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Polls What tool or technology do you reach for most often as an engineer?
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  • Author Author: bluescreen
  • Date Created: 29 Apr 2014 5:45 PM Date Created
  • Last Updated Last Updated: 11 Oct 2021 3:01 PM
  • Views 4117 views
  • Likes 1 like
  • Comments 83 comments
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What tool or technology do you reach for most often as an engineer?

Tell us what tool, technology, or instrument you reach for most often in your engineering work.

 

(And don't forget to click the Vote button at the bottom to make it count!)

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Top Comments

  • johnbeetem
    johnbeetem over 11 years ago +2
    The notebook. I use those granite composition books which you can buy for US$1 or so during annual back-to-school sales. Ideas get sketched in the notebook long before they're typed in, and it's a great…
  • michaelkellett
    michaelkellett over 11 years ago in reply to jw0752 +2
    Hello John, Go for the temperature controlled iron for anything/everything. The Ersa one I mentioned is very nice but a bit pricey - I've used a few cheapo ones and they have been OK. I prototype on pcbs…
  • michaelwylie
    michaelwylie over 11 years ago +1
    Multimeter hands down. Most frequent problem is no power, and the multimeter is key for troubleshooting power issues.
  • Former Member
    Former Member over 10 years ago

    Buspirate. Perfect for debugging SPI and I2c, will even do jtag or program a cpld.

     

    TI's USB2ANY that comes with some dev kits is also awesome, if you can find the full software suite for it.

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  • 4ringfan
    4ringfan over 10 years ago

    Definitely the DVM.  I troubleshoot for the most part, so when something is wrong and it is not obvious (aka burnt charred or otherwise damaged), you start on one end or the other and work back with the meter until you find the culprit.  It is usually in there.  Well unless someone forgot to plug the device in, which, well, that happens too.  We are only human, ya know.

     

    I will say as far as the electronics lab goes, I'd have to say the PC.  I can't tell you how nice it is now-a-days to be able to datasheet on the smallest of parts off of the internet and immediately understand what it is and what it is supposed to do.  That is some power there.

     

    Mike

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  • kidiccurus
    kidiccurus over 11 years ago

    A small pair of side cutters. They cut. They strip. They, have blue handles? Seriously, the amount of times I need to cut things is ridiculous.

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  • Former Member
    Former Member over 11 years ago

    RESISTANCES are missing in dis list image

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  • Former Member
    Former Member over 11 years ago in reply to Problemchild

    The red rubber piece on the back is like "backspace" or the "del" keys image

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  • Problemchild
    Problemchild over 11 years ago in reply to Problemchild

    Section 2: point sharp end away from face????

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  • dragonstyne
    dragonstyne over 11 years ago in reply to Problemchild

    Section 1: This is a pen. The pen is your friend.

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  • dragonstyne
    dragonstyne over 11 years ago in reply to Problemchild

    I second that....image

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  • Problemchild
    Problemchild over 11 years ago in reply to dragonstyne

    Maybe we should have a pen and paper instructional video for our younger members  image

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  • dragonstyne
    dragonstyne over 11 years ago

    Shabaz does have a point if I were jotting down a few notes or say, programming in python, a text editor would be extremely useful.

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>
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