On Wed, 21 Sep 2005 21:43:41 -0400, you wrote:

>Hello all,
>
>I've just finished a product that uses a specialized dc/dc controller
>(designed for a wholly unrelated field) with some further tweaks to
>solve a particular thorny problem.
>
>It took three major redesigns to get here, 100s of hours, etc.
>
>But... it could be easily copied.  And can't be patented.
>
>So... at the very least I'm going to (carefully) sand off the markings
>on the IC.
>
>But it would be great to seal everything up as well.  Only the dc/dc
>section need be protected, there is no need to encapsulate everything.
>Ideally just a tablespoon of viscous goo poured over it.
>
>Now I realize there are limits to what can be protected, the goal is to
>make it hard enough that casual poking around won't yield any clues.
>The product is a specialized enough thing that there aren't many
>companies in the business field that would be interested in it, so it
>doesn't need to withstand some concerted, well-equipped "attack".
>
>Has anyone been in this situation before?
>
>Any advice appreciated!
>Thanks
>Jesse

Sanding off numbers and/or Potting is a complete waste of time for stopping people copying, and adds
to your build costs on every unit.
It may add a few hours or days to the time it takes someone to do it but if they have decided to do
it they will do it anyway.
  

-- 
http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
View/change your membership options at
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist