BGA Soldering

[mare69]

Mine was 64 ball BGA. It took me 4 hours to solder all connections including toner-transfer PCB production. But I think next time I'll take more convenient package. It's not for everyday soldering  The chip was http://www.ti.com/product/ads1298r

[Ichan]

About solder paste, remember they are expires and accelerated by temperature, imagine how long it takes to go on voyage before it lands on your workbench?

I use both BEST and MECHANIC brand successfully, an expired paste sometimes makes a popping sound when reflowed.

-ichan

[Sideshow Bob]

The recommend storage temperature for paste is 0°C to 10°C. Stored at this temperature it will hold given shelf life. Store cartridge in the horizontal way. If it is stored in the vertical way the movement stroke of flux within the cartridge becomes larger. Freezing the paste is not recommended as a general rule. Some pastes are susceptible to damage then frozen other may handle it quite well

[Armageddon]

Yes that's right it must be between 0 and 10°C.

I particularly like this machine, the ZM-R5860C, but it is not cheap.



Green: Preheater (Full board).
Reed: Top (specific working region).
Yellow: Bottom (specific working region).

Start at 5:19.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNxbpCtO480

On the cheap side, I'm trying to modify two 858D+, to try achieve a similar result. One above and the other below the board.
But attention this soldering station sucks. On the other hand a firmware hack is easy, since it uses a ATMEL8P.

[Armageddon]

Today I found this other machine the HONTON HT-R490, is cheaper than the ZM-R5860C, also exists a mini version (HONTON HT-R490 Mini).
All this machines have a similar operating mode, with three heating sources and different profiles, although the Honto has a uglier graphic interface.

I don't understand why are so expensive (~900USD), it's not rocket technology, anyway...

Picture:


Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaNasoDbZUM


Once again in the economic section the YIHUA "smart-type" (Yee haw!):

  - 969D_959D.
  - 2008D.
  - 2009D.

I don't know if are clones.

They all seem very similar, but the truth is I have not been able to fully understand their Chinenglish description. LOL...
But seems that you can program and store three different temperatures and also the air volume on the 2008D and 2009D...
What do think?

YIHUA website: http://yihua-soldering.com/product-3-2-smart-type-en/147654

[hef4015]

It is good not to be afraid of BGA soldering.  Many people are though.  The tools need not to be so expensive.

Just be careful soldering BGA with metal on top of the case. Infrared based soldering tools are not so helpful as not enough heat gets to the ball.    We destroyed a $300 FPGA that way. 

[Gallymimu]

We're in the process of turning a $40 convection toaster oven into a reflow oven.  Might be overkill but bought a 1/32 DIN ramp soak controller for $100 to go with it.  Will let you guys know how it turns out.

[mclinic]

hello mates

depending on what u want to solder , u can choose which soldering way ull use .

for example
1- if u want to change small components on board like ( resistors , capacitors , diods...) then the choice is hot air .
2- if u want to build new board & want to make complete new assemble , u can use a reflow oven
3- if u want to change large components like gpu's , cpu's.... then u need a pid controlled ir reflow systems that make preheat , soak , reflow , then cool down .

kind regards

[CocaCola]

3- if u want to change large components like gpu's , cpu's.... then u need a pid controlled ir reflow systems that make preheat , soak , reflow , then cool down .

I beg to differ on the 'need' I have changed all sorts of large components with nothing but a small hot air heat gun/soldering iron or using a cooking skillet and tweezers/suction tool...  Sure it's easier with the proper tools but sometimes you have do do what you have to do...

[mclinic]

@ cocacola

yes ur right , can use heat gun , but when ur in chalange with time ( lots of work to do  ) & stability of success ( keep chips working & save the live of mother board from overheat ) i bet u should use pic controlled systems .

[havok1919]

Another option instead of new (but sometimes dubious) Chinese stuff is to get older, used american equipment from eBay.  A lot of 'specialty' rework equipment will be low hours and last 'forever' for hobby and light production purposes.

The "APE Chipmaster SMD-1000" is a forced air BGA rework setup with PID temperature control and automatic/programmable profiles.  It's also built like a tank.  If you're patient and keep an eye out they pop up on eBay from time to time in the $100-200 USD range. 

[renesas13]

I use pro'skit for home  

and  

[Ichan]

What a mess, that must be a very productive workbench  .

-ichan

[Parmin]

What a mess, that must be a very productive workbench  .

-ichan

That a mess? 
You can still see the table surface!!

[pickit2]

That a mess? 
You can still see the table surface!!

That work place looks a bit like mine, but I have easier access to the beer, wait a moment I see no beer or glasses, must be a beginner.

[vern]

Excuse my noob question, but how do you even align a BGA at home ? Doesn't it need some expensive equipment to do it ?

If you do the layout yourself you should always add markers at the outline of the BGA, for example a little cross at the corners.
Then it is very easy to align the chip. The chip then self aligns perfectly after melting the solder.
If you don't have markers on your pcb you have to put the outline of the chip on it somehow, with a fine tip permanent marker for example.
You should also have a vacuum tip to place the BGA, it is very difficult to place the chip with pincers without smearing the solder.

[pertican]

I Have BGA DH-A01-SE
Cheap (I bought 800$)
high quality
and Simple


I use It for BGA laptop and pc motherboard repair ,  for Home work It is a little expensive

[Buddy]

Brothers,

What temperature profile do you use for toaster / skillet / electric stove?

And how do you solder SMDs that are on both sides of the PCB?

Cheers,
Bud

[Parmin]

And how do you solder SMDs that are on both sides of the PCB?

Cheers,
Bud

Superglue

[CocaCola]

What temperature profile do you use for toaster / skillet / electric stove?

I don't follow a profile, I heat (preheat) the board moderately until the flux activates then I rapidly raise the heat until the solder reflows, then I let it cool slowly...  Unless you invest a lot money you will likely never be able to reliably replicate the proper profile...  With most low cost setups there simply isn't the 'excess' heat needed to blast on the rising edge nor enough 'venting' on the cooling edge to properly follow most profiles in a timely manner...

And how do you solder SMDs that are on both sides of the PCB?

A good quality solder paste will hold the parts on the underside of the board in place well enough, as will the solder once it reflows as long as you don't jar or suddenly move the board while reflowing...

[jellybean442]

And how do you solder SMDs that are on both sides of the PCB?

I've worked with a lot of industrial boards (PLCs and the like), and I often see tiny bits of adhesive applied on the underside of these boards. I'm not sure what the adhesive is, but it's a ***** to rework the glued components. Googling for adhesive pcb smt turns up a lot of possibilities. It appears that thin strips or tiny dots are used to secure the components between pads. You may be able to get away with a bit of kapton tape, though, at least for smaller areas.

[vern]

And how do you solder SMDs that are on both sides of the PCB?

You solder the top side first.
Then you put the solder paste and the parts on the bottom side and heat it with a heat gun. You have to be patient, don't overheat the parts by making the air to hot.
You should measure the temperature of your heat gun at the distance where you would have the parts to be soldered and it should not be more than 260 Celsius.
That is the limit for most electronic parts. (pb-free)
The parts on the other side that are already soldered won't fall of, it takes a long time for the other side to get heated up.
If you solder your pcb in a convection oven you have to build a small box from thin aluminum (I take 0.3mm) where the top side of the box is open.
You put the board on that box so the already populated side is inside the box and the side you want to solder is on top.
This blocks the hot air from getting to the parts that are already soldered.
It is good to have an oven with a glass window, just watch everything until you see the solder melt, wait a few seconds, the take it out and let it cool.