[time-nuts] HP Stories: The 5061B, from R&D to Manufacturing, and the ill-conceived 5061C

[Richard (Rick) Karlquist]

On 4/7/2019 7:31 AM, Rice, Hugh (IPH Writing Systems) wrote:
> 
> In addition to the HP 5350 family counters, there was development on Waveform recorders, the 5371A Modulation Domain Analyzer, exotic optics for the laser interferometers, and "Sandblaster", which I have mentioned before, a giant automated circuit test machine, similar to what Teradyne sells today.    (Sandblaster was canceled after a year or two of development.  I think it was just too much for SCD to bite off.)   All around us were hi-tech activities and 

Sandblaster was transferred from some Colorado division to SCD for 
obscure reasons.  It seemed like a boondoggle from the get go,
beginning with the name.  According to Keith Ferguson, a SCD R&D 
engineer, they went to a trade show to make a big splash and announce 
their new tester.  Some engineer working for a big customer
approached Keith in the hotel bar and tried to buy him drinks.
He said something to the effect of "Come on, Keith, you can
level with me.  We know the machine you announced today isn't
your real product, because it is already obsolete.  We know
you must be working on a new model that wasn't ready in time
for the trade show.  Can you give me some hints about the
next big thing". Of course there was no next big thing and
that is when they knew it was game over.

Rick