using SMDs

I am an enegineering technician and I modify printed circuit boards to test out hardware changes. The question you ask depends on what type of SMDs you are referring to. SMD resistors are usually 1206, 0603 or 0402 sizes. That means 12mm x 6mm etc.. SMD ICs are another issue. You would have to look at the pin specs for the device to see what the dimensions are and then pick out an experiment board that will match the pitch or pin sizes of the part (the spacing between the pins). The easiest way to make small circuits with SMD is to use a blank plastic type board, glue the parts down and use 28 or 30 gauge, very small wires to make the connections. This is very tedious and usually requires a microscope unless you have very good eye sight. Also, you need very small soldering iron tips and a steady hand. I did a search and found a company that sells SMD breadboards

You would have to look at the dimensions of the SMD parts carefully, meaning you would have to know what types you will be using, they come in various sizes and shapes and make sure the pitch of the part matches the pitch of the bread board

tempus fugit wrote:

I guess you don't use the metric system much, because you just claimed

1206 resistors are about 1/2" long.

1206 means 0.12" x 0.06", which is about 3mm x 1.5mm.

Tim

Thanks Leslie.

Sorry I should have specified - I meant ICs. It sounds like more work than it's worth - maybe I'll just stick to DIP ICs. I can get the parts in DIP, but there are similar versions of the same parts that way outperform the DIP versions.

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Oh yeah wasn't thinking, 12 millimeters = 0.47 inches so you're right

1206's are not that big. That would mean that 0402 resistors are about 1mm x .5mm.

Thanks

Tim Aut> > I am an enegineering technician and I modify printed circuit boards to