When Machines Take Over...

Humans always have an innate fear that one day the machines they created to make their lives easier will take over their jobs and make them redundant. This is true of any industry and it is more felt in the PCB manufacturing and repair sectors. The word 'automated' is associated with machines and an antithesis to the word 'manual', referring to man the operator.

In this age of rapid technological advancement, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and learning (AL) is a foreboding trend that many engineers embrace as an evil necessity, yet choose not to think too much or too far ahead. Nonetheless, without such industrial revolution, we would not have enjoyed the proficiency and power these technological marvels afford us at work and leisure.

Take automated optical inspection (AOI) for instance. Without this innovation, it would not be possible to detect manufacturing defect fast and accurate enough to ensure production yield of PCB products. And while it will still be some time before the machine can take on a mind of its own to learn how to initiate an inspection without human aid, it has greatly reduce the workload and errors contributed by human factors.

Perhaps when that day finally arrives, it may not be as fearsome as we thought it to be. After all, there's something about human ingenuity that machines will probably never be able to duplicate, however 'smart' they may become.

Who knows, we may not even be around when that happens. So go get a beer or something and chill out...

Glossary vs Grocery

English can be quite confusing to those foreign to its nuances, or even near similar spellings. Take the word 'glossary' for example. It means an alphabetical list of words or terms relating to a specific subject, usually accompanied by a brief explanation each. It can, however, be confused with the word 'grocery' which means a list of items to be bought from a supermarket.

Well, I don't normally include one in my books but somehow for this last engineering book I'm currently writing, I thought it would be a good idea to:

And while I was busy working on the list of terms to put in, my wife was also busy coming up with a list of items for her groceries as well. In some way, we are both writers I suppose, except that my content caters to the intellectual (food for thought) while hers satisfies the physical (food for the body). Either way they are just as important to our well-being.

By the way, the Chinese lunar New Year is a time of great feasting with families and friends too, and this year it's right after Christmas. I'd probably gain a few pounds by the end of the 15-day festival. Then it's time for some sweaty workout... 

Archeological Findings

Writing engineering stuff can sometime feel like doing archeological work. While researching a bit on the history of JTAG, I found out that soon after the IEEE 1149.1-1990 standard was formulated, Intel released its first processor, the 80486DX2, with JTAG implementation and the chip industry quickly adopted the standard and follow suit.

This prompted me to recall an in-circuit project for which I developed a test routine for the i486DX2 CPU back in 1996. It was also my first encounter with JTAG which gave me an alternative way of testing a processor chip without going through the arduous traditional coding process. And I'm happy I managed to dig it out from a pile of past archives and showcase it as an example in Chapter 9:

I'm sure my readers will benefit greatly how boundary scan works by studying the easy to follow test codes in high-level language syntax. It did, however, took me quite a while to understand and figure out the process laid out in the CPU's handbook (I've included the 12-page section on boundary scan test as an appendix).

Of course, newer processors and programmable array chips are much more complex. Thankfully, you don't have to do it the manual way like I did, because JTAG hardware and software tools are available with a comprehensive library of chip manufacturers supplied BSDL files now make it a breeze to test any JTAG-enabled chip on the market, better still, PCBs designed with daisy-chained JTAG devices. This too, will be covered.

That's all for now.

 

Beyond the Boundary

The Chinese Lunar New Year (CNY) is just five days away and spring cleaning is currently underway in my house. Amidst the bustling activities in preparing for this festival, I decided to start writing Chapter 9 on Other Techniques of PCB diagnostics. My engineer friend is tied up after coming back from a long holiday and can only give me the materials I need after the CNY. Oh well...

What are the other techniques that I will be exploring? For sure, JTAG is one of them. Another two more will be AOI and AXI, and I will include a comparison of these two. There is something about virtual instruments but I've yet to decide whether to include it in this chapter.

Here's a two-page sample for Chapter 9:

Incidentally, my friend's company ABI Electronics also carries a JTAG diagnostic tool for which I've also requested for a case study. If he can provide that, it would be a good illustration to my collection of examples in this upcoming book.

I will try to squeeze some time to write during this busy festive season, so stay tune for more updates.

Looking Good, Feeling Good

This week I'm 'on duty' at the National Library @ Chinatown for a mini-Roadshow by the National Silver Academy (NSA), a government initiative to promote lifelong learning among the seniors in Singapore. Here's the booth setup with yours truly:

It's a good break from my writing and allows me to interact with people, especially the elderly. There's always wonderful people you can meet at such events, more so as the Lunar Chinese New Year is just around the corner and people are in jovial festive moods.

Outside the mall there is a display of the twelve Chinese zodiac signs where shoppers can take photos. This is the year of the Rabbit so it's not surprising that its figurine is much larger than the rest:

Lately I'm feeling good that there is progress with my book, PCB Diagnostics. I have just finished Chapter 8 on Thermal Imaging and gotten permission from a Malaysian engineer to feature two of his repairs using thermal camera. I sent him a copy of the draft and here's what he has to say:

Wow, really didn’t expect the writing is that good. It’s straight to point and good English.

Like all my other books, you can expect clear, concise English that presents engineering knowledge that is not boring but engaging, with lots of useful footnotes and interesting anecdotes. This is more so with my upcoming book which uses parallel analogies with TCM. So you'll not just learn how to perform PCB diagnostics with various techniques, you'll pick up some valuable knowledge on Chinese medicine at the same time!

Stay tune for more updates, my friends.

The Passing of a Local Legend

It is with much sadness that Singapore say goodbye to her true-blue visionary and entrepreneur Sim Wong Hoo, the founder, chairman and CEO of Creative Technologies. The tech pioneer, who became Singapore’s youngest billionaire at the age of 45, was best known for the Sound Blaster sound cards, which dominated the personal computer audio market till the early 2000s.

In May 2006, Creative sued Apple, saying that the iPod and iPod Nano infringed on a patent that the company had for the interface in its Zen media player. Apple countersued. The legal dispute was eventually settled with US$100 million paid by Apple, granting them license to a patent for the hierarchical user interface used in Creative’s products.

In an interview with CNBC, Sim spoke about his belief that Apple had taken their ideas.

It was something we had to do because Apple did not just… infringe our patent. Actually, Steve [Jobs] came to our booth, saw our products and liked the product. He saw the future of Apple there.

But when Apple founder Steve Jobs died of complications due to pancreatic cancer in 2011, Sim, in a show of grace, took out a full page newspaper ad to pay tribute to him.

Mr Sim, like Steve Jobs, had left his mark in the PC industry and will be remembered by many with fond memories of the Creative products that shaped and changed the PC sound quality forever. Rest in peace.

I See You

In the 2009 blockbuster movie Avatar, the phrase "I see you." was used by the inhabitants of Pandora as a form of greeting. In the world of infrared vision, the power to see the invisible (heat radiation) can be a quick and useful way of finding failed components. This is what Chapter 8 on Thermal Imaging is all about in my upcoming book, PCB Diagnostics.

Here's a two-page sample:

I've included an ancient anecdote in the introduction to this interesting topic, but I'll not reveal it here to keep the mystery wrapped up, much like the nature of infrared. The good news is, I'm making progress on the chapter and that friend of mine had come back to me that sometime this week after the Christmas holiday, he'll have the material I need for Chapter 6. Talk about timing.

For now, readers will have to wait a bit longer. Not to worry, though, "I'll see you, soon."

 

Entering a New Year

2022 had been a rather tumultuous year, to say the least. Just when the world was easing out of the CoVid situation, the Russia-Ukraine war exploded in February. As a result, the price of oil skyrocketed to its highest in over a decade and with it, rising cost of energy and food became a global concern.

As we leave the old year and enter into the new, forecasts were made that 2023 will be a tough and challenging year with the possibility of a global slowdown, perhaps even a recession. Despite the stark outlook, many people are still hoping to put the worst behind them and embrace new opportunities and possibilities.

With that in mind, here's wishing all my readers:

Stay safe and well, my friends!

ROMCOM or RADCOM?

I'm more of an intellectual guy but my wife thinks I'm the romantic sort, especially when it comes to special occasions like her birthday and our anniversary, or when my mood dictates it. Maybe that's why I started out being trained on the RADCOM test station in my air force days; it turns out a change of just a letter or two does make a huge difference!

The good news is, I managed to complete Chapter 7 on Automated Test Equipment, though it took two extra days because I had to come out with some additional illustrations. Here's a two-page sample for my readers:

Since I have yet to hear from my engineer friend (probably he's on long Christmas holiday), I guess I'll have to start with Chapter 8, the topic on Thermal Imaging. Hope I can finish it by year end, if not another week would be just fine. By then, hopefully I'll hear from that friend so I can work on Chapter 6.

Will there be a Chapter 9? Well, I still haven't make up my mind yet. There's also the Appendices that needed some work as well. By the look of things, PCB Diagnostics will probably come out some time in February next year. Maybe it'll be on time for release on our anniversary. Now, what would my wife have to say about that?

O darling, you're such a RADCOM guy!

Well, I certainly hope not...

Ps: ROMCOM - romantic comedy

On Target or Off-Tangent?

No, I'm not talking about my current book writing per se. This morning I received a message from someone who asked if I'd still consider Target 3001 as a possible avenue for PCB-RE. I vaguely remember mentioning this tool in my trilogy, PCB-RE: Real-World Examples. Out of curiosity, I went over to the software vendor's website to have a look. Lo, and behold:

I mean, I was surprised that my book was featured and recommended on the webpage. But I can't helped laughing when I read the weird language that resembles English. It's probably Google-translated from some other foreign language, judging by the awkward sentence construction. Nonetheless, it should not diminish the effectiveness of the RE tool nor the 'fluency' of my book content (I hope). As one reader by the name Bob Ding remarked:

Have no fear of Mr. Ng's English; it's really good!

Wishing all my friends and readers a wonderful Christmas season of peace and cheer in these uncertain times! Stay safe and well...

 

Automated vs Automatic

"What's the difference?" You asked. Well, not by a stretch of two letters at the end, really. When I was first introduced to the concept of ATE, the initial impression was it's a machine that could do everything a test engineer could dream of. But after being initiated into the privileged circle and having acquired what there is to know, I've come to realize that it's far from all that I'd perceived.

Automatic? Only if the test engineer provides what it requires—interface fixture, cables and test program, then and only then will it do what it does best. Which is the reason why I personally feel that 'automated' would be a more befitting word for such test equipment.

Here is a two-page sample of the chapter:

Christmas is just round the corner so I hope this will add some festive cheer to all my readers out there. I'm halfway into writing the chapter. Hope to complete it by Christmas and start the next chapter. If my engineer friend can come back with the materials I requested, I will begin work on Chapter 6. If not, it will be Chapter 8. Make a guess on the topic.

That's all for now. Stay tune for more updates.

Ps: I've finally obtained permissions from two wonderful guys to use their projects for illustration in Chapter 4 Building Test Jigs, though the draft were already done in advance. That's good news which brought a tint of joy to the coming holiday seasons.

More Than Skin Deep

When a nurse takes your pulse, she's checking your heartbeat rate. When a doctor uses a sphygmomanometer, he's measuring your blood pressure. But when a TCM practitioner feels your pulses (it's not a spelling mistake), he's studying the state of your internal organs. Incredible? Yes. Impossible? No. Those who have worked on a clip-n-test benchtop tester will understand what I mean. While Signature Analysis detects failure more or less on the surface of every circuit node, these clip-n-test in-circuit testers can test the internals (organs) of integrated circuits.

Here's a two-page sample of what should have been Chapter 5 of my book PCB Diagnostics:

The thing is, I'm still waiting for some materials from my engineer friend who is a sales manager cum field support engineer and trainer of one of these remarkable equipment. His schedules are pretty tight so I'll have to put this chapter on hold and proceed to the next chapter—Automated Testing.

Currently I'm about 20% into the content (by estimate only). There is so much to write on this topic which I had intended to put into a series of four books (see Conceptual), but decided it's just not worth the time and energy to do so. The only consolation is I get to give it some honorable mention in this last engineering book of my writing career. If ever my works get the kind of exposure and recognition to make writing sustainable, I may have a reason to reconsider. My wife has put up patiently and supported this passion of mine for seven years, and that is enough for me.

So, on with Chapter 7...

5-6 Pick Up Sticks

Nursery rhymes are often educational though sometimes it can contain allegories that belong to the realm of fantasies. Thankfully, PCB Diagnostics is pretty down to earth despite some of its abstract concepts and approaches. But once you get it, the benefits follow.

I usually start writing my book after going through some mental gymnastics of organizing my topics based on past experiences and equipment I worked on, then draft the table of content and lay out the chapters in the order I expect to write. Sometimes, though, my intuition would play on me to skip a chapter and work on the next instead, which was what happened with the fifth and sixth chapters. And as always, following my hunch seemed like the right thing to do.

The past week I made quite good progress and almost completed Chapter 6. Then it dawn on me that I should re-number the order of these two chapters to make the thought flow more coherent. Indeed, it fit right straightaway. Here is a two-page sample of the re-ordered chapter:

Currently, I'm working on the new chapter titled 'Clip-n-Test'. There is a PCB candidate that I wanted to use as demonstration example for this diagnostic approach. And while I'm using the TCM diagnostic equivalent as introduction to this subject (like I did for the past chapters to engage my readers and make my writing more interesting, not dry and boring), I hope my engineering friend will provide me the necessary details and diagrams to flesh out this chapter's content.

Do keep a look out for further update.

A Chef's Signature Dishes

I'm a lover of gourmet food though it's only during festive seasons that I'll treat myself and my wife to a really good meal (within our means, of course!). So Chapter 6 on Signature Analysis seems like a great idea to write at this point leading up to the Christmas seasons. And I'm pleased to say that I'm making rather good progress, making up for some lost time.

Here's a two-page sample just to whet my readers' appetite (pun intended):

To those who are well-versed in this technique of PCB diagnosis, the introductory information may look elementary; but those who are new to it will appreciate and perhaps be thrilled to know about it. I will dish out more delectable signature dishes to satisfy my readers' taste buds after I've whipped up enough recipes (boy, am I feeling like a Masterchef now!).

Stay tune for more updates, and more importantly, stay safe during this festive period. Do help to spread the word and promote my works so I can bring my supportive wife to a good restaurant for her well-deserved Christmas break. Thanks!

Can I Have Your Autograph?

I'm finally done with Chapter 4 on Building Test Jigs, after completing the photo editing and Visio illustrations for three examples——one on test jig with enclosure, another using Arduino and the last with Raspberry Pi.

Here's a two-page sample for the first example:

After weighing in on the options, I decided to skip the next chapter and go on to writing Chapter 6 instead, on the subject of Signature Analysis. No, not the kind of handwriting signature (though I will touch on this aspect pertaining to TCM practices), but the kind related to electronic circuits.

I will put out a sample or two just for preview as I go along. And I'm sure my readers are going to get a kick out of it as much as I do writing about it. Hopefully I will complete this chapter before the festive bug bites me...

Hare and Tortoise

I have to admit I had trouble spelling 'tortoise' despite being able to pronounce it properly. Whenever I'm making great strides in my writing, I feel like the hare breezing towards the milestone I set for the chapter I'm currently working on. That's provided I'm not experiencing mind freeze or suffering from an inspiration deficit, or having to attend to essential matters that interrupt my thought flow. When that happens, I feel like the tortoise inching my way through a chapter one page or less at a time.

As the story goes, it's the tortoise who won the race in the end, so I'm keeping my spirit high and moving along in short bursts instead of full steam (which often comes at the expense of content quality). The good news is, I'm almost done with chapter 4 of my book and here's a two-page sample to reward my readers for your patience:

Three interesting examples are earmarked for this chapter and I have completed two with the last one in the pipeline. Meantime, I am already thinking ahead of the next two chapters (the hare in me is just raving to overtake the tortoise, really). But I'll need to make some connections with an engineer friend of mine to give me the needed details and permission before I can start writing. Hopefully, he'll grant my Christmas wish.

Ps: I could have finished this chapter earlier if not for that perfectionist in me insisting on re-doing the illustrations and touching up the photos. It can be painful at times but if I don't do it, it will bug me to no end. Sigh...

 

A Page from the Past

Every great product begins with some good design ideas and guidelines. The OrCAD suite of EDA design tools started out with the Schematic Design Tool (SDT) in 1984, a modest yet promising beginning no doubt. OrCAD went on to take the PCB design industry by storm after its PCB and VST products made their appearances, giving the average hardware design engineer a powerful EDA tools on an affordable PC platform instead of an expensive workstation.

Thanks to OrCAD founders John Durbetaki, Ken Seymour, and Keith Seymour for their pioneering vision and daring venture into unchartered waters. Thirty years later, there is now a thriving Old Dos OrCAD community that makes these amazing tools freely available to everyone, complete with original user and reference manuals. All you need is a virtual PC installed that runs on MS-DOS and you're good to go!

 

Of Jigs and Gigs

To be honest, writing can be fun yet demanding. Fun in the sense I got to decide on the content and style; demanding because it's a fine line I'm walking to balance fact and humor, both of which are essential for an overall enjoyable reading experience. For chapter 3, Building Test Jigs, I have interjected some gigs in the form of TCM analogy and personal anecdotes.

Here's a two-page sample:

I would like to take this opportunity to appeal to readers who have bought my books to also leave a comment on the Amazon product page (if you have not already done so). Your feedback is important to let me know if I'm doing it right (my style of writing), as well as a morale boost for me.

A little encouragement goes a long way, especially for a writer like me. You, my readers, are the only real people in an author's world and works. Some have become companions to me in this lonely journey of mine, for which I am most grateful.

Stay safe and well, my friends!

Let's Go On Dutch!

Just three days after I mentioned about new readers from Poland, I was notified that there was a purchase from the remaining Amazon online bookstore in the Netherlands.

Of course, readers from countries outside of the twelve Amazon presence can still order my books via its nearest online bookstore without too much hassle. And as much as I can tell from the 129 flags in the visitors counter, I have no idea on the exact countries my readers came from. If you're one of those who are following my blog, do leave a comment and let me know. It would be a great motivation to authors like myself.

Thank you and stay well and safe in these uncertain times, my friends!

 

Basic Diagnostic Skills

Had been working on Chapter 3 of my book titled Basic Diagnostic Skills and realized that there is so much to cover it took longer than expected. Thankfully, I'm putting the finishing touch for the Summary end and will proceed to write the next chapter soon.

Here's a two-page sample:

The challenge is how to balance the content so that it covers the essentials without overbearing on a topic of interest. I would suspect that as I write the rest of the chapters, I may revisit and revise some of the earlier contents when inspiration strikes. That has happened for the last five engineering books I wrote and this one won't be the exception either.

So stay tune for more updates.

Hallå Sweden!

Following Poland, there is now readers from Sweden who bought my first (The Art of PCB-RE) and latest  (Deciphering Schematics) books:

There is one more country left: the Netherlands.

It would be nice to hear reviews from readers of these countries too. These days, however, book reviews are few and far in between. Maybe because of the nature of this topic, many engineers are not willing to be in the limelight. As one early reader remarked:

Reverse engineering PCB's is to electronic circuit boards what hacking is to computer software...something people do, but no one admits to doing it, LOL.

 

Email from the UK

Well, it's been quite a while since I received emails from my readers. This morning I was notified of an incoming and was pleasantly surprised that it came from the UK:

I recently purchased two of your books. I am enjoying the books very much and am learning some new tricks. Thank you for your dedication to such a topic. I am looking forward to your new book PCB Diagnostics and I will be one of your early customers.

PS: When I started as a computer technician back in 1990, we used to do board-level repairs and I had to learn how to reverse engineer PC boards and power supplies. I have always enjoyed reverse engineering as part of my daily work and as a hobby (guitar gadgets). A few years ago I started repairing automotive computers and electronic modules and of course, there is very limited information available. Over the years I have developed plenty of techniques on my own, however, your information and resources are a real treasure.

Bob Lawrence

Cosmic Computer Services

Beaver Bank, Nova Scotia, Canada

Website: cosmiccomputerservices.com

It always makes me glad when readers tell me they enjoy my works. When I embark to write a book, readers can be assured that I'd put my heart and mind into it to bring out the best reading experience possible, on top of the knowledge and skillset I want to share. Time and money are well invested when you pick up a book that engages and enriches you from cover to cover.

And that is what I aim to achieve in my writings.

 

Lightning Don't Strike Twice...

For those who're wondering about my inactivity on the blog...

After more than ten years, quite a number of things started breaking down around the house. It began with the wall-mounted LCD TV showing a bright spot in the middle with occasional image blur. Then the aircon unit started acting strangely turning on and off by itself. Some say that it's a telltale sign of aircon short cycling. Later on, my wife bought a new electric kettle to replace the old one but after two weeks of use, the kitchen power socket suffered a meltdown which led to the discovery of current leakages in two of the main ELCB units.

And if things couldn't get any better, the kitchen light went down followed by the study light. More recently, the faucet tap of the master toilet which I bought and installed only a month ago started leaking with rust in the water. It's supposed to be 304 stainless steel but when I opened it up to check, the valve and bottom shaft were completely rusted. That really put a damper on my writing inspiration as I wrestled to rectify these problems. And it cost me quite a sum especially the new aircon system.

Now that I managed to put things back in order, hopefully I can refocus and catch up on my writing again. Here's a sample on Chapter 3 which I'm currently working on:

They say that lightning don't strike twice on the same spot. Yeah, more like a couple of times in my case. And it ain't funny at all. It's one thing to feel the seven-year itch of being an author, but it's a different thing altogether to experience a series of disruptions in a short space of time. Maybe it's telling me the time has come to call it a day.

Hopefully, I can get through this last engineering book before that happens...

Double Reviews

It's not often you receive a review from a buyer of your books, much less to have a double reviews from the same buyer in one day. So it came as a pleasant surprise when someone did just that for two of my books, PCB-RE: Real-World Examples and Manual PCB-RE: The Essentials:

For those wanting to know how PCB-RE works out in the real-world, go for the examples; for those looking to understand the process of doing manual reverse engineering a PCB, I recommend you settle for the essentials.

There simply is no better references on the PCB-RE subject out there than these two books. If you're into Microsoft Visio, then my first book, The Art of PCB Reverse Engineering is your best bet. But if you want to know what are the alternative resources available for doing PCB-RE besides the manual method, then PCB-RE: Tools & Techniques is the answer, hands down.

To find out more, click on the book covers on the right to Look Inside at the content page and samples for a better idea.

Errata to Deciphering Schematics

As much as I tried to ensure that all my books are published to the best quality, sometimes a thing or two still managed to elude me. I just received the hardcopy of Deciphering Schematics after some delivery delays and found that the illustration for the Xminilab-B mechanical diagram is fainter than what was presented in electronic forms, both on my Word document as well as Amazon's book reviewer. Somehow you can never take for granted what you see onscreen is what you'll get on print. Granted, it's still visible but not ideal to a perfectionist like myself.

For readers who purchased the earlier version, I have included an errata of the affected page below which you can download, print and insert into (or paste over) your copy:

The latest edition has been corrected. My sincere apology for this oversight. An important lesson learned is that even for a vector graphic like Microsoft Visio, if it is shrunk to 50% of the original size, there's no guarantee that it will turn out right when printed. Instead, I need to export it out as a PNG format, then copy and paste before resizing it to ensure the appropriate visibility is achieved for hardcopy.

I would appreciate that readers inform me of any mistakes, typos, or quality issues so I can correct them or feedback to Amazon.