16F876A chip failures

[mister_e]

Just in addittion... chances are that you use a 16F and not a 18F.... Those 18F or some 16F SERIE A are more sensitive to EMI and all other noise.

A good PCB, hardware, cabinet design combination is not as this easy to do.

I can't talk for them but i'm pretty sure that Ralph and Melanie (those i know who design stuff for industrial noisy environement) will agree with that.

[Melanie]

When the 'A' series PICs started to come through, then they along with the 18F series got a lot of bad press. So much so, that rather than risk wasting precious time with possible problems, I delayed their introduction. Since then, the Purchasing Department forced my hand because they argued that the 16F876A series (and others) were much cheaper than the original non-A. As stocks ran out of the older parts I switched across... and guess what?.... Nothing! Zippo. No rejects, no returns, no feedback... they go out the door and it's like they've fallen into a Black Hole and are never seen or heard from again.

The only major problems I've ever encounterd across the last four years were with a particular brand of op-amp in a voltage doubler circuit...

http://www.picbasic.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=245

After a lot of investigation, I discovered the failure was always with National Semiconductor as the manufacturer, and checking deeper discovered that the internal schematic of their part was flawed. Banned the use of Nat Semi and use TI or ST instead - no more problems.

[mister_e]

mmm interesting point about National. Well i'm happy to hear that and i'm proud now to have more TI in stock than National.

Any bads with Analog Device on your side??? As now, not here yet.

[NavMicroSystems]

...Any bads with Analog Device on your side??? As now, not here yet.

Steve,
I have loads of Analog Device parts out in the field
(in really harsh environments)
and I have never had any problem.

[mister_e]

Great. Thanks Ralph.