Used components - how to spot, avoid and deal with them

[@michaelterrell]

Back in the 1990s, I worked for an Asset Recovery Company. We processed truckloads of used electronics. It as sorted int, 'Used, working' 'Used, Needs repair' or scrap. We also did certified destruction where off lease equipment couldn't be sold intact, but boards or modules could be sold. During the 256 K DRAM shortage, I was removing them by the thousands from some Unisys memory boards that each had 144 of them. We sold them to small computer shops for $2.75 each, on the condition that they inform their customers that they were used. There was no other source to end users for over a year I agree that new is best, but sometimes used is your only choice so you have to do a 100% incoming inspection on those parts. With DIP packages, in most cases were easy to spot since the leads were trimmed during assembly, but some multilayer boards were so thick that they required full length.

[@electronics_enthusiast]

man, your videos are really informative. I came from watching your video on FPGA use in javelin missile, I'm 2nd in college doing electronics degree and i know basic stuff about it. i want to get into embedded systems field, can you Please guide me about what will be the most important skills that i should work on and maybe recommend some books on it?

[@electronics_enthusiast]

i currently trying to build a electromagnetic suspension system for a small RC car using a arduino board