Possibly the Worst Thing I've Ever Seen From Keysight (Agilent) - Epic QA Fail!! - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: tec5c
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2015, 09:07:29 am
content: At my work we have a project at the moment that involves quite a lot of EMI testing, as a result the engineers decided to get an EMI receiver on loan from Keysight to see if it was suitable and could be considered for a future purchase.Here is the unit... Isn't she pretty*See attachments*We also got a preamplifier module (sorry for the blurry photo)*See attachments*All was looking good... we hook the preamp up and nothing happens... hmm. It was calibrated 12 days ago, should be okay? It's due for calibration again today??? Errrr... (Can someone please confirm if something like this needs to be calibrated every 12 days, noob alert here!)Cal. sticker...*See attachments*Okay, preamp isn't working so let's investigate... Well I'll be dammed!*See attachments*How in the world did this ever get passed quality assurance at Keysight?!?! This isn't just some strands that are slightly touching the conductor. They are soldered onto it!Edit: Epic image insert fail. I suck... it's been a long day. The images are now attached.

author: PA0PBZ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2015, 09:28:04 am
content: She's pretty, but it looks like I have her twin sister called N1996A. Think they still had a few enclosures and front panels left?

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2015, 11:15:25 am
content: Have you looked at the calibration report? Maybe they say it is -150dB,slightlyout the datasheet limits.

author: Macbeth
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2015, 12:14:36 pm
content: So it slipped by manufacturing QA... But then it got to this AP guy to calibrate it - I think this guy should be fired.I wouldn't be happy with a £2.49 ebay 830B in that shoddy a state but could excuse it and fix it myself. But this is terrible.

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2015, 12:22:44 pm
content: Looks like the inside of the cheap Chinese antennas that come with the el cheapo USB SRD dongles.

author: Marco
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2015, 01:30:45 pm
content: How isn't that tripping something? That's a supply/ground connection isn't it?

author: dom0
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2015, 01:51:53 pm
content: Quote from: Marco on April 15, 2015, 01:30:45 pmYes, this is the DC power supply for the amplifier. The golden thingy with the hex nut is the feed-through capacitor to block HF.

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2015, 03:46:06 pm
content: Seems kind of rude to complain so much about Keysight when they were nice enough to rush out a loaner... obviously this has nothing to do with QA, and is about how loaner units get abused by customers...

author: max666
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2015, 04:35:34 pm
content: Quote from: edavid on April 15, 2015, 03:46:06 pmWho said anything about "nice enough to rush out a loaner", this is a rental service, isn't it? If I'm paying money per day by renting equipment, I expect it to work, just like with every other rental service.And yes, people don't give a shit about things they don't own, but a rental service has to deal with that.I have no idea whether a 12 days cal-cycle is necessary for a preamp, but maybe they have such a ridiculously short interval on rental units, in order to trying to get calibrations between rental customers? What is the mean rental time for high-end test equipment? Since 12 days is already dubiously short, maybe they should calibrate after every customer, this way something like this shouldn't happen.Now whether it was Keysight or the last customer, who half-assedly jammed a soldering iron between the connections in order to fix the joint, who knows?

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2015, 04:52:31 pm
content: Quote from: max666 on April 15, 2015, 04:35:34 pmNo, he said it was on loan, which means free. Keysight is not a rental company.

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2015, 04:56:30 pm
content: Yes, the OP said "loan" not "rent".QuoteMaybe that's the reason for the 12 days.Without more details it's hard to conclude anything.Not sure why this post is even here. The logical thing to do is callAgilentKeysight.

author: Rupunzell
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2015, 05:07:07 pm
content: Complete with cal sticker too !Or could that be incentive to purchase the next to be released version at increased cost.Fine example of what the test and measurement industry has become, driven by bean counters and made off shore.BerniceQuote from: tec5c on April 15, 2015, 09:07:29 am

author: max666
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2015, 05:08:11 pm
content: Quote from: edavid on April 15, 2015, 04:52:31 pmAh sorry, my bad.

author: Mr Simpleton
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 15, 2015, 07:12:14 pm
content: This was posted on HP Yahoo group yesterday....Maybe they refocus from keeping the current stuff going----------------------------------------Take advantage of a new extended repair service available for older instruments,many of which you may have deployed in critical applications. You can now repairequipment such as the N5230 network analyzers and 8563EC spectrum analyzers –once classified as having reached "end of support" – and buy extended serviceagreements. The extended service period helps you keep your older equipmentrunning until you make the transition to new instruments.See Extended Service Period Instruments ><http://content.email.keysight.com/emessageIRS/servlet/IRSL?v=5&a=10045&r=88729&m=522&l=6&p=tBA02ECEF523667C5DADE5328447D24FEF0C1DBB9F72CC1C9F0C1DBB9F72CC1C9F0C1DBB9F72CC1C93E515D818DBA81F1&e=2&x=2457492.0>In addition to repairing individual instruments, we can build custom solutionsfor your deployed test systems and help you save when you purchase fixed-pricemultiyear agreements.If your instruments are not listed on the website or you have specific requests,please email service-info@keysight.com<mailto:service-info@keysight.com?subject=Extended%20Service%20Period%20Repair%20and%20Calibration>or call 800-829-4444. We will be happy to assist you.Sincerely,Jim KaylorAmericas Services Business DevelopmentKeysight Technologies1-800-829-4444 (US)1-877-894-4414 (Canada)

author: PA0PBZ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2015, 07:28:47 pm
content: Quote from: Mr Simpleton on April 15, 2015, 07:12:14 pmEven worse, it was in my inbox. They probably know I'm a collector

author: Macbeth
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2015, 07:40:30 pm
content: Quote from: max666 on April 15, 2015, 05:08:11 pmYeah, but I would only loan that for free to my worst enemy."That will have him scratching his head and fuck his day up! Muahahaha!"

author: G0HZU
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2015, 08:11:46 pm
content: QuoteI think you have to assume that someone else had their hands on this just after calibration. Maybe it was then checked as a system and the preamp was reported to be intermittent. So someone in a service or dispatch dept tried a hasty bodge repair without checking their work. If there was no such middleman (the most likely suspect?) involved between Agilent and the loanee then it looks bad for Agilent's QA

author: nouserid
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2015, 05:25:17 am
content: Few years ago, I purchased an N1996A from Agilent as a "Certi-Prime" item. It came with a copy of calibration report, which clearly indicated tracking generator (or should I say, "Stimulus/Response Suite") output power versus frequency. And the best part is, the tracking generator came dead-on-arrival. How it passed the calibration still remains a mystery as of today.

author: LabSpokane
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2015, 05:41:04 am
content: So, there was a problem. Did Keysight make it right?Companies are made of people who are imperfect. It's how they support you that matters. I am a total nobody and Keysight will send me a forum PM if they see me ask a question about their gear.Give them the opportunity to make good. If they fail, then raise the flag.

author: Marco
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2015, 08:35:35 am
content: You can not make a failure to properly calibrate right by doing it right on the rebound, calibration services rely on trust after all ... of course none of this is cut and dry to show that actually happened though.

author: mike_kawasaki
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2015, 04:31:16 pm
content: Quote from: LabSpokane on April 16, 2015, 05:41:04 amtec5c,I'm just seeing this post, so apologize for not sending message right after your posting!I am a Senior Manager at Keysight. This area is not my specialty but take pride in our quality (and get embarrassed when it doesn't meet our standards), and will take ownership to be your initial contact.Please let me know how to contact you directly. I'll commit to FIX this problem for you, if someone hasn't already contacted you. I can even call you during your daytime.There's no explanation I can give on why this problem occurred; but 100% committed to solve it and get you a new demo.Sincerely,Mike Kawasakimike_kawasaki@keysight.com

author: markterrien
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 22, 2015, 01:20:56 am
content: HiI'm also a Keysight employee and I'd like to apologize for any inconvenience you've experienced with this.As the Keysight Product Manager for the MXE, I wanted to let you know that your MXE does have a built-in internal preamplifier which covers the entire frequency range of the instrument. This preamplifier is available on every MXE as a standard part of the product. We have this preamp as a standard offering because we understand that sensitivity is a key need for EMC users. I'm hoping that this internal amplifier will meet your testing needs.I do hope that you contact us so we can get any information we need to understand how this happened.Best Regards,Mark Terrienmark.terrien@keysight.com