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Date: Fri, 19 Jul 2013 19:30:33 -0700
Message-ID: <CAN0Jx--NohGrjjB9ppomXuBJO3HbOXsd0Fr9cZR0DiFM=H1A3Q@mail.gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [geda-user] PCB BGA (ball grid array) Package/Footprint
From: Russell Dill <Russ DOT Dill AT asu DOT edu>
To: geda-user AT delorie DOT com
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On Fri, Jul 19, 2013 at 7:15 PM, Dave Curtis <davecurtis AT sonic DOT net> wrote:
>
> On Jul 19, 2013, at 5:08 PM, Russell Dill wrote:
>
>> On Fri, Jul 19, 2013 at 10:23 AM, Dave Curtis <davecurtis AT sonic DOT net> wrote:
>>> On 07/18/2013 03:33 PM, Lilith Bryant wrote:
>>>>
>>>> On 2013-07-19 01:19:25 AM, Rob Butts wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> Has anyone done a PCB using the new chips with the BGA (ball grid array)?
>>>>> If so, how did you define the footprint?  As through-holes?  Fab shops
>>>>> must
>>>>> be capable of accommodating these ICs otherwise they wouldn't exist.
>>>>>
>>>>> I'm thinking they must be easy to solder since it would simply fall into
>>>>> it's position with either pre-soldered holes or pre-soldered pins/balls.
>>>>>
>>>> I have just finished a paying job using an iMX6 processor (624 ball
>>>> 0.8mm),
>>>> FPGA (256 ball 1mm), and 4xDDR3 (96 ball 0.8mm).    However, even for
>>>> personal use prototypes, I wouldn't even try doing it myself.
>>>
>>> What do you end up paying an assembly house to attach of those on a one-off
>>> basis for a prototype?
>>
>> When I looked for a board I was doing with 1 96-ball 0.8mm, 1 784-ball
>> 1mm, and 5 100-ball 1mm components (as well as many other components),
>> It was cheaper for me to buy an oven, a controller for it, a hot air
>> gun, a steel stencil, parts for a vacuum pen system, a set of small
>> test boards for developing a process, paste, and still have money left
>> over to re-do in case things get screwed up. There certainly is a lot
>> of upfront investment in tools and time learning, but for me, assembly
>> is part of the hobby.
>>
>> If you already do boards with 0.5mm qfn/qfp and 0402's, 0.8mm and 1mm
>> BGAs are not a big deal. If you haven't already, I'd recommend trying
>> your hand at a stencil+reflow process without BGA first. It really
>> comes down to how valuable your time is, and if you consider assembly
>> part of your hobby or if you want to skip past that. I know several
>> other hobbyists who do BGA at home, and enjoy doing it.
>>
>
> I'm set up with the toaster oven and reflow controller.  Have not done BGA's.
> I stick to packages where I can inspect the joints under the microscope.
> A friend does small BGA's with a hot plate.  Balls around the periphery only,
> like 8 ball packages and such.

Ya, lack of inspection kind of sucks, but how often do you have
problems with 1mm pitch components?

> I'm really interested in the quantitative aspect of my question, though,
> what was the quote? If you care to tell me...

I think it was around $2k, it'd probably be less if I had them only do
the bga components.