Chatting with a group of friends, I mentioned the oscilloscope, and everyone agreed it's essential—it's like the window to observe waveforms. At the time, I said I don't use it as much as possible, but I still encouraged my colleagues to make full use of it. Many netizens were curious: why would someone not use an oscilloscope more? How could that be?
Here’s my explanation:
The oscilloscope is indeed a powerful tool for visualizing waveforms, making it easier to spot anomalies. That’s why I always encourage others to use it to improve efficiency. However, over-reliance on it can weaken one’s analytical and reasoning skills. I value logical thinking highly because in some complex situations—like rare or hard-to-detect faults—the oscilloscope alone isn’t enough.
I gave two examples to illustrate this.
First, the discovery of Pluto. It was first predicted through theoretical calculations, then observed through telescopes, and finally confirmed by multiple images. Pluto is too small and dark to be found without prior theory. This process involved deep reasoning and analysis, which is crucial when direct observation is not sufficient.
Second, during the early development of a high-frequency induction power supply, we faced an issue where the output power occasionally spiked. Initially, we couldn’t detect it with the oscilloscope, even after replacing components and testing for days. The waveform looked normal, but there was a subtle phase shift in the inverter H-bridge. Only through careful theoretical analysis did we realize that the dead zone offset was causing the problem. Once identified, adjusting the phase lock resolved the issue.
Many medical tools, like B-ultrasound, are similar to oscilloscopes. They allow non-experts to perform diagnostics with minimal training. But this reduces the need for deep reasoning. I’m not against using oscilloscopes—I think they’re incredibly useful—but I believe relying too much on them weakens our own analytical abilities. I encourage beginners to use them extensively, but also to build strong reasoning skills through practice.
Later, I met an old gentleman from Hong Kong who had studied advanced technologies in the U.S. He introduced me to the idea of embedding high-speed signal acquisition devices into industrial equipment—essentially turning it into a real-time oscilloscope. These systems sample at speeds many times higher than the working frequency, allowing for real-time waveform analysis and pre-control. Unlike traditional post-feedback control, this method offers better performance, reduces heat, lowers hardware redundancy, and improves overall efficiency. This approach requires precise design and is more challenging to implement, but the benefits are significant.
In my current work on high-frequency induction heating systems, I apply this principle by using a 50MHz oscilloscope to monitor waveforms in the 500kHz–1MHz range, ensuring real-time phase locking.
Finally, I believe there are three levels of oscilloscope usage: the first is as a simple measurement tool, the second is as a mental framework for logical reasoning, and the third is integrating real-time monitoring directly into the equipment. Each level represents a deeper understanding of both the tool and the system it analyzes.
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