at high speeds.
>>> 
>>> Plugging everything into one main board makes that a critical design
>>> item and that much harder to upgrade.
> 
> I agree with all of the above.
> 
> I think what we want is simply a mechanical standard.  Something that
> will simply hold everything in place.
> 
> What if every module was in it's own metal box?  Each box has a
> forward or "user facing" panel that is tall and narrow and contains
> things like input jacks and status LEDs and a rear facing panel that
> is for power and module to module interconnect.    Many of the
> modules, I assume would work as stand alone gadgets (a trigger is a
> usful device all by it self)  To assemble a system you place all the
> boxes like books on a shelf.  Maybe even some book end so they don't
> fall over.  But you might build a wood cabinet, put a handle on top
> and metal bumpers on the corners.  The wood cabinet would house the
> modules and also the power supply and the rats nest of interconnect
> wiresSo those who like to be neat can make nice wood cases and the
> rest of us can have a working system made of a half dozen boxea and
> cales all over the work bench
> 
> Here is an example of a module box
> http://www.hammondmfg.com/pdf/1455L1601.pdf
> 
> We would not have to specify a height or length, only the width needs
> to be uniform.  But in our case the width becomes height when you turn
> them on edge.   Some modules might need two PCBs and a wider box.  We
> should make a list of connectors to be used for power and so on for
> the rear pannel
> 
> I had previously suggested about the same thing but only to make the
> box the same size as a disk drive so we could use common existing
> racks.  I'd still prefer that but maybe these hammond boxes are more
> popular
> 
> 
> -- 
> =====
> Chris Albertson
> Redondo Beach, California
> 
> _______________________________________________
> time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts at febo.com
> To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
> and follow the instructions there.