Re: Use of Tantulums - DRSSTCs

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "Bob (R.A.) Jones" <a1accounting@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>


> Original poster: "McCauley, Daniel H" <daniel.h.mccauley@xxxxxxxx>
>
>  >If I was in the business of designing medical equipment, spacecraft or
>  >avionics, their (tantalums) use would not even be contemplated. FWIW,
>  >mini-electrolytics and/or mini ceramic types work just as well
>  >in the regulator applications.
>  >
>  >Malcolm
>  >
>
> Malcolm,
>
> The failure of these components almost always a result of improper
> design by the
> engineer, not by the component.  The engineer needs to understand the
> how the device
> will be operated and under what conditions and use the correct part for
> the application.

I agree that was my experience too for initial or unexpected failures.
Engineers not doing their home work and relying on well there was no
problems in the one off prototype we tested mentality.

Of cause for a one off home project its a trade off between design
time/knowlege and a suck it and see approach.

>
> Tantalum capacitors are used almost everywhere.  In my line of work,
> which includes lately
> power system (avionics) work on the new F/A-22 Raptor as well as naval /
> ground based military radar
> systems, tantalum capacitors are used quite frequently.

If I remember correctly from my military avionic experience tantalum caps
were initially not used because of the life issues.  Eventually some
versions did got approved.
A mil spec tantalum cap may have a very different internal construction than
a bead one.

Bob