How can I tell what year my Scorpius M10 was made?

[Shyfe]

I ordered one from X-tremegeek and it doesn't have a logo on the top right. It also has a gray LED cover. I think it's an old one, but I'm not too sure.

[cmr]

post pix of the PCB

[Shyfe]

I can't find a screwdriver that will fit. Is the PCB different for older and new ones?

[Shyfe]

does yours say iOne in the top right?

[Shyfe]

alright i just opened it up and i got the pictures. after closing it, it noticed a tiny gap on the edge between the top and bottom half (1 mm). this is normal right?

[timw4mail]

My M10 does have the ~1mm gap in the casing on the front.

Just out of curiosity, does your pcb look cleaner without the flash?
When I opened my M10, the pcb looked pretty clean, with perhaps a little solder flux.

[Shyfe]

yeah i think it does. does yours have the iOne logo on the top right? If so, I believe that's a newer one. what do you think of the solder though? should i be fine?

[keyb_gr]

Interesting, looks like these use the "naked" Cherry switches without even a wire bridge...

[timw4mail]

yeah i think it does. does yours have the iOne logo on the top right? If so, I believe that's a newer one. what do you think of the solder though? should i be fine?

No, my M10 doesn't have the logo on the top right. I haven't had any issues with my Scorpius M10, so I don't think it's a big issue, but I'm not really sure, as I haven't had the keyboard for that long.

[cmr]

your PCB looks just like mine. i bet it was made about 5 or 6 months ago.

[Shyfe]

why is it in all the stock pictures they have the logo on the top right?

[itlnstln]

why is it in all the stock pictures they have the logo on the top right?

They're too lazy to take a new one.
 
 
I'm not kidding.

[Shyfe]

but it's kind of odd that they have the white led cover. i thought it was from their discontinued gray ones.

[timw4mail]

Flash pictures exaggerate those flux pools.  It looks like they have cleaned up their process although I'm no expert.

Well, when I peeked at my PCB, it certainly looked very neat, and clean. I can't say how the flux looks, because I didn't have a flash, but it certainly doesn't seem the soldering mess that it supposedly used to be.

Then again, I've only had the keyboard for ~3 months, so I can't say I have a long term view of its reliability.

[Shyfe]

to clarify what I meant before, they used to have old white ones a few years back which is where i think these white LED covers are coming from. if they are using the white LED covers from the discontinued white ones on the black ones, then they must have run out at some point. since the ones with the white LED covers on it don't have the white iOne logo printed on it, that leads me to believe the ones with the white iOne logo are the more recent ones since they all have black LED covers plus the box says the keys are rated for 2 million actuations instead of the 1 million on my box. It may say Windows Vista support too while the box for mine doesn't. i can't tell though because I haven't been able to find any pictures high res enough. Of course this doesn't mean anything if they haven't run out of the white LED covers or old boxes and they're just randomly using them. that being said. i don't really have any problems which my keyboard except the right shift key twists when I press it down. is this a common issue with mechanical keyswitches? i never use that key anyway so I'm not too worried.

[rdjack21]

Sorry but I have not really been following this thread. I hate to rain on every ones parade but no they have not fixed there solder issues. That white flux residue is not a problem all no clean fluxes will leave that white residue. Some manufactures will clean the board after the wave process so that it looks nicer but it is not required for them to do so. But with the amount that is on that board they are putting to much on the board before the wave not really an issue but it does make it look dirtier than it really is. If flux application is controlled well then you will only see very small amounts of the white residue. For your piece of mind the residue is inert and should not cause any issues.

Now on to the bigger problem. Take a look at the first picture Shyfe posted earlier in the thread blow it up to full size and go to the bottom left of the picture. Now move to the right about 5 switches (bottom row) then look up you will see where a IC or some other through hole part is soldered into the board (very clean area around it). Take a close look at those solder joints. See how they are formed .. Break this will take me to long to explain instead go take a look at this video from IPC http://ipc.electronics.ca/DVD-PTH-D.wmv Back when I was in manufacturing (SMT Process eng.) I tought that class to both our inspectors and line people. Now that viedo is not long but you will get enough because it does show good solder joints and how they should look.

Now after seeing that look at that picture again can see the issues. Most if not all of the switch joints did not form a good fillet. Most of them just have a ball of solder attached to the board where the switch should be. In stead of repeating myself take a look at this thread:
http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?t=5640&highlight=rdjack21
Any questions you have ask here I will try to keep an eye on this thread and answer them if I can.

Your board looks like mine and may have the same problem down the road as mine did. The keys that you bang on the most will fail first. If you are good with an iron and have one you should be able to just reflow the joint and get it to work again. Because the switch will not be the issue it will be that crap solder joint.

Oh as a side note. I don't think any more that they are using a selective solder machine. I think they are putting the board in a wave solder pallet and only exposing the switches on the second pass. But then again they may be doing only one pass (the way I would do it) on a wave solder pallet which may explain why they are having heat issues.

Oh well the bottom line is that they have not fixed their process and the solder joints are not very good (They would not pass IPC standards). Back when I was a Process Engineer if I let that out the door I would have gotten in allot of trouble if not fired.

[Shyfe]

i have never soldered before but i do have two soldering guns. i should be able to fix it without much difficulty when it breaks right?

[cmr]

i've just installed a fifth jumper on my M10 and numpad_0 is working again

[rdjack21]

i have never soldered before but i do have two soldering guns. i should be able to fix it without much difficulty when it breaks right?

As Ripster stated it is very easy to do. But is is also easy to cut/burn a trace if you go fast. Just touch the solder with the tip when it melts pull away that is all it should need. Oh use some flux as well not much just a little. if you don't use flux you will have to leave you iron on the joint longer which can transmit the heat to the switch and damage it.

[keyb_gr]

I like using a block of Sal Ammoniac instead of a wet sponge cause I'm too lazy to walk over to the sink.

For such cases one can also purchase some special kind of metal wool. Some folks swear by the stuff, others don't like it as much.

[rdjack21]

Other advice is really get that tip clean.  I like using a block of Sal Ammoniac instead of a wet sponge cause I'm too lazy to walk over to the sink.  One bozo on Instructables recommended using newspaper - a sure way to spray solder into your eyeball.  Then tin the tip.   Only THEN start actually soldering.

Forgot about that and should have mentioned it myself because it is very important. It really helps heat transfer allot. Thanks for catching that ripster.  I just do it out of habit and forget about it when writing about it.