A new Heathkit

[Randy Kaeding]

Most people will agree that there will never be another real Heathkit. Well, wonders never cease!

One of our developers has been working on a course on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). Although the basic theory behind RFID is not new, RFID labels may someday replace bar-code labels.

One of the items that will be offered to schools who use our RFID course is a very small-scale (about 5 feet long and 6 inches wide) conveyor unit. The purpose of the conveyor is to move boxes past RFID sensors at a steady rate, just like they would be in a real warehouse. The mechanical portion of the conveyor was actually designed by a local company that builds commercial conveyors.

A decision was made to ship the appropriate parts to the school and let the instructor assemble it. Because I wrote many kit manuals (between 1974 and 1991), and am probably the only one still here who remembers how, I was chosen to write the construction manual for the conveyor. I was given full approval to write the manual in the old tried-and-true Heathkit style. Lots of fun!

Although the conveyor kit will not be offered to the general public, it suggests a lot of possibilities for the future. Who knows, maybe someday...

Randy, K8TMK
36+ years at Heathkit Company






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