RR NDB, 2003
We assembled a big System (SPC Telephone switching System) prototype
using "wire wrap". Big dense boards presenting complex testability
issues.
Wirewrap was used extensively in the old strowger exchanges and probably
electronic as well, though iirc, they used bigger pins and something
like 22swg wire, rather than the 0.025" pins and 30swg wire commonly
used in electronics. All the early Dec computers, pdp8, 11 etc and vax
used wirewrapped backplanes, because it has low capacitance, lends itself
to tape controlled machine wiring and makes it easy to reconfigure the
machine.
I did some work for a company in the early 80's who free issued an electric
w/w gun etc and a big box of pre stripped wires of various lengths. They
said keep it when the work was done and am still using the tools and wire
even now, from time to time.
I am amazed they were used also in avionics. (you lost precious volume
due pins length).
I don't have many examples, but have seen an early analog fuel
control "computer" that used wirewrapping between modules. Also, the sea
slug seeker head (really) that I saw at a show. The sea slug used
an X band'ish radar rx, painted externally. The analog electronics boards
were fitted into slots in a heavy ali extrusion, with each board having
wire wrap pins at each end. Pcbs at each end of the extrusion had associated
w/w pins that wirewrapped to the board pins, with the result that there were
no connectors in the system at all, other than a few 'D' series and sma for
the rf bits. Quite an impressive piece of kit, rf head and dc servos to
control the dish in azimuth and elevation. The sort of technology you don't
see very often, unless you work in that area, but interesting and it all
adds to the knowledge base.
Apologies for the drift
...