06-09-2019, 05:26 PM
(06-09-2019, 01:01 PM)BusyBee Wrote: Perhaps it's just the massive increase in integrated circuit (mainly digital) technology and software engineering in the last 40 to 60 years. My opinion is more that massive processing power is now used rather than even thinking about implementing relatively simple electronic solutions in many cases. The skillset has changed. Even I am guilty in using an Arduino from time to time rather than putting together an analogue circuit.
Tracy
As hobbyists, we can choose the type of circuitry we would like to use to solve a particular electronics problem, and long may that continue.
A company making items for sale, especially to consumers, will choose designs that perform as required for minimal cost. They will use, for example, a microcontroller costing less than 1 GBP in a washing machine. Such a device can deal with all of the user interface and motor control aspects of the machine apart from higher power switching. A small PCB can contain all of the control circuitry for the machine. The washing machine company would be mad and uncompetitive to use anything other than such devices - it is the correct solution for the present times.
John
