Early Microprocessors in Industrial Microcomputers

[Chuck Guzis]

On 03/09/2016 11:36 AM, william degnan wrote:

> Obviously different than the first microcomputers designed for
> smaller tasks in an industrial setting, but I agree that certainly
> the last of the Win 2000 systems are still churning away customize
> applications for business purposes in the backrooms of shops, plants,
> etc..


I still deal with PLCs that are running CP/M-86 as well as CP/M 68K.

Not that long ago, I helped out with a CNC punch that ran CP/M 2.2.

And there are still scads of embroidery machines running crufty OSes.

Basically, the issue is that the iron being controlled is very rugged, 
parts are readily available and the electronics were built to last.

Here's a Mitsubishi DWC-90H EDM.  Some of these guys still run from 
cassette tape, though most have been upgraded to floppy or emulator.

http://bit.ly/220CbKX

These are systems that do work day-in and day-out even today after 30-40 
years.

In the embedded world, it's even more pervasive.  A couple of years 
back, I retired a Toshiba microwave oven that used a TMS1000 MCU.  It 
still worked, but was unneeded.  How's that for early microprocessor use?

--Chuck