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Author Topic: Apple Lisa Overdesigned  (Read 2118 times)

anotherLISAguy

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Apple Lisa Overdesigned
« on: August 16, 2024, 01:31:19 pm »

I recently had the pleasure of disassembling a broken Lisa Card Cage - my god, I forgot how overdesigned these were. 

Between the number of screws, their locations, and the materials chosen, it is clear assembly and material costs surely added to their bottom line expense.  The sheer number of screws, fastening not only the motherboard (OK) but EVERY connector (maybe for grounding but there were better ways to handle that). 

While this made the card cage rigid, it wasn't needed for the task it was to perform.  In the MASS 495 Belt area, it was a running comment that the component build quality and modularity were on par with DEC equipment, with some claiming there were some in the engineering ranks at Apple.

Wondering if others feel this way as well about the Card Cage, I can imagine some justifications.

Anyway, curious if anyone else has a similar observation regarding other parts, I have a list in my head but thought it would be interesting to hear others' observations.

NOTE: we'll leave the LISA 1 mouse clippy thing for another discussion - talk about was an exercise in futility. :)
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ried

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Re: Apple Lisa Overdesigned
« Reply #1 on: August 16, 2024, 03:19:47 pm »

I'm not a manufacturing expert, but simply looking at the Lisa card cage next to a Macintosh logic board tells me all I need to know. Lisa is on completely different level. Then compare the rest of the two chassis. Truly an incredible product.
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anotherLISAguy

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Re: Apple Lisa Overdesigned
« Reply #2 on: August 16, 2024, 04:32:37 pm »

Neither am I, just hung around some that were - either way you don't have to be a manufacturing expert to scratch your head over using the two tapped metal rod separators was overkill - the lateral card cage slots were more than adequate to prevent any card from flopping about. If they did insist on a separator a plastic press-fit bar would have worked fine.

I know this is an esoteric discussion but there was SOMEONE at a meeting who pitched the idea of this build configuration, and all the brightest minds in the room said "Sure, whatever!"  SMH  IDBI :)

While the LISA modularity is next level (reminds me of a benz), it wasn't cost-effective.  The MAC approach changed to building the subframe to accommodate all the internals for larger-scale production was the better move.
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compu_85

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Re: Apple Lisa Overdesigned
« Reply #3 on: August 30, 2024, 07:20:02 pm »

I'm not a manufacturing expert, but simply looking at the Lisa card cage next to a Macintosh logic board tells me all I need to know. Lisa is on completely different level. Then compare the rest of the two chassis. Truly an incredible product.

Ya, I would love to know how many hours it took to screw a Lisa together. The Mac was def. designed with mass production in mind...

-J
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