Computer Automation

Computer Automation, Inc.

File:Computer Automation logo.svg
Industry	Computer manufacturing
Founded	1968
Defunct	1992
Headquarters	Richardson, Texas, United States
Key people	David H Methvin (founder)
Products	Naked Mini minicomputers Naked Milli minicomputers Marathon Automatic Test Systems (Functional Board Testers - In-Circuit Board Testers)

Computer Automation, Inc. was established in 1968 by David H. Methvin as a manufacturer specializing in minicomputers and industrial control computers, initially headquartered in Newport Beach, California. The company expanded its presence internationally by inaugurating a sales and support office in the United Kingdom in 1972 at Hertford House, Maple Cross, later relocating within Hertfordshire. Throughout its history, the corporate headquarters relocated several times: moving to Boulder, Colorado in 1981, then Irvine, California in 1985, and ultimately settling in Richardson, Texas in 1990. The Richardson site had been operational since 1978 as a manufacturing and engineering center aimed at optimizing labor and tax expenses.

Among the earliest offerings were the PDC 404 and PDC 808 "Programmed Digital Controllers," with the PDC 808 introduced circa July 1969 to serve control and data acquisition functions. By 1969, the Model 816—a 16-bit general-purpose computer utilizing TTL integrated circuits paired with three-dimensional core memory—entered full-scale production.

In 1971, the firm launched the Alpha series comprising the Alpha 8 (8-bit) and Alpha 16 (16-bit) systems. These machines were constructed using DTL and TTL logic families and featured a variety of memory configurations alongside diverse input/output options. The Alpha lineup supported flexible I/O cards compatible with punched tape readers, magnetic tape drives, disk controllers, and teletype devices.

The introduction of the LSI-1 in 1973 marked an attempt to produce an affordable single-board 16-bit computer based on custom large-scale integration chips engineered by Ken Gorman and Roy Blacksher. However, manufacturing setbacks caused by foundry defects delayed production, preventing the LSI-1 from reaching commercial release. Its successor, the LSI-2, preserved the original architecture but replaced custom chips with standard TTL logic components. The LSI-2 offered multiple processor speed variants (2/10, 2/20, and 2/60) and enhanced memory through bank switching technology supporting up to 32K semiconductor memory modules. It maintained backward compatibility with legacy I/O devices while introducing new hard disk and floppy disk controller options.

Quality Control Diagnostics (QCD) were an integral feature embedded across product lines to verify hardware performance through various media such as paper tape and floppy disks.

During the mid-1970s, Computer Automation unveiled the economical half-card processor model 3/05 distinguished by its unique chassis design and power supply configuration.

A comprehensive revision of the LSI-2 resulted in the "Super 2" series (models 2/40 and 2/120), which incorporated integrated circuit cards, cache memory expansion supporting up to 64K semiconductor modules, enhanced processing speeds, and maintained compatibility with earlier system peripherals.

Towards the late 1970s, the company introduced the Naked Mini 4 series featuring an improved instruction set distinct from previous generations. These TTL-based systems ranged from compact half-card units like the 4/10 to full-card configurations such as the 4/95. The Naked Mini family found practical applications in early automated typesetting equipment as well as automated teller machines.

The 4/10 processor employed custom large-scale integration chips manufactured by Western Digital along with a secondary supplier. In 1978, an engineering team led by Frank J. Marshall developed the Naked Milli (also known as model 4/04 or SCOUT), a compact low-cost 16-bit minicomputer utilizing programmable array logic devices. This system incorporated advanced capabilities including integrated diagnostics, plug-and-play driver support, bootloader functionality, and automatic memory address assignment.

Entering the 1980s era of microprocessor dominance—exemplified by Intel's 8080 and Zilog's Z80 supplanting minicomputers for process control—Computer Automation proposed "Triad," a Motorola microprocessor-based platform running Unix on VME or VersaBus architectures. Nevertheless, founder Dave Methvin opposed adopting non-proprietary architectures and consequently discontinued this initiative.

The company was structured into three primary divisions:

• Naked Mini: focused on marketing minicomputers predominantly for original equipment manufacturer (OEM) process control applications.

• Industrial Products Division (IPD): specialized in automatic test equipment (ATE), initially created for internal hardware testing under the codename "Capable," which evolved into commercially available functional ATE systems including Marathon in-circuit testers.

• SyFa (Systems for Access): produced programmable distributed data processing solutions based on LSI processors tailored for inventory management and order processing; production expanded to a UK manufacturing site at Maple Cross by the late 1970s.

In pursuit of favorable tax conditions offered by Irish governmental incentives, a manufacturing plant was established in Clonshaugh, Dublin in 1979.

The company’s final financial statements were filed in 1992.