Best way to dampen a micro-vibrating Printed Circuit Board inside an amp? Thanks!


Please what is a recommended way(s) to dampen a micro-vibrating Printed Circuit Board inside an amp? Thanks! 

vinylfun

Showing 3 responses by awise1961

Being in the profession I am in, I find this thread to be somewhat amusing. I started my career in the early 80's as a PWB (printed wiring board designer) then into Engineering Manager, then Director, and then finally where I'm at as a VP/GM of an aerospace/defense contract manufacturer. For over forty years I've been involved in building things which ultimately go into things that fly and/or blow up. We do quite a bit of shock and vibe testing on most everything we build. Big vibe tables that look like a huge woofer facing upwards with a plate on it to hold an assembly down while completely wired up to electrical test equipment. Beyond that we have ESS (environmental) test chambers fed by liquid nitrogen so that the circuit under test can be thermal cycled up and down from -30 degrees C to +150 degrees C. Quite a few of these circuits are very complex containing a plethora of cap's resistors, diodes, transistors, BGA's, and with RF content as well. These circuits have to provide communications, video, GPS, etc...all while bouncing off the deck of an aircraft carrier, or being dropped from the likes of a B52. A CCA (circuit card assembly) in a hifi system lives a much easier life, so that is why this is somewhat amusing to me. Then again My Naim ND555 DAC/Streamer has its main CCA's mounted to brass plates weighing over five pounds each which are in turn are suspending on springs. When I was researching the unit prior to purchase, I found that to be amusing as well. It does produce lovely music.

The thread premise question is with regards to the CCA's, not the piece of equipment it goes into. I would absolutely agree that transformers, relays, vacuum tubes, and other non-CCA items are indeed sensitive to vibrations. Again, the question was with regards to the circuit card assemblies. Every CCA my company produces for mil use is supplied with electrical test data. 

Invalid,

If we can hear sound emanating from a video or GPS cca there is indeed a problem. Actually, if you can hear sound coming from any cca, I would estimate that a problem exists. Most of the cards we build go through a final, full functional test simulating what it is expected to do in the real world. As of late, a guidance cca for the Tomahawk missile has the most stringent of test requirements. However, in my private world, I do not sign up to reviewers of audio gear who pass judgement based solely upon test data. I’ve assembled my system based on how it sounds to me. I really appreciate your questions. You made me think. This type of healthy banter is what makes this forum so much fun.