Life Span of the Modern Electrical Device

Now that we have entered the 21st Century and have relied upon the advancements made in the fields of electronics in the past several decades, it may be interesting to examine some aspects of how these new devices have made life easier, but also to consider some of the costs of such advances in terms of life span of these devices. Have we traded some increase in convenience for much shorter lifespan? In other words, by relying on the push of a button instead of taking half a minute to manually complete a task on a mechanical device, are we now forced to throw away and repurchase the electronic device on a regular basis?

Let's consider the mechanical can opener as a basic example, and then extrapolate and look at more complex tools and scientific instruments and take a look at the cost of our recent advances. For instance, the can opener in use today, with a cutting wheel that travels around the rim, was invented in 1870. A mechanical one may take 10 or 15 seconds more in time compared to the use of an electrical one, but the results are the same; the lid is cleanly removed. While the average life span of an electrical can opener is about 3 years, there are many mechanical ones still operating that are 5 or 10 times as old. Ask any Vietnam era veteran about the old P-38 can opener they used to open their C-Rations, and they will vouch for their efficiency, and may even tell you that they still have one lying around somewhere.

There are scientific electronic balances used today that are quick and very accurate, yet there were various mechanical ones that were more than accurate enough, and some still in operation. The average pharmacy still has a Torsion Balance with a 2 mg sensitivity, and so is not only extremely accurate, but it is reliable as well, often performing to specification more than 20 years after its last calibration. While replacement with a modern electronic version may seem practical due to time saving while weighing a powder or cream, the total weighing procedure may only end up in a one minute difference in time. If the balance is only used once a month--not an unusually low number in modern pharmacy practice--and it costs $1600, then if the balance lasts 10 years before it needs to be replaced, that is $13 per use. Even with very little use, such things as lightning surges, static electricity, and sudden jarring or impacts can take their toll on such sophisticated electronic devices. Electromigration is one of the physical phenomena that acts to degrade the microelectronics which makes up such equipment as electronic balances and scales, which of course is not a factor in the torsion balance. So it may not be surprising to find that there is still a torsion balance known as the Torbal DRX-3 which is being manufactured and sold by a company called Fulcrum. Many of the Torsion Balances are 50 years old and still giving good service after having been put to use many hundreds and even thousands of times. That would equivocate to a few cents per time used. Perhaps that is one reason many pharmacies continue to hold on to the old standbys, since there are still places that service such balances, though this is probably a very specialized field these days.

What has the life span of the typical home TV been over the past 25 years? If the average house hold has replaced their TV three times since 1983, then that would amount to an average life span of about eight years. Although some of the turnover is due to social and economic reasons rather than simply being a result of the equipment failing, when one considers the amount of money spent on these items, it indicates that the advances are mainly ones having to do with our entertainment choices rather than one of necessity.