[BC] Equipment Hall Of Fame

[PeterH5322]

1) The "Certi-crimp" crimp tool.

Many manufacturers, and many die sets, but here I am nominating the basic 
"certi-crimp" tool, which guarantees that every crimp is a good one, or 
the tool will not release the wire/connector assembly.


2) The "precision formed" contact.

Again, many manufacturers, and many connectors, but here I am nominating 
the basic "precision formed" pin and/or pin receiver, or, for certain 
computers, the hermaphroditic "serpentine" contact. These replaced, for 
the most part, individually machined pins ("Swiss" screw machined), and 
individually machined sockets with inserted spring contacts.

3) "Spot" gold over nickel plating.

Many manufacturers, but here I am nominating the basic "spot" application 
of gold over nickel technology, which has largely replaced all-gold 
connector contact plating, in response to $800 per Troy ounce gold, of 
decades past.