General > General Technical Chat
Are hand-solderable packages disappearing?
(1/4) > >>
Hawaka:
I recently started a new project where I'm trying to use new to me parts and recent parts in order to have a grasp at what is available on the market.

Project been going great, but this is what I noticed:
For sure there has been a considerable amount of new parts with integrated function and better specs which is really nice. But one thing that bother me is the use of non hand-solderable package. From what I see it seems that this is becoming standard, and proposing multiple packages is no more in mind of the suppliers. And if they do, then availability is very low for the bigger size package, so as the cost.

I do get that smaller package means better integration and less raw material, but how are you suppose to test and debug your circuit when all the IC's are in BGA/QFN/DQFN/LFCSP/…? Does everybody has an hot-hair station and a reflow oven on hands? Do you put all the IC's on individual breakout board?

Right now I'm considering myself lucky if I can get a TSSOP, even if I'm not sure I will be able to solder it.


What is your experience about all the new packages? Are you feeling the same trend as me or am I just very unlucky that all the parts I want don't have a "regular" package?
m98:
A hot air station and/or a hot plate are pretty much necessary. But other than that, once you've become comfortable with the process, it's actually easier than hand soldering.
daqq:

--- Quote ---but how are you suppose to test and debug your circuit when all the IC's are in BGA/QFN/DQFN/LFCSP/…?
--- End quote ---
Test points. Lots and lots of test points. Don't even have to be conventional test points, all you need is a few mm of stripped solder mask on the traces of interest.

Another workflow involves first creating a devboard, prototype board or somesuch that is optimized for development, see https://www.macrumors.com/2019/03/19/photos-original-iphone-prototype-development-board/ . The board can be any size you want. Once you work out all of the kinks in the design, you move on to creating the final design, which can be as small as needed.

That said, with a bit of practice, it's not a problem to solder pretty much anything aside from BGAs with gear for a 100-200 EUR or so.
ataradov:

--- Quote from: Hawaka on February 07, 2022, 08:03:31 pm ---Does everybody has an hot-hair station and a reflow oven on hands?

--- End quote ---
Having a hot air station is pretty much a requirement for any PCB work.


--- Quote from: Hawaka on February 07, 2022, 08:03:31 pm ---Right now I'm considering myself lucky if I can get a TSSOP, even if I'm not sure I will be able to solder it.

--- End quote ---
TSSOP is considered "trivial" to solder by most modern standards. So, the solution here is to increase your skill.


--- Quote from: Hawaka on February 07, 2022, 08:03:31 pm ---What is your experience about all the new packages? Are you feeling the same trend as me or am I just very unlucky that all the parts I want don't have a "regular" package?

--- End quote ---
"Regular" packages will go away as the levels of integration increase. Many fast MCUs and other devices are not available in TQFP not because manufacturers don't want to release them, but because they  can't. For high pin counts TQFP bonding wire and lead inductance becomes significant, preventing good decoupling and resulting in increased noise inside the device. There are packaging technologies with embedded capacitors in the device itself, but that increases the price of the assembly.
Hawaka:

--- Quote from: daqq on February 07, 2022, 08:13:37 pm ---Another workflow involves first creating a devboard, prototype board or somesuch that is optimized for development, see https://www.macrumors.com/2019/03/19/photos-original-iphone-prototype-development-board/ . The board can be any size you want. Once you work out all of the kinks in the design, you move on to creating the final design, which can be as small as needed.

--- End quote ---
Yeah I already plan to have such a prototype board, I guess I will add a copious amount of test point then.


--- Quote from: daqq on February 07, 2022, 08:13:37 pm ---That said, with a bit of practice, it's not a problem to solder pretty much anything aside from BGAs with gear for a 100-200 EUR or so.

--- End quote ---
Any recommendation for a hot-air station? I already have a PACE ADS200 soldering station.


--- Quote from: ataradov on February 07, 2022, 08:16:22 pm ---
--- Quote from: Hawaka on February 07, 2022, 08:03:31 pm ---What is your experience about all the new packages? Are you feeling the same trend as me or am I just very unlucky that all the parts I want don't have a "regular" package?

--- End quote ---
"Regular" packages will go away as the levels of integration increase. Many fast MCUs and other devices are not available in TQFP not because manufacturers don't want to release them, but because they  can't. For high pin counts TQFP bonding wire and lead inductance becomes significant, preventing good decoupling and resulting in increased noise inside the device. There are packaging technologies with embedded capacitors in the device itself, but that increases the price of the assembly.

--- End quote ---
I do understand the limitation of bigger packages, but I am manly talking about parts with <30 leads, like UQFN-8 or DSBGA-20.
Navigation
Message Index
Next page
There was an error while thanking
Thanking...

Go to full version
Powered by SMFPacks Advanced Attachments Uploader Mod