Is Linear Technology a good manufacturer?

[mayler]

I am projecting an amplifier for microvolts of precision and i am thinking  use instrumental amplifiers of Linear Technology... Do they make what is wrote in datasheet or it's just theory and in practice it's all a lie?

Thanks for the help. 

[borberk]

Get samples and test it!!!

[mayler]

The problem is : I dont have time to test because i must finish the project and most of the components used are of Linear Tech. And I dont live in USA, I live in Brazil and noone send things to here, because of the Crap Custom here. I need to send to Canada first, to my aunt send here and I need this report  from users of LInear. 

[FriskyFerret]

Linear Technologies is a fine, reliable company. No worries.

[Triodethom]

I have had good luck with linear tech for about last 17 years. What part are you using ? Regards Thom

[mayler]

I have had good luck with linear tech for about last 17 years. What part are you using ? Regards Thom

Thanks for the feedback. I will use the LT1236A ( 5v precision ref ), LT1025A ( cold junction compensator ), ltc2053 ( instrumentation amplifier ) and ltc2436 ( 16 bits a/d 2 ch). Do you used anyone of these? I simulated in Multisim the LTC2053 and liked  very much the results.

[Trishool]

mayler , I would trust Texas instruments (as they have acquired BB) and Linear technology for my signal conditioning needs.

Ts

[ashu.spect]

Linear technology is good n reliable.

Ashu

[donno]

I agree with all above, LT make reliable regulation products..have never had any complaints
with the parts that I have used.

[otter]

I would rate linear tech up there with the top layer of analogue supplier, like Analog Devices and Maxim.

[mylogin]

I am projecting an amplifier for microvolts of precision and i am thinking  use instrumental amplifiers of Linear Technology... Do they make what is wrote in datasheet or it's just theory and in practice it's all a lie?

Thanks for the help. 

for micro volt signal level, your problem will come mostly  from the PCB layout, Grounding and noise shielding.  select good IC chips is only a first step.  you might not get what you want if you don't take care of the other things surrounding the IC chip correctly.
have fun.     (Linear tech is a good analog IC manufacture)

[pl4tonas]

LT is a greate manufacturer and very much appriciated in their field.
I would never dare to judge them unless I feel I can do their job better.

[mayler]

you might not get what you want if you don't take care of the other things surrounding the IC chip correctly.

I know about the solder points... I make little "thermocouples" in the circuit . And the noises... in this scale, my breath generate noise haha .

I am considering use the Analog Devices ADC... because they have PDIP package and will be more easy to me make an PCB... It's very difficult to me make a PCB with SSOP packages, unless anyone here  knows a manner to make professional PCB's with homemade equipment... Anyone? 

[Trishool]

It's very difficult to me make a PCB with SSOP packages, unless anyone here  knows a manner to make professional PCB's with homemade equipment... Anyone? 

You only need solder paste and a hot air soldering station to do that its simple and easy.

Ts

[armandiaz]

TI and Analog have fine components and a samples policy far better than Linear Tech.
If you can always prefere them to LT.

[jestanoff]

Linear Technology have very reliable products, but they are very expensive. If the prise is more significant use Texas Instruments or Maxim Semiconductors.

[bogdantk]

Hello
I have a large experience with various manufacturers in the analog and mixed AD.
The very best for analog and mixed analog & digital components is by far Analog Device.
But they are expensive and sometimes hard to find.
Texas Instruments, Maxim,  Linear Tech are almost equally good
must pay more attention to the layout, thermal, EMC,
power supply routing and decoupling (rejection ratios are less than AD).
So you can use Linear Tech. with no worry - they keep the the datasheet promises.
Voltage references from LT are quite good but with high freq. noise.

[FriskyFerret]

This thread is like the ugly girl in town. Everyone goes to her to increase his score.

[OleRuffo]

I am considering use the Analog Devices ADC... because they have PDIP package and will be more easy to me make an PCB... It's very difficult to me make a PCB with SSOP packages, unless anyone here  knows a manner to make professional PCB's with homemade equipment... Anyone? 

Hiyas Mayler:
you can trust in our fellows advice, a lot of very clever and seasoned experts! 
in my own experience, any of the major players in the silicon industry are very close to its own data sheets!
and about the SMD components: is a lot more easy than it would appear, just pre paste  the PCB pads ( a bit of solder over the bare cooper) and use a regulated heat air gun with a reduced exaust. put the IC over the PCB and fix it with a heat resistant tip. Heat the place and you will see when the solder melts. retire the hot air and keep the tip some seconds more to avoid an IC displacement, and you are done. 
I found that the DIP pins would act like little antennas in some critical designs more easily than SMD packs.
Hope this helps to you
Cheers

[maiasj]

Mayler, I'm brazilian too, from Rio, and have made some good PCBs at home using the toner method. If you want I can help you to make yours.
Regards,
Maia

[shobits1]

for me LT is more than enough

[mylogin]

Hello
I have a large experience with various manufacturers in the analog and mixed AD.
The very best for analog and mixed analog & digital components is by far Analog Device.
But they are expensive and sometimes hard to find.
Texas Instruments, Maxim,  Linear Tech are almost equally good
must pay more attention to the layout, thermal, EMC,
power supply routing and decoupling (rejection ratios are less than AD).
So you can use Linear Tech. with no worry - they keep the the datasheet promises.
Voltage references from LT are quite good but with high freq. noise.

I agree with bogdantk's comment,  ADI is the best (but expensive), Maxim,LT,NS,TI are about the same, but NS and TI are volume supplier so the price is cheaper, you need to be more careful on the PCB and de-coupling issue on Maxim,LT in order to get the result from their spec.  if you look at the spec. the device from Maxim,LT is not as optimized as ADI. and you need to take care of more things outside the chip, such as impedance matching, ...etc.,  but again you got what you paid for. they are all good manufactures.   try to get samples from different vendor(they are free) and try it especially for analog/mixed signal IC.

[mayler]

News report:

I bought the amplifier (LTC2053), cold junction compensator(LT1025) and 2.5V / 5V regulators(LT1460) from Linear... They are giving what they promise in datasheet. I bought too the AD7705/AD7706 (16 bit 500 sps AD - I dont need fast conversion, I need a GOOD conversion). The Analog Part (AMP+CJ+REG) is working fine, almost no noise. The hybrid part ( AD) i dont implemented yet, because i had horrible problems with noise in the first assembly and i fixed recently.

About the LT...

Despite some comments, I found the LT support very good... And i think they have fair-good prices. I bought U$ 38 dollars of components in their site and in day-after at 9 o'clock the components have arrived. TI and AD dont sell 2 amplifiers or 2 regulators in their sites... Only 300+. I will not assembly a Megazord  , only a project. And LT sent to me samples... The price of samples are about the price of my buy. So, nothing to complain. The other components i had to buy in Newark...

OleRuffo says : I found that the DIP pins would act like little antennas in some critical designs more easily than SMD packs.

Thanks OleRuffo... I thought exactly that... But i used smd in the critical part... And PDIP in the less-critical part ( The AD, that will receive a larger signal than the OPAMP).

One experience that i like to share with the friends of forum:

1- A lot of projects with thermocouple in the net (even in Application notes of LT and TI) they use the thermocouple in differential mode ( conecting a lead in IN+ and the other in IN-). DONT DO THAT, especially with critical thermocouples. I tried this config and had a lot of noise in my output as result. Even in multisim 10 appears a bad result. I connected one lead in ground (both the thermocouple / opamp) and put the other lead in IN+ of opamp. Works greatly. I made a equal project of the application note (if someone wants to see, look the LTC2053 Application Note int LT site) and result was a crap. Using a lead as ground, precise amplification.

Now "we" know that LT is a good manufacturer. 

Thanks to all help.
When I finish the AD part, i will post here.

[LSSB]

Linear Tech are reliable and I have used there instrumentation amplifier IC, for pH sensing. U CAN TRUST THEM!!!