Rich:

Try creating plastic overlay templates with cut-outs for each of the tantalum
caps on the board, with the polarity clearly marked on the template.  You could
create the templates by printing an edited 1-1 assembly drawing image onto
transparancy film on your laser printer and cutting out the locations for the
capacitors to be checked.

Granted, it adds an additional inspection step in the process but it does detect
installation errors before applying power to the board.

Bill Fabry
Plantronics, Inc.
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____________________Reply Separator____________________
Subject:    <no subject>
Author: "TechNet E-Mail Forum." <[log in to unmask]>
Date:       8/6/98 8:24 AM

     Hello,

     I am interested in a solution to installing tantalums in reversed.
     Plus symbols, silk-screen marking, etc. have proven inadequate.
     Failures come after many hours of reverse polarity in some
     applications.

     Are there any ideas on how to physically or otherwise prevent this.

     Thank you, Rich.

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