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Connecting up very small, curved pins.

AG12

Apr 2, 2017
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As part of an engineering project I have got two nanosecond clock modules for measuring time-of-flight of radio signals, but I'm unsure how to connect them as the pins are unlike any I have seen before.

The clock module itself is about 12.5mm square, with 7 pins on each side, the pins step from about 0.7mm at the top to 0.4mm at the end (see datasheet here: http://www.mouser.com/ds/2/308/MC10E137-D-96374.pdf) the spacing between the pins is around 0.5mm.
The tricky part is how to solder to these pins as they are curved underneath the chip (see pictures). Currently I can only think of bending the pins to act as through-hole pins, bending them further to act as surface-mount pins or soldering single core wire directly to them (very weak, messy and generally a bit of a bodge...).
If anyone has any experience of using similar components or can think of any better way to do it then please let me know.
Kind regards,
Andy
20170402_213435-1.jpg 20170402_213455-1.jpg 20170402_213626-1.jpg 20170402_213931-1.jpg
 

davenn

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Sep 5, 2009
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Currently I can only think of bending the pins to act as through-hole pins,

NOOOOOO please don't

bending them further to act as surface-mount pins

they can already be used for that as they are
or use the correct IC socket like this wi8th the appropriate pin count

SurfaceMountSocket.jpg

th


I don't know of any in that style that are designed for through board mounting

some one else may do so


Dave
 

Audioguru

Sep 24, 2016
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Many ICs today are not made for people to solder them. Robots do it. Some ICs are soldered in an oven.
 

(*steve*)

¡sǝpodᴉʇuɐ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥd
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This package is certainly not impossible to hand solder. A surface mount socket for it may be (but isn't too hard with an oven).
 

HellasTechn

Apr 14, 2013
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I agree with Audioguru, only above kind of chips are around ever since i remember myself (more than 30 years). I think this specific kind needs stencil and hot air station to be soldered.

You could try soldering them directly on the PCB by creating a solder "hill" between the side of the chip and the PCB surface. Here is a video that may help a little.



I don't know of any in that style that are designed for through board mounting

I beleave you can bend the legs straight, underneath and mount it on a BCB through hole.
 

(*steve*)

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(*steve*)

¡sǝpodᴉʇuɐ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥd
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Oh, and the pitch is 1.27mm, comparatively huge and almost trivial to hand solder if you know what you're doing.
 

AG12

Apr 2, 2017
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Thank you everyone for the helpful and informative replies, I think I will get hold of two of the plcc-28s just because connecting to them is a lot easier and less permanent than soldering directly to the chip (and I haven't got the means to manufacture a breakout board).

Another question I have is regarding connecting the counter to a raspberry pi so as to use it's 1.2 GHz clock. I know that there can be problems with signal attenuation at such high frequencies in longer wires. Would anyone know what I'll need to do regarding impedance or a maximum length of a connector?

Andy
 

Externet

Aug 24, 2009
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Soldering "J" pins instead of using the socket ---->
 
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