The Bob Widlar commemorative PCB (from Mailbag #1471) - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: BreakingOhmsLaw
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 01, 2022, 09:42:27 am
content: For those who want to make their own Bob Widlar plaque or create a design of their own, here are the KiCad project files and the gerber files:Unfortunate "volage" spelling error has been fixedDon't drink and design, kids. A commenter on youtube spotted a missing period in the µA702 text.Due to the forum not letting me change the attachment, I've moved the file to Github.https://github.com/MagicSmokeManufacturer/BobWidlarPCB

author: BreakingOhmsLaw
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 02, 2022, 12:07:06 pm
content: I am giving away three PCBs that have the aforementioned errors on them.If you can live with that and want one, please PM me. You'll just have to pay for shipping.Estimate: €4,99 in Germany, €11,39 to the EU, €19,89 most countries outside of the EU.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 02, 2022, 02:22:02 pm
content: now do the one where he sayas "Any idiot can count to one"

author: floobydust
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 02, 2022, 09:00:24 pm
content: Politically incorrect designers, geniuses don't have a place nowadays.Interesting that Bob Pease mentioned the LM10 was "designed and released in 1976":A Tribute to Bob Pease, Articles and Book Chapters, Lab Notes Part 9, pg.164/227 National Semiconductor AN-1485.Electronics DesignVol.15 July 1967talks about Widlar designing the next op-amp, after the uA709- the LM101. Second pic he's 29 years old."... To design it, they hired the father of the 709, Bob Widlar, at double his Fairchild salary plus an option on 10,000 shares of stock at $5-an option that is presently worth almost a third of a million dollars. Why Widlar?At the age of 29, Widlar is hardly the model of an "organization man" designer. For kicks, he drives into the mountains and rams his Mercedes-Benz through hairpin turns at 50 mph. When he tires of driving, he pulls his car off the road, and spends a day or two chopping wood. (Between jaunts, Widlar keeps his sharpened, red-handled ax in one corner of his office. To the dismay of visitors, he often plays nervously with it while making a point about microcircuits.)For relaxation, when the mood strikes him, Widlar drives to the San Francisco airport and purchases a ticket for the next flight. "I like bumming around," he admits, "and I don't much care where."Widlar approaches the design of a microcircuit with the compulsive drive of a perfectionist. He uses every trick in the book and then some, and his microcircuits inevitably sport a dazzling array of Widlarisms. He can never quite overcome his strong commitment to his circuits. One Fairchild executive complained that his constant meddling, even after a design was complete, often interfered with the production of a circuit. But despite his idiosyncrasies, Widlar came to National with a number of impressive achievements: he had already designed the μA702, the μA710, the μA711, the μA726 and the μA709."

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 02, 2022, 09:16:09 pm
content: Quote from: floobydust on May 02, 2022, 09:00:24 pmDepends on what kind of politics....bringing a sheep to eat the grass cause stupid management cuts the landscaping budget while giving themselves big bonusses ? Go for it !Blowing up the pa speaker that makes incessant noise just because it lets a manager believe work is being done ? go for it !Sometimes you need to throw a stick in the henhouse, otherwise it's always the same fat rooster that rules the coop.

author: floobydust
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 02, 2022, 09:40:45 pm
content: "Widlar's eccentric, and outspoken personality, and his bohemian lifestyle made him the enfant terrible of Silicon Valley. He is remembered in legends, myths and anecdotes that are largely true. According to Bo Lojek, author of History of Semiconductor Engineering, he was "more artist than an engineer ... in the environment where Human Relations Departments define what engineers can and cannot comment about,it is very unlikely that we will see his kind again."Many pictures of the guy are hilarious. source:Alchetron

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2022, 05:30:00 am
content: Quote from: BreakingOhmsLaw on May 01, 2022, 09:42:27 amThank you, very nicely done. I love the look of matte black soldermask and gold; have used it for a couple of front plates.Is that a JLCPCB production number in the upper right? Did they really put is smack-dab on the front side?! I see that you have now placed the "JLCJLCJLC" text on the back silkscreen layer to let them know where to place the number, but they might have figured that out on their own...

author: dl6lr
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2022, 07:28:09 am
content: Quote from: ebastler on May 03, 2022, 05:30:00 amI doubt any human ever sees the design files unless the automated process spits out a warning.

author: BreakingOhmsLaw
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2022, 12:58:57 pm
content: Quote from: ebastler on May 03, 2022, 05:30:00 amYes they did. To be fair, I first opted for Aisler instead of JLC so the mark was not needed.But the spelling error slipped through. That's actually a well researched topic in psychology. You just don't see your own mistakes very well. That is why newspapers employ copy-editors to proof-read their stuff.I will leave the flawed version on my wall, to act as a Memento Mori and a constant reminder to double check my shit.By the way, the three PCB are still available.

author: mawyatt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2022, 01:35:45 pm
content: I misspellvolatgevoltage all the time, constantly having to reread and correctAnother fun story/myth about Widlar. When a new hire engineer arrived at National, Widlar would issue an invite to lunch at his favorite bar across the street. Everyone would order a beer at the table and Widlar would challenge the new hire that he could grab his beer and toss it over his shoulder quicker than the new hire. They would have a count down and at zero the new hire would quickly grab the beer and toss it, Widlar would slowly reach and grab his beer, take a sip, and utter "You Win"Best,

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2022, 03:59:03 pm
content: with jlcpcb you can leave a marker on the layout where you want them to put the batch code.https://support.jlcpcb.com/article/28-how-to-remove-order-number-from-your-pcbjust stick it on the edge where it will be hidden under the frame

author: BreakingOhmsLaw
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 04, 2022, 11:34:12 am
content: Quote from: free_electron on May 03, 2022, 03:59:03 pmThanks, I am aware of this and the files already had the JLC mark added to the rear silkscreen.If someone chooses to have it made at a different board house, they should check the options there and modify the files accordingly.