DIY test tweezers for SMD

[Tornado]

Just found this and thought it was pretty cool:
http://poeth.com/SMD.htm

It's simple, cheap, and effective.

[pushycat]

Just saw the site and the Photo in. Practically it will give eratic results when capacitors or high value resistors are tested as shown in the photo. Note the two flanges of the test tweezers are touched by the user which are actually the probles and external resistances or capacitances will play a different role. One can try isolating the tweezers from the users hand by using some sort of heat shrink tubes applied over the conducting areas except the tips. Anyways a good idea of using the existing multimeter to test smd's.

[borberk]

Tweezers are made of single sided PCB thus electrodes are insulated from operators hand.

[forter]

I have made similar device.
But it works not good, because a capacity depends on gap between PCB materials.
This gap depends on jf type SMD devices (0805, 1206 and so on).
Especially the error is huge when a small C are measuring.

 

Posted on: January 25, 2011, 10:05:42 10:05 - Automerged
And little more...
The result of measure depends on the point where you touch the plate.

[borberk]

Instrument must be calibrated together with the probe before taking measurement of small capacitances.

[bbarney]

This would make a good Design challenge for Sonsivri members just to see what you guy's can think up ,even designing a pic or avr unit to read tweezers
here is another version from Maxim

http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes/index.mvp/id/4459

[kayvee]

Or, if you have some cash left in your R&D budget, you could just go buy one of these:

http://www.advancedevices.com/products_tw.htm

and save the time for your pet project  

[bbarney]

That's the idea only make a unit that people here could use and make , most people here can't afford to buy such a luxury item
personally I don't do much with smd , there are lot's of pic controlled L & C meters out there you just have to throw in the resistance part

[Top]

Or, if you have some cash left in your R&D budget, you could just go buy one of these:

http://www.advancedevices.com/products_tw.htm

and save the time for your pet project 

Here's a link to a teardown of this product:

EEVblog #81 – Smart Tweezers LCR Meter Review And Teardown
http://www.eevblog.com/2010/04/25/eevblog-81-smart-tweezers-lcr-meter-review-and-teardown/

A DIY version would be a great project.

[kayvee]

That's the idea only make a unit that people here could use and make , most people here can't afford to buy such a luxury item

True, but was just pointing out that there are options at the other end of the scale too, for those unaware.  Who knows, could also help inspire compeditors to give us more options.

Just love eeblog.com 

[OlDrunk]

Just a suggestion if you haven't seen this already but the superprobe project http://members.cox.net/berniekm/super.html
This is the kind of thing your talking about?

[trampe]

Something like this?
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/tl-06-smd-precise-circuit-and-micro-electronics-tester-probe-15162

Price: $8.20 and free shipping.

Trampe