[sdiy] SMD experiences

[Matthew Smith]

Quoth Ian Smith at 09/09/11 10:30...
> I was wondering about everyone's experiences with SMD work. Smaller pcbs are less expensive after all...

I vastly prefer working with SMD to through-hole. Since I discovered the 
delights of drag-soldering, I've been handling 0.5mm lead pitch packages 
with relative ease - provided that you've got soldermask. Wouldn't 
attempt the fine stuff with homebrew boards with no soldermask.

I'm getting my boards done here:
http://dorkbotpdx.org/wiki/pcb_order

...so at $5 a square inch (and you get three copies,) small PCBs really 
can be inexpensive.

About the only through-hole stuff I've put into board designs recently 
are pin headers and other connectors, rotary encoders, and "legacy" 
parts like Nixie tubes and Soviet-era VFDs.

> Do SMD components consume less power/current?
For the same device, no. It's just different packaging.  What you WILL 
find is that your board design will have to accommodate the requirements 
of parts that put out any amount of heat - but that should all be in the 
datasheets. (Some parts are designed to dissipate to the board, not an 
external heatsink.)

-- 
Matthew Smith

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