On Sunday 04 November 2001 23:05, you wrote:
> <snip>
>
> I know what you mean. Cars used to be built like tanks, and a crash was
> far less likely to result in injury. WRT printers, perhaps the worst
> part of this is plastic gears-- much cheaper and faster to make, but far
> more prone to stripping, etc. I've even seen computers with mostly
> plastic cases where they backed the plastic with thin metal film to get
> a Class A (office use, not Class B home use) FCC rating.
>
> Paul
Did anyone say "HP Vectra"? :-) I have one sitting right here. I can deal
with a plastic housing ... so long as the guts are strong. The HP Vectra
guts are fairly stout ... I haven't mic'd the steel ... but there isn't
much flex when I have it open.
My concern is that something such as a printer that needs to maintain a
precise alignment over an extended range have the necessary stiffness to
it while dealing with the stresses that moving the paper and printhead or
drum present. And you are right ... plastic gears leave a little to be
desired. Even though plastic is quieter, gimmee a machined / extruded /
net-cast gear anyday.
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