Test Equipment Plastic Parts

[deepskyridge]

I have a HP 3478A Multimeter that works in all respects, but it has a broken cap on the end of the power switch shaft.

The shaft and switch are fine but the cap is missing.

I thought about taking the one off the Front/Rear terminal switch but would rather not.

Any idea where I could fine one.

I have searched EBAY repeatedly without luck.

Thanks
Gary

[Richard Head]

If you have no success finding one you could try to get one 3d printed.
Incidentally,  have an HP437B RF power meter that uses the identical button. Probably used on plenty of  HP instruments from that era.

[alanambrose]

Yep, check the keysight site in case anything in production still uses the part. (Get the part number from the docs.) I just bought some key caps for a 3458a (which is still in production) - but, for instance, the same ones are used on the 3245a (which is not). Easy and <$10. Else find a CAD person, bribe with beer (the CAD should take < 1/2 hour) and send the stl file to shapeways or imaterialise. You might want to order the part in a couple of different materials to see which one matches the best. However, small parts are cheap, say <$5 in one off.

Alan

[vinicius.jlantunes]

Definitely worth to check with Keysight if they have it.

Maybe I was lucky, but once I bought an used power supply and the front panel was broken during transportation. I sent an email to Keysight and a support engineer found a spare panel in the US and had it shipped to the local Keysight office here in Brazil which then sold it to me at a very reasonable price. The engineer said it was not typical for them to do this (more typical would be for me to send the equipment to them and they fix it), but as it was a "hard to get" part and replacing the panel was easy, they were willing to help me.
I was impressed!

In short - shoot them an email with the part number (you can get it from service manual) and if they have it they will likely help you. Great service in my experience.

EDIT: typo

[DonDoucette]

I have been researching a 3D printer for just this reason. I have for many years discarded things because something like a switch cap or know have broken.