Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus to monitor a yarn piecing joint on a spinning machine with a plurality of piecing stations (1) to which a piecing robot (2) equipped with a yarn piecing apparatus (13) with adjustable yarn piecing speed can be presented, whereby each spinning station (1) or the piecing robot (2) is provided with a yarn monitoring apparatus (6) to monitor the yarn quality. According to the invention the piecing robot (2) and the yarn monitoring apparatus (6) of the spinning station (1) are connected via a communication system through which the piecing parameters of the piecing robot (2) are transmitted to the yarn monitoring apparatus (6).

Abstract: To prevent failure of solder connections between projecting pins from discrete electrical components, such as power transistors, and printed circuit paths formed on an insulated substrate, the space between the semiconductor and an attached cooling plate in the region of the pin is increased to permit lateral excursion of the pin, without electrical contact with the cooling plate, and thus prevent failure of the solder connection. The space can be increased by, for example, the relieving the thickness of the cooling plate in the region where the pin passes therethrough, or spacers can be inserted between the cooling plate and the insulating board on which the printed circuit is carried, both solutions providing for some flexibility of the mounting and hence deflection of the connecting pin from the semiconductor to the solder connection.