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Newbie + SMD, prototyping?

Newbie + SMD, prototyping?

2011-05-01 by Aaron Turner

Hi Everyone,

I'm building my first project which consists of two AA battery powered
modules- a transmitter & receiver.   I've been looking at
various step up/buck power circuits and trying to find something that
was relatively efficient for decent battery life, simple, cheap and
doesn't take a lot of PCB space.  It seems that the only way to meet
all those requirements is using SMD parts as all the PTH parts tend to
have higher part counts (inductors for example), higher costs and
obviously take up a lot more space.

I've done a fair bit of research on the web about soldering SMD parts
and looks like this should be quite doable by hand.  The only issue of
course is that I don't yet have a board to solder them to for testing.
 I'm planning on designing my own boards for this project, but one
really nice thing about PTH parts is being able to go from breadboard
to perfboard to PCB and test/learn/tweak along the way.

Anyways, I was hoping to get some insight on how to proceed in way to
keep my costs down (ie: avoid costly mistakes).

I was thinking perhaps of initially designing a small board which
would have the 4 components and have standard 0.1in pins for testing
on a bread/perf board and have them done by BatchPCB or the like. I'd
be in for about $10 in components + 3 small PCB's for testing purposes
and when I was done I'd have some
nice little power modules left over for other future projects.  Once I
know I've got everything working, I'd be able to transfer that design
to the final design for my project.

The other idea I had was to just design the transmitter PCB which is a
lot smaller/less complex then the receiver.  I suppose my chances of
getting a small PCB with even just PTH parts right the first time is
slim to nil, so perhaps it's just better to get it over with?  That
way I could test/debug/learn on a bit more involved board rather then
just 4 small components which may have limited learning opportunity.

Any suggestions on how to prototype/test SMD based circuits without
spending lots of time, effort and money making mistakes?  I've never
designed a board before, but with PTH parts at least I have a chance
to test the circuit ahead of time.  With SMD parts, I feel like I'm
sorta guessing what will and won't work.

Thanks!

-- 
Aaron Turner
http://synfin.net/         Twitter: @synfinatic
http://tcpreplay.synfin.net/ - Pcap editing and replay tools for Unix & Windows
Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary
Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.
    -- Benjamin Franklin
"carpe diem quam minimum credula postero"

Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Newbie + SMD, prototyping?

2011-05-01 by David Bobb

I don't remember who it was, but there was a company that made smd to pth
"conversion" boards.  They were one component per board, and the most
expensive was a $1.50.  We used them for prototyping at work all the time.
On May 1, 2011 2:18 PM, "Aaron Turner" <synfinatic@...> wrote:
> Hi Everyone,
>
> I'm building my first project which consists of two AA battery powered
> modules- a transmitter & receiver. I've been looking at
> various step up/buck power circuits and trying to find something that
> was relatively efficient for decent battery life, simple, cheap and
> doesn't take a lot of PCB space. It seems that the only way to meet
> all those requirements is using SMD parts as all the PTH parts tend to
> have higher part counts (inductors for example), higher costs and
> obviously take up a lot more space.
>
> I've done a fair bit of research on the web about soldering SMD parts
> and looks like this should be quite doable by hand. The only issue of
> course is that I don't yet have a board to solder them to for testing.
> I'm planning on designing my own boards for this project, but one
> really nice thing about PTH parts is being able to go from breadboard
> to perfboard to PCB and test/learn/tweak along the way.
>
> Anyways, I was hoping to get some insight on how to proceed in way to
> keep my costs down (ie: avoid costly mistakes).
>
> I was thinking perhaps of initially designing a small board which
> would have the 4 components and have standard 0.1in pins for testing
> on a bread/perf board and have them done by BatchPCB or the like. I'd
> be in for about $10 in components + 3 small PCB's for testing purposes
> and when I was done I'd have some
> nice little power modules left over for other future projects. Once I
> know I've got everything working, I'd be able to transfer that design
> to the final design for my project.
>
> The other idea I had was to just design the transmitter PCB which is a
> lot smaller/less complex then the receiver. I suppose my chances of
> getting a small PCB with even just PTH parts right the first time is
> slim to nil, so perhaps it's just better to get it over with? That
> way I could test/debug/learn on a bit more involved board rather then
> just 4 small components which may have limited learning opportunity.
>
> Any suggestions on how to prototype/test SMD based circuits without
> spending lots of time, effort and money making mistakes? I've never
> designed a board before, but with PTH parts at least I have a chance
> to test the circuit ahead of time. With SMD parts, I feel like I'm
> sorta guessing what will and won't work.
>
> Thanks!
>
> --
> Aaron Turner
> http://synfin.net/         Twitter: @synfinatic
> http://tcpreplay.synfin.net/ - Pcap editing and replay tools for Unix &
Windows
> Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary
> Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.
>     -- Benjamin Franklin
> "carpe diem quam minimum credula postero"


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Newbie + SMD, prototyping?

2011-05-01 by Ryan Bray

As someone who recently converted to nearly all SMD boards, I find it great
as:
I don't have to drill as many holes.
You have a much larger selection of parts available (ie. accelerometers)
You can make TINY boards.

A few things to consider when designing your boards:
When placing components, don't forget that if you have through hole
components (ie. USB connector, or programming header) they will be on the
opposite side, so don't forget to Mirror them. (or mirror the SMD
components) I have made a few boards in my time where I forgot this crucial
step and ended up having to essentially start over.

When doing fine pitch soldering or TQFN type pads, you might find that
altering the pad layout to extend outwards from the part a little to be a
lifesaver. Another thing you will want on hand is fluxpaste so you can dab a
bit on around your leads, and then apply solder. it keeps the pads from
bridging, and makes nice little solder blobs on your tiny non-pin
components.

(you can checkout
http://rucalgary.hackhut.com/2011/04/26/upov-with-better-firmware-pics-video-and-source/for
an example of my work)

There are MANY ways to make your own boards. For me, I was able to
successfully modify an inkjet printer to print etch resist, meaning my
boards come out to nearly the cost of the copper clad. (think $0.50 for a 2
inch square board)

I have tried toner transfer, but that never really gave me excellent
results, and some of the traces would always come off for me.

I have heard that UV exposure works extremely well, and the cost isn't
horrendous either. This does require a few more steps however, so it can be
a little more time consuming.

The essentially last option is to order boards from fab houses, but then you
are looking at costs for 20-100 + shipping depending on the size of your
board. They are however the best option for mass manufacturing of boards.

On Sun, May 1, 2011 at 1:32 PM, David Bobb <dave.bobb@...> wrote:

>
>
> I don't remember who it was, but there was a company that made smd to pth
> "conversion" boards. They were one component per board, and the most
> expensive was a $1.50. We used them for prototyping at work all the time.
>
> On May 1, 2011 2:18 PM, "Aaron Turner" <synfinatic@...> wrote:
> > Hi Everyone,
> >
> > I'm building my first project which consists of two AA battery powered
> > modules- a transmitter & receiver. I've been looking at
> > various step up/buck power circuits and trying to find something that
> > was relatively efficient for decent battery life, simple, cheap and
> > doesn't take a lot of PCB space. It seems that the only way to meet
> > all those requirements is using SMD parts as all the PTH parts tend to
> > have higher part counts (inductors for example), higher costs and
> > obviously take up a lot more space.
> >
> > I've done a fair bit of research on the web about soldering SMD parts
> > and looks like this should be quite doable by hand. The only issue of
> > course is that I don't yet have a board to solder them to for testing.
> > I'm planning on designing my own boards for this project, but one
> > really nice thing about PTH parts is being able to go from breadboard
> > to perfboard to PCB and test/learn/tweak along the way.
> >
> > Anyways, I was hoping to get some insight on how to proceed in way to
> > keep my costs down (ie: avoid costly mistakes).
> >
> > I was thinking perhaps of initially designing a small board which
> > would have the 4 components and have standard 0.1in pins for testing
> > on a bread/perf board and have them done by BatchPCB or the like. I'd
> > be in for about $10 in components + 3 small PCB's for testing purposes
> > and when I was done I'd have some
> > nice little power modules left over for other future projects. Once I
> > know I've got everything working, I'd be able to transfer that design
> > to the final design for my project.
> >
> > The other idea I had was to just design the transmitter PCB which is a
> > lot smaller/less complex then the receiver. I suppose my chances of
> > getting a small PCB with even just PTH parts right the first time is
> > slim to nil, so perhaps it's just better to get it over with? That
> > way I could test/debug/learn on a bit more involved board rather then
> > just 4 small components which may have limited learning opportunity.
> >
> > Any suggestions on how to prototype/test SMD based circuits without
> > spending lots of time, effort and money making mistakes? I've never
> > designed a board before, but with PTH parts at least I have a chance
> > to test the circuit ahead of time. With SMD parts, I feel like I'm
> > sorta guessing what will and won't work.
> >
> > Thanks!
> >
> > --
> > Aaron Turner
> > http://synfin.net/ Twitter: @synfinatic
> > http://tcpreplay.synfin.net/ - Pcap editing and replay tools for Unix &
> Windows
> > Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary
> > Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.
> > -- Benjamin Franklin
> > "carpe diem quam minimum credula postero"
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>  
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Re: Newbie + SMD, prototyping?

2011-05-02 by dubob4432

not trying to push you away from smd as i love it, but have you looked at the recom r-78xx line?  http://www.recom-power.com/  same basic footprint as a 780x but high efficiency (85-95%).  there website is a bit messed up with where the links take you, but if you search on digikey you will see their full line of the 3pin through hole options they have.  the seem to run between $9-$12 through digikey depending on in/out V and A.

also, for boards, i get mine done at dorkbotpdx - http://www.dorkbotpdx.org/wiki/pcb_order they always work and are very high quality, plus if you use eagle, you can just send the eagle brd file in and not have to worry about gerbers, until you feel more comfortable with it.  plus the dorkbotpdx boards are made in the USA.

so for design/board, i go eagle+dorkbotpdx and then for your power the recom units should work out beautifully.

hope this helps you out,
bob

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Aaron Turner <synfinatic@...> wrote:
Show quoted textHide quoted text
>
> Hi Everyone,
> 
> I'm building my first project which consists of two AA battery powered
> modules- a transmitter & receiver.   I've been looking at
> various step up/buck power circuits and trying to find something that
> was relatively efficient for decent battery life, simple, cheap and
> doesn't take a lot of PCB space.  It seems that the only way to meet
> all those requirements is using SMD parts as all the PTH parts tend to
> have higher part counts (inductors for example), higher costs and
> obviously take up a lot more space.
> 
> I've done a fair bit of research on the web about soldering SMD parts
> and looks like this should be quite doable by hand.  The only issue of
> course is that I don't yet have a board to solder them to for testing.
>  I'm planning on designing my own boards for this project, but one
> really nice thing about PTH parts is being able to go from breadboard
> to perfboard to PCB and test/learn/tweak along the way.
> 
> Anyways, I was hoping to get some insight on how to proceed in way to
> keep my costs down (ie: avoid costly mistakes).
> 
> I was thinking perhaps of initially designing a small board which
> would have the 4 components and have standard 0.1in pins for testing
> on a bread/perf board and have them done by BatchPCB or the like. I'd
> be in for about $10 in components + 3 small PCB's for testing purposes
> and when I was done I'd have some
> nice little power modules left over for other future projects.  Once I
> know I've got everything working, I'd be able to transfer that design
> to the final design for my project.
> 
> The other idea I had was to just design the transmitter PCB which is a
> lot smaller/less complex then the receiver.  I suppose my chances of
> getting a small PCB with even just PTH parts right the first time is
> slim to nil, so perhaps it's just better to get it over with?  That
> way I could test/debug/learn on a bit more involved board rather then
> just 4 small components which may have limited learning opportunity.
> 
> Any suggestions on how to prototype/test SMD based circuits without
> spending lots of time, effort and money making mistakes?  I've never
> designed a board before, but with PTH parts at least I have a chance
> to test the circuit ahead of time.  With SMD parts, I feel like I'm
> sorta guessing what will and won't work.
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> -- 
> Aaron Turner
> http://synfin.net/         Twitter: @synfinatic
> http://tcpreplay.synfin.net/ - Pcap editing and replay tools for Unix & Windows
> Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary
> Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.
>     -- Benjamin Franklin
> "carpe diem quam minimum credula postero"
>

Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Newbie + SMD, prototyping?

2011-05-02 by Tom Biery

Folks, I have lots of youtube videos on this subjects please check them out, I'd 
be happy to answer any questions you have thanks and subscribe...

Homebrewers invited...

For those interested in a youtube videos of my Homebrewed Printed Circuit Board 
fabrication, PIC chip experiments, High powered LED projects, Arduino 
applications, QRP kit builds, and Electronics Tourism, Please take at look and 
subscribe to my new improved youtube channel "Hamradio2008"

link...
http://www.youtube.com/user/HamRadio2008

heres a current video; Back from Silicon Valley:
Back from Silicon Valley _ LeCroy WaveAce 112 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQ2-a1oB57Q

73 tnx de kk3oq
Show quoted textHide quoted text
----- Original Message ----
From: Ryan Bray <rbray89@...>
To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sun, May 1, 2011 5:08:32 PM
Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Newbie + SMD, prototyping?

As someone who recently converted to nearly all SMD boards, I find it great
as:
I don't have to drill as many holes.
You have a much larger selection of parts available (ie. accelerometers)
You can make TINY boards.

A few things to consider when designing your boards:
When placing components, don't forget that if you have through hole
components (ie. USB connector, or programming header) they will be on the
opposite side, so don't forget to Mirror them. (or mirror the SMD
components) I have made a few boards in my time where I forgot this crucial
step and ended up having to essentially start over.

When doing fine pitch soldering or TQFN type pads, you might find that
altering the pad layout to extend outwards from the part a little to be a
lifesaver. Another thing you will want on hand is fluxpaste so you can dab a
bit on around your leads, and then apply solder. it keeps the pads from
bridging, and makes nice little solder blobs on your tiny non-pin
components.

(you can checkout
http://rucalgary.hackhut.com/2011/04/26/upov-with-better-firmware-pics-video-and-source/for

an example of my work)

There are MANY ways to make your own boards. For me, I was able to
successfully modify an inkjet printer to print etch resist, meaning my
boards come out to nearly the cost of the copper clad. (think $0.50 for a 2
inch square board)

I have tried toner transfer, but that never really gave me excellent
results, and some of the traces would always come off for me.

I have heard that UV exposure works extremely well, and the cost isn't
horrendous either. This does require a few more steps however, so it can be
a little more time consuming.

The essentially last option is to order boards from fab houses, but then you
are looking at costs for 20-100 + shipping depending on the size of your
board. They are however the best option for mass manufacturing of boards.

On Sun, May 1, 2011 at 1:32 PM, David Bobb <dave.bobb@...> wrote:

>
>
> I don't remember who it was, but there was a company that made smd to pth
> "conversion" boards. They were one component per board, and the most
> expensive was a $1.50. We used them for prototyping at work all the time.
>
> On May 1, 2011 2:18 PM, "Aaron Turner" <synfinatic@...> wrote:
> > Hi Everyone,
> >
> > I'm building my first project which consists of two AA battery powered
> > modules- a transmitter & receiver. I've been looking at
> > various step up/buck power circuits and trying to find something that
> > was relatively efficient for decent battery life, simple, cheap and
> > doesn't take a lot of PCB space. It seems that the only way to meet
> > all those requirements is using SMD parts as all the PTH parts tend to
> > have higher part counts (inductors for example), higher costs and
> > obviously take up a lot more space.
> >
> > I've done a fair bit of research on the web about soldering SMD parts
> > and looks like this should be quite doable by hand. The only issue of
> > course is that I don't yet have a board to solder them to for testing.
> > I'm planning on designing my own boards for this project, but one
> > really nice thing about PTH parts is being able to go from breadboard
> > to perfboard to PCB and test/learn/tweak along the way.
> >
> > Anyways, I was hoping to get some insight on how to proceed in way to
> > keep my costs down (ie: avoid costly mistakes).
> >
> > I was thinking perhaps of initially designing a small board which
> > would have the 4 components and have standard 0.1in pins for testing
> > on a bread/perf board and have them done by BatchPCB or the like. I'd
> > be in for about $10 in components + 3 small PCB's for testing purposes
> > and when I was done I'd have some
> > nice little power modules left over for other future projects. Once I
> > know I've got everything working, I'd be able to transfer that design
> > to the final design for my project.
> >
> > The other idea I had was to just design the transmitter PCB which is a
> > lot smaller/less complex then the receiver. I suppose my chances of
> > getting a small PCB with even just PTH parts right the first time is
> > slim to nil, so perhaps it's just better to get it over with? That
> > way I could test/debug/learn on a bit more involved board rather then
> > just 4 small components which may have limited learning opportunity.
> >
> > Any suggestions on how to prototype/test SMD based circuits without
> > spending lots of time, effort and money making mistakes? I've never
> > designed a board before, but with PTH parts at least I have a chance
> > to test the circuit ahead of time. With SMD parts, I feel like I'm
> > sorta guessing what will and won't work.
> >
> > Thanks!
> >
> > --
> > Aaron Turner
> > http://synfin.net/ Twitter: @synfinatic
> > http://tcpreplay.synfin.net/ - Pcap editing and replay tools for Unix &
> Windows
> > Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary
> > Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.
> > -- Benjamin Franklin
> > "carpe diem quam minimum credula postero"
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>  
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



------------------------------------

Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Links, Files, and Photos:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBsYahoo! Groups Links

Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Newbie + SMD, prototyping?

2011-05-02 by Tom Biery

The current board I am working on has about 200 connections and with SMD 
components I can put the board together very quickly and accuratly.  I was able 
to fab a complete first prototype (see picture link 
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/23363133/18F14K50_pmosfet4a_first_proto1ag.JPG ) in 
about 4 hours on a weekend morning.  The board itself only cost about $2.60.  I 
can place the components on the board put it in the SMD oven and presto all the 
connections are soldered in about 5 minutes.

link...
http://www.youtube.com/user/HamRadio2008

heres a current video; Back from Silicon Valley:
Back from Silicon Valley _ LeCroy WaveAce 112 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQ2-a1oB57Q

73 tnx de kk3oq




 



________________________________
Show quoted textHide quoted text
From: Tom Biery <judsquare@...>
To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sun, May 1, 2011 8:35:40 PM
Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Newbie + SMD, prototyping?

  
Folks, I have lots of youtube videos on this subjects please check them out, I'd 

be happy to answer any questions you have thanks and subscribe...

Homebrewers invited...

For those interested in a youtube videos of my Homebrewed Printed Circuit Board 
fabrication, PIC chip experiments, High powered LED projects, Arduino 
applications, QRP kit builds, and Electronics Tourism, Please take at look and 
subscribe to my new improved youtube channel "Hamradio2008"

link...
http://www.youtube.com/user/HamRadio2008

heres a current video; Back from Silicon Valley:
Back from Silicon Valley _ LeCroy WaveAce 112 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQ2-a1oB57Q

73 tnx de kk3oq

----- Original Message ----
From: Ryan Bray <rbray89@...>
To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sun, May 1, 2011 5:08:32 PM
Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Newbie + SMD, prototyping?

As someone who recently converted to nearly all SMD boards, I find it great
as:
I don't have to drill as many holes.
You have a much larger selection of parts available (ie. accelerometers)
You can make TINY boards.

A few things to consider when designing your boards:
When placing components, don't forget that if you have through hole
components (ie. USB connector, or programming header) they will be on the
opposite side, so don't forget to Mirror them. (or mirror the SMD
components) I have made a few boards in my time where I forgot this crucial
step and ended up having to essentially start over.

When doing fine pitch soldering or TQFN type pads, you might find that
altering the pad layout to extend outwards from the part a little to be a
lifesaver. Another thing you will want on hand is fluxpaste so you can dab a
bit on around your leads, and then apply solder. it keeps the pads from
bridging, and makes nice little solder blobs on your tiny non-pin
components.

(you can checkout
http://rucalgary.hackhut.com/2011/04/26/upov-with-better-firmware-pics-video-and-source/for


an example of my work)

There are MANY ways to make your own boards. For me, I was able to
successfully modify an inkjet printer to print etch resist, meaning my
boards come out to nearly the cost of the copper clad. (think $0.50 for a 2
inch square board)

I have tried toner transfer, but that never really gave me excellent
results, and some of the traces would always come off for me.

I have heard that UV exposure works extremely well, and the cost isn't
horrendous either. This does require a few more steps however, so it can be
a little more time consuming.

The essentially last option is to order boards from fab houses, but then you
are looking at costs for 20-100 + shipping depending on the size of your
board. They are however the best option for mass manufacturing of boards.

On Sun, May 1, 2011 at 1:32 PM, David Bobb <dave.bobb@gmail.com> wrote:

>
>
> I don't remember who it was, but there was a company that made smd to pth
> "conversion" boards. They were one component per board, and the most
> expensive was a $1.50. We used them for prototyping at work all the time.
>
> On May 1, 2011 2:18 PM, "Aaron Turner" <synfinatic@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Hi Everyone,
> >
> > I'm building my first project which consists of two AA battery powered
> > modules- a transmitter & receiver. I've been looking at
> > various step up/buck power circuits and trying to find something that
> > was relatively efficient for decent battery life, simple, cheap and
> > doesn't take a lot of PCB space. It seems that the only way to meet
> > all those requirements is using SMD parts as all the PTH parts tend to
> > have higher part counts (inductors for example), higher costs and
> > obviously take up a lot more space.
> >
> > I've done a fair bit of research on the web about soldering SMD parts
> > and looks like this should be quite doable by hand. The only issue of
> > course is that I don't yet have a board to solder them to for testing.
> > I'm planning on designing my own boards for this project, but one
> > really nice thing about PTH parts is being able to go from breadboard
> > to perfboard to PCB and test/learn/tweak along the way.
> >
> > Anyways, I was hoping to get some insight on how to proceed in way to
> > keep my costs down (ie: avoid costly mistakes).
> >
> > I was thinking perhaps of initially designing a small board which
> > would have the 4 components and have standard 0.1in pins for testing
> > on a bread/perf board and have them done by BatchPCB or the like. I'd
> > be in for about $10 in components + 3 small PCB's for testing purposes
> > and when I was done I'd have some
> > nice little power modules left over for other future projects. Once I
> > know I've got everything working, I'd be able to transfer that design
> > to the final design for my project.
> >
> > The other idea I had was to just design the transmitter PCB which is a
> > lot smaller/less complex then the receiver. I suppose my chances of
> > getting a small PCB with even just PTH parts right the first time is
> > slim to nil, so perhaps it's just better to get it over with? That
> > way I could test/debug/learn on a bit more involved board rather then
> > just 4 small components which may have limited learning opportunity.
> >
> > Any suggestions on how to prototype/test SMD based circuits without
> > spending lots of time, effort and money making mistakes? I've never
> > designed a board before, but with PTH parts at least I have a chance
> > to test the circuit ahead of time. With SMD parts, I feel like I'm
> > sorta guessing what will and won't work.
> >
> > Thanks!
> >
> > --
> > Aaron Turner
> > http://synfin.net/ Twitter: @synfinatic
> > http://tcpreplay.synfin.net/ - Pcap editing and replay tools for Unix &
> Windows
> > Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary
> > Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.
> > -- Benjamin Franklin
> > "carpe diem quam minimum credula postero"
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>  
>

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

------------------------------------

Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Links, Files, and Photos:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBsYahoo! Groups Links




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Newbie + SMD, prototyping?

2011-05-02 by Aaron Turner

Thanks everyone for the feedback!

I'm beginning to hear more and more about the hot-plate method of SMD
soldering... is that something that's viable for a 64-TQFP?  I was thinking
I may need to go with something like the AT90USB1286 for my receiver since a
standard ATmega328 doesn't seem to have enough flash for everything I need
to do.  I was thinking that the easiest way to go is to connect my board to
a Teensy++ 2.0 via standard PTH, but based on some of the feedback I've
gotten here and other places I'm beginning to think more aggressive.

David- those SMD to PTH converter boards sound interesting... I'll look into
those.

Ryan- Thanks for the comment about placing SMD & PTH parts- that wasn't
something I had even considered!

Bob- The recom r-78xx series looks interesting and very efficient, but it
seems pretty expensive and voltage IN/OUT really doesn't meet my needs.  I
need both a buck and step up solution.

Tom- Very cool.  I'll be sure to check out your vids!

-- 
Aaron Turner
http://synfin.net/         Twitter: @synfinatic
http://tcpreplay.synfin.net/ - Pcap editing and replay tools for Unix &
Windows
Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary
Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.
    -- Benjamin Franklin
"carpe diem quam minimum credula postero"


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Newbie + SMD, prototyping?

2011-05-02 by DJ Delorie

Aaron Turner <synfinatic@...> writes:
> I'm beginning to hear more and more about the hot-plate method of SMD
> soldering... is that something that's viable for a 64-TQFP?

Just did one today with an IRON.  Switched to my *biggest* tip (0.07"
chisel) to make it easier.  Worked perfectly.  0.5mm pitch too :-)

Here's the board: http://www.delorie.com/electronics/rx/rx62T64-breakout.html

Note that I made the pads for the chip extend out further than normal.
That seemed to help a lot.  I put the iron on those and not on top of
the pins, it seemed to help avoid solder bridges.

But I've done plenty of hotplate too.  The problem is you need to come
up with a way to put the paste down; either a fine-tip syringe and a
steady hand, or a stencil.

Re: Newbie + SMD, prototyping?

2011-05-02 by dubob4432

my first boards were 0805 & 32-tqfp nearly a year ago using solder paste w/ a kapton stencil on a hotplate. my latest is 4x4x0.9mm (QFN) and 3x3x.9mm LGA (leadless) packages with 0402 components.  i haven't gone smaller yet, but when the need arises i am sure it will be no problem.  the one tool that has probably aided in the process the most is a good stereoscopic microscope - to me, that makes all the difference in the world, along with good solder paste, flux and patience.

sorry the recom units don't fit your need, they are a bit expensive but sure will save you some time.

bob


--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Aaron Turner <synfinatic@...> wrote:
Show quoted textHide quoted text
>
> Thanks everyone for the feedback!
> 
> I'm beginning to hear more and more about the hot-plate method of SMD
> soldering... is that something that's viable for a 64-TQFP?  I was thinking
> I may need to go with something like the AT90USB1286 for my receiver since a
> standard ATmega328 doesn't seem to have enough flash for everything I need
> to do.  I was thinking that the easiest way to go is to connect my board to
> a Teensy++ 2.0 via standard PTH, but based on some of the feedback I've
> gotten here and other places I'm beginning to think more aggressive.
> 
> David- those SMD to PTH converter boards sound interesting... I'll look into
> those.
> 
> Ryan- Thanks for the comment about placing SMD & PTH parts- that wasn't
> something I had even considered!
> 
> Bob- The recom r-78xx series looks interesting and very efficient, but it
> seems pretty expensive and voltage IN/OUT really doesn't meet my needs.  I
> need both a buck and step up solution.
> 
> Tom- Very cool.  I'll be sure to check out your vids!
> 
> -- 
> Aaron Turner
> http://synfin.net/         Twitter: @synfinatic
> http://tcpreplay.synfin.net/ - Pcap editing and replay tools for Unix &
> Windows
> Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary
> Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.
>     -- Benjamin Franklin
> "carpe diem quam minimum credula postero"
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

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