hand soldering teeny tiny chips!

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hand-soldering teeny tiny chips!by davidmerrill on May 25, 2006

Table of Contents

License: Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike (by-nc-sa) .............................................................................

Intro: Hand-soldering teeny tiny chips! .............................................................................................

step 1: Check out the chip ......................................................................................................

step 2: Tin the pins (and maybe the pads) ..........................................................................................

step 3: Put the chip in place .....................................................................................................

step 4: Connect top to bottom ...................................................................................................

step 5: Check your work ........................................................................................................

step 6: Go for it! ..............................................................................................................

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License: Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike (by-nc-sa)

Intro: Hand-soldering teeny tiny chips!Have you ever looked at a chip that's smaller than your fingertip, and has no pins, and wondered how you could ever possibly hand-solder it? another instructable byColin has a nice explanation of doing your own reflow soldering, but if the your chip is not BGA, and you want a technique that's quicker and won't put as manypoisonous fumes into the air, read on...

p.s. here's what you need:- soldering iron (fine tip)- microscope (or very, very good eyesight)- some flux will help (flux pen)

Image Notes1. silicon labs CF8051331 teeny-tiny microcontroller2. this is my index finger, not even my thumb!

Image Notes1. here is the "land pattern" or "footprint" where the chip will be attached to theboard2. this little pad is also supposed to be attached to ground, but since it doesn'treach the edge of the chip, it's a lot harder to solder to it - so I've been ignoring it,without problems.3. this bottom part of the chip is *supposed* to be attached to ground, but I havebeen ignoring this without any problems.
http://www.instructables.com/ex/i/EA37A62A5FDF1028A786001143E7E506/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/


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step 1:Check out the chipMake sure you know which orientation the chip is supposed to go on the PCB. In this picture, you can see the little dot to the left of 'CYG'. The convention for chips is that the little dot indicates the top-left corner of the chip, and you can have a look at the PCB layout diagram to figure out how the chip is meant to be oriented on theboard.

step 2:Tin the pins (and maybe the pads)Turn the chip upside-down, and melt a l ittle dab of solder onto each of the pins. You can do the same for the board too, if you want. Make sure you heat the metal of thpad enough to melt the solder itself, rather than melting the solder with the tip of the iron directly. After you tin all of the pads, use a flux pen to put some flux onto theboard where the chip will attach.

Image Notes1. I have already melted a little dab of solder onto these pins

step 3:Put the chip in placeTurn the chip right-side up, and gently nudge it into place with a pair of tweezers until it's centered on the spot where it belongs.


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step 4:Connect top to bottomNow comes the fun part. One by one, you need to heat the balls of solder that you've created, so that they become connected to the chip *and* the board. You can dothis by touching the pads/pins from the side with the soldering iron tip, and sometimes wiggling it up and down to encourage a connection to form. A nice trick for the fpin that you solder (can be any pin, it doesn't really matter which) is to hold the chip firmly in place with a pair of tweezers (pin it down to the board), and touch the hot to the pin/pad in one corner until the solder bridges the gap. With any pin, you may need to wiggle it up and down, or add a little more solder (see the picture) to get itconnected. But don't add too much, or you risk bridging pins underneath that shouldn't be bridged. With even just one connected pin, the chip will be stable enough th

you can do the rest without having to keep it pinned down. You can work your way around the chip, connecting each pin to the board until you've got them all. See thenext step for how to make sure you've connected everything successfully.

step 5:Check your workNow you can tilt the chip up on and look at the connection points, to see if you've made all of the connections successfully. Zoom in enough that you can see if the solis going all the way from pin to pad or not. For the ones that are not, add a little more solder to the pad and wiggle the iron up and down until you get it to bridge, like astalagtite meeting a stalagmite.


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Image Notes1. ok connection, looks like it could be a cold joint2. good connection3. bad connections

Image Notes1. these connections are all fine

step 6:Go for it!Once it all looks good, give it a try! With a microcontroller, the first thing to do is to try programming it and see if it responds. From there, you can test if it can interact wthe things that it's connected to (LED's, sensors, actuators, etc). Happy soldering!

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Comments

37 comments Add Comment

Squink81 says: Mar 22, 2009. 2:29 AM REPThanks for the good tips. I have never done anything before............I am starting out doing whatever I can do with electronic stuff, because I started withPCs...um, this is my project and after reading your post I may have a go at this 3rd generation ipod headphone to motherboard connecton repair job. Trickybecause the wires on the "board" part are torn from the chip pins.

Wesley666 says: Feb 7, 2009. 2:34 PM REPJust as a question, did you mean to buy a chip that small or were you just not paying attention? As well what are you building?

davidmerrill says: Feb 9, 2009. 7:46 PM REPI needed a chip that small -- I was building a little battery powered ring that could communicate using infrared, so everything had to be tiny!

Wesley666 says: Feb 9, 2009. 7:46 PM REPGood answer! LOL

AtomSoft says: Jan 29, 2009. 4:57 PM REPNO need for steady hands. Just get some Masking Tape and your set. Use a razor to cut a long thin strip and place over half the IC and then solder a fewpins and remove tape and continue the rest.

Derin says: Jul 17, 2008. 11:01 AM REPmy friend said that he had a chip smaller than his thumb,I shoulda believed him!

Cheyyne says: May 25, 2006. 12:07 PM REPNice! Doesn't really address the major problem, though, and that's the requirement of VERY steady hands...

davidmerrill says: Jun 5, 2006. 9:48 AM REPyeah, you might want to avoid having too many cups of coffee on the morning that you're doing this!

Grey_Wolfe says: Jun 25, 2008. 6:03 PM REPTake some dramamine before soldering (or dissecting tiny critters). Will steady your hands right up. lol People have been know to use this tactic tofool lie detectors as well. though at larger intake levels.

xenobiologista says: Jun 15, 2006. 8:16 PM REPI took a developmental bio course once where we had to dissect zebrafish and mouse embryos and the prof made a point of telling us not to drinkcoffee on lab days =D

Grey_Wolfe says: Jun 25, 2008. 5:58 PM REPI used to work for a company that made ery specialized computers. Since our order numbers typically were in the teens for a given year, we did everythingby hand. There were only like two surface solder parts per system, but this is actually the same technique I used.

safdar says: Aug 27, 2007. 9:10 AM REPwhats the point?
http://www.instructables.com/id/hand-soldering-teeny-tiny-chips!/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=comments#DISCUSShttp://www.instructables.com/member/safdar/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=commentshttp://www.instructables.com/member/safdar/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=commentshttp://www.instructables.com/id/hand-soldering-teeny-tiny-chips!/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=comments#DISCUSShttp://www.instructables.com/member/Grey_Wolfe/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=commentshttp://www.instructables.com/member/Grey_Wolfe/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=commentshttp://www.instructables.com/id/hand-soldering-teeny-tiny-chips!/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=comments#DISCUSShttp://www.instructables.com/member/xenobiologista/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=commentshttp://www.instructables.com/member/xenobiologista/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=commentshttp://www.instructables.com/id/hand-soldering-teeny-tiny-chips!/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=comments#DISCUSShttp://www.instructables.com/member/Grey_Wolfe/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=commentshttp://www.instructables.com/member/Grey_Wolfe/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=commentshttp://www.instructables.com/id/hand-soldering-teeny-tiny-chips!/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=comments#DISCUSShttp://www.instructables.com/member/davidmerrill/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=commentshttp://www.instructables.com/member/davidmerrill/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=commentshttp://www.instructables.com/id/hand-soldering-teeny-tiny-chips!/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=comments#DISCUSShttp://www.instructables.com/member/Cheyyne/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=commentshttp://www.instructables.com/member/Cheyyne/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=commentshttp://www.instructables.com/id/hand-soldering-teeny-tiny-chips!/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=comments#DISCUSShttp://www.instructables.com/member/Derin/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=commentshttp://www.instructables.com/member/Derin/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=commentshttp://www.instructables.com/id/hand-soldering-teeny-tiny-chips!/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=comments#DISCUSShttp://www.instructables.com/member/AtomSoft/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=commentshttp://www.instructables.com/member/AtomSoft/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=commentshttp://www.instructables.com/id/hand-soldering-teeny-tiny-chips!/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=comments#DISCUSShttp://www.instructables.com/member/Wesley666/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=commentshttp://www.instructables.com/member/Wesley666/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=commentshttp://www.instructables.com/id/hand-soldering-teeny-tiny-chips!/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=comments#DISCUSShttp://www.instructables.com/member/davidmerrill/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=commentshttp://www.instructables.com/member/davidmerrill/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=commentshttp://www.instructables.com/id/hand-soldering-teeny-tiny-chips!/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=comments#DISCUSShttp://www.instructables.com/member/Wesley666/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=commentshttp://www.instructables.com/member/Wesley666/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=commentshttp://files/deriv/F5H/RGPS/FSLF937U/F5HRGPSFSLF937U.MEDIUM.jpghttp://files/deriv/FSG/4HUE/FSLF937V/FSG4HUEFSLF937V.MEDIUM.jpghttp://files/deriv/FR9/54I8/FSLF937W/FR954I8FSLF937W.MEDIUM.jpghttp://www.instructables.com/id/hand-soldering-teeny-tiny-chips!/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=comments#DISCUSShttp://www.instructables.com/member/Squink81/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=commentshttp://www.instructables.com/member/Squink81/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=commentshttp://www.instructables.com/id/hand-soldering-teeny-tiny-chips!/?utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=comments#comments


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g_c_c says: Sep 12, 2006. 11:41 PM REPAnother good tactic is to put a drop of solder on each of the pads, use a flux marker on them, then use a torch to heat a razor blade to red hot. I've only trieit once, and on larger parts than that, but- might be worth a try.

bfr says: Aug 9, 2006. 3:42 AM REPCool. I didn't believe this was possible when I first heard about it, but now I think it's just as easy, if not easier than soldering leaded packages since bridgeare harder to make. I use paste rather than solder though which makes a big difference. I also remove the solder balls with wick first so the chip sits flat. Achisel tip also helps a lot, fine tips aren't that great unless you have a metcal :-)

wiml says: May 25, 2006. 10:51 PM REPNice howto. One quibble?? the dot actually indicates where pin 1 is. For most chip packages, pin 1 is in the top-left, but that's not always true. PLCCs hav

1 in the middle of one edge, and the dot is there. (The even poorer man's reflow is solder paste and either an oil lamp or a stove burner. Tricky to get thetemperature profile right, but it works. I recommend an aluminum heat-spreader plate. Actually, I recommend using better equipment. :-) )

bikeNomad says: Jun 5, 2006. 10:14 AM REPhttp://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/present.php?p=Reflow%20Skillet is a tutorial on using an electric skillet for reflow work.

chuckcolby says: May 26, 2006. 10:57 AM REPIf you put a piece of Kapton tape on the bottom of the chip and cut the tape so it is flush with the side of the chip, it will keep solder from going under thechip. This means less chance of out of sight shorts and it also makes it much easier to remove the chip by using Solder-Wick to remove the solder at eachpad.

bikeNomad says: Jun 5, 2006. 10:12 AM REPThe tape won't work for this chip or any other center-pad QFN chip because they have to have their center soldered down for thermal reasons. Also, thkind of chip *should* to have solder underneath it, since that's where its leads are! If you solder without any going underneath, you'll have connections

that will crack easily.

johnpombrio says: May 29, 2006. 9:22 PM REPI wonder if there are sockets for these surface mount chips. I guess you could also solder leads to the pads then snake the leads through the thru holes onthe board. I watched a factory worker repairing surface mount stuff and she had the finest tipped soldering iron and a big magnifier!

bikeNomad says: Jun 5, 2006. 10:10 AM REPThere aren't sockets for these chips (other than maybe test/programming sockets, but you can't afford them). For one thing, the center slug must besoldered down for thermal reasons. But look at http://www.schmartboard.com/ for easily-soldered boards for a variety of package styles. For instance,this 20 pin chip should work with http://www.schmartboard.com/index.asp?page=products_csp&id=74Unfortunately, the chips that I've had to use in this kind of package (switching power supply regulators) can't stand the extra lead length.

davidmerrill says: Jun 5, 2006. 9:51 AM REPI am thinking about making a little breakout board ("surfboard" as they are called sometimes) so that I can prototype with this chip on a regular

breadboard.. I think that you *could* solder little "wire-wrap" wires to the leads, but they would probably keep breaking off due to the strain and smallattachment area, and it would be very frustrating.

bikeNomad says: Jun 1, 2006. 12:18 PM REPInstead of tweezers (which take a third hand if you're holding solder and an iron), you can do what I did and make a jig for SMD soldering out of a piece ofwood and a piece of wire.

davidmerrill says: Jun 5, 2006. 9:55 AM REPvery nice!
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kimota.nomis says: May 26, 2006. 10:18 PM REPThis is a great instructable. Very useful. I would only suggest putting more emphasis on the flux. Effective use of of a liquid flux can make things MUCHeasier. It helps get the pins and pads heated quicly, it also helps the soldier magicaly flow to the right places. The flux despenser I use has a little needle torelease small drops of it for fine work like this. I hope you post more like this one, it may inspire someone to build something they otherwise would be afraidto.

davidmerrill says: Jun 5, 2006. 9:53 AM REPthanks for the feedback. when I first tried to solder little surface-mount stuff, I was really intimidated - it looked IMPOSSIBLE! But once you have somepractice, and learn useful techniques like the one I've presented here, it becomes a tractable problem, and doesn't seem so bad after all. I hope otherswill be inspired by this, and believe that they can do it too!

skipandmadge says: May 25, 2006. 2:14 PM REPThe major problem with this technique is that the ground slug in the middle of the part usually needs to be connected to GND for properl electricalconnection, heat dissipation, noise reduction (ground return current noise), and mechanical stability.

A hot air pencil for plastic welding (such as the expensive Leister Hot Jet S http://www.malcom.com/products/hotjets.php ) with liquid flux makes this a veryeasy process. Tin the pads of the part and the board as evenly as possible. Place the part in the proper location with flux underneath.

Apply heat with heat gun until the part literally "sucks" into place. While reflowing give a gentle tap on the side of the part (with tweasers) to nudge the partout of place so that it will naturally rebound into the proper location.

With inexpesive boards such as the one shown in the above photos, multiple reflow processes will eventually cause the pads of the part to be lifted. For paremoval, use the same process (lots of flux and gentle heat). Once you can tap the part out of position you're reflowing and can then pull the part directly othe board.

For an inexpensive heat gun, the major consideration is to not use too much heat, and to MINIMIZE the airflow (otherwise you'll blow parts off the board).

davidmerrill says: Jun 5, 2006. 9:49 AM REP

I have a labmate who claims that a heat gun made for melting heat-shrink tubing will also work for this..

pellepeloton says: Jun 4, 2006. 7:47 PM REPStereo Microscope would be nice but expensive so I bought handsfree magnifier glasses to fit into my head like a cap and with a hinge to push up thelenses. These are available at electronics hobby shops.

nv0u says: Jun 3, 2006. 7:46 PM REPReflow would work better, however instead of using a hot air gun (which could blow the thing off the board) try using an old convection oven. Set the temp about 150F for 5 mins or so, then crank the temp up to 400F for about 1 minute max. Watch in amazement as all the parts seat themselves.

bikeNomad says: Jun 1, 2006. 12:06 PM REPAnd one possibility for the hotplate is to get an old electric skillet from the thrift shop.

prometheus314 says: Jun 1, 2006. 9:25 AM REPI've heard of alternate methods of soldering the tiny, tiny MLF packages by putting a bit of solder/solder paste on the pads then placing the board with themicro held on onto a hotplate to reflow the solder. Whole thing ends up being flat, and it permits soldering to the large ground pad.

prank says: May 25, 2006. 12:12 PM REPcool. How did you take the pictures?

davidmerrill says: May 28, 2006. 6:09 PM REPI just used my Nikon Coolpix 5600 (5MP point-and-shoot camera) in macro (close-up) mode, and shot the pictures through the eyepiece of themicroscope that I was using for soldering. It helps to make sure that it's very, very well-lit, and there's a lot of fine positioning needed before the image of a sudden jumps into view, but once it does, as you can see the pictures are pretty nice!

klee27x says: May 26, 2006. 11:28 PM REPThat chip IS an SMD part. :)

Junkyard John says: May 26, 2006. 6:33 AM REPyou can do this with SMD parts too.

ian says: May 26, 2006. 2:23 AM REPThis is great. I'm going to try a 20 lead QFN package soon, this gives me confidence that it can be done.
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9/9


radiorental says: May 25, 2006. 8:56 AM REPNice instructable I used to cheat with paste and a hot air gun from the other side, sort of a poor mans reflow I wonder if designing tiny vias for the pads wouallow you to solder from the other side of the pcb? could be nothing more that a hole through the pcb and a copper wire.
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hand soldering teeny tiny chips!

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