[sdiy] SMT vs. THrough Hole....

[Theo]

I ensemble small series of 50 to 100 PCB on a regular basis.
This is just what works for me.
For hand soldering I prefer SMT cause its working faster.
Also replacing small parts (resistors, transistors ect.) is really easy and
with less temperature stress to the PCB.
Something this can be handy in prototype evaluation stage.

IMO 0805 parts are the preferred size.
0603 don't seem to save space compared to 0805.
I find 0402 doable but due to its small size much slower to work with.
However I sometimes use 0402 for feedback caps around SO opamps, they fit
straight between the leads.
SO ICs are no problem either, just a bit practice.

Special tools (vacuum tweezers, hot air solder iron, solderpaste dispenser)
are not needed.
Just sharp pointed metal tweezers, thin solder (I use 0,46mm) and a sharp (I
use 0,8mm) solder tip.
However when you do a lot small pitch ICs you might want to consider getting
a hot air solder iron.
OTOH for me the "drag a blob of solder across the pins" method works well
enough, then again I don't do that many small pitch stuff.

Good luck.
Theo




----- Original Message -----
From: Peter Grenader <peter at buzzclick-music.com>
To: <synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl>
Sent: Sunday, June 27, 2004 2:24 AM
Subject: [sdiy] SMT vs. THrough Hole....


> Can anyone share data which would indicate, on a SMALL QUANTITY
> manufacturing cycle on a given product (let's say 75 of something within a
> year period), that SMT would be either more reliable, less expensive and
> more servicable over than  through hole product all things considered?
>
> We're talking quantities that would not require the use of pick and place
> automated assembly machines.
>
> Looking at out of warranty service issues, repairability, troubleshooting,
> cost of hand assembly vs. that of through hole manual assembly etc - it
> would seem to me that if a manufacturer didn't have the luxury of
automated
> assembly and simply replacing a bad board with a good one, that
> troubleshooting and repair would much more of an ordeal than if the
circuit
> was through hole.  I'm taking into consideration here the ease of id'ing
> mislocated parts (via color codes), the relative ease of component
> replacement, (especially with IC sockets), etc.
>
> There is a gee-whiz factor, and yeah, there is something to be said about
> that.  But at what cost does that come?
>
> anyone?
> anyone?
>
> - Peter
>