[Coco] A question for all you hardware hackers out there...

[Camillus Blockx]

Hi, Tim

A quick look on the web with google told me that there are no sockets around for that kind of carrier. So in case there are no substitudes for the chip you are using, in a different case, then the only option is to do the soldering yourself or give it out to the proffesionels. Now QFP devices are a bit easier to solder then the BGA. This because te leads are visible with the QFP. The BGA is more like guessing because the dots ( ballgrid) is not visible.

Being that said, it is not so diffcult to solder QFP, a focused heat source, from blowheater, or even a high wattage infrared or halogen bulb will sufice. I myself used a blower, but having a project to use 75 watt 12 volt spots. Then you also need solder paste, or a good solder with resin. It would also be a good idea to soldermask your pcb, so the solder would easily and fast bind to the litle surface islands. If that is all done it is just a matter of place the chip on top the presoldered islands, line it up verry securely, lay a piece of heavy metal ( copper or iron) on top of the chip, check allignment and heat the leads evenly ( circle around the chip). With the 75 watt spot it is just a matter of waiting until the heat reaches the meltingpoint of the solder. 

If you can tell me the part number of the FPGA you use then I can buy one and do a test.

Hope this helps you.

camillus
On 10/30/2014 10:39:32 AM, tim at franklinlabs.com <tim at franklinlabs.com> wrote:
I'm looking at continuing the development of a CoCo hardware project I started a
few years or so ago. The project is FPGA based and will use a medium density QFP
chip (284 pins). My question is; how do hobbyists manufacture low quantity PCB's
that have such a part or even BGA components? Soldering devices are just not
practical and there doesn't seem to be a viable remote carrier that I can find
that will allow the part to be installed on a PCB without it being installed by
a professional board house.

There's gotta be a better way. PLCC's were a good alternative but the densities
on current FPGA's are beyond the PLCC relm.

Any ideas or suggestions????


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