BGA Prototype Board Is Hand Solderable

Catering to engineers, students, and hobbyists alike, the ez line of BGA prototype boards are the first of their kind in that they accommodate hand soldering. The boards are offered as a cost-effective alternative to creating a custom PCB, which may not work properly in early revisions, or prototyping boards requiring a costly BGA socket. Three lead-free,10-layer boards support 0.8-, 1-, and 1.27-mm pitches. Each can handle the smallest BGA, up to 400 balls. Chips can be attached in one of four ways: touching a soldering-iron tip to a point on the back of the board for each ball, using external solder and melting it over the board's bottom, wave soldering, or using an industrial heat gun. Available in April, suggested retail price is $44.99 each. SCHMARTBOARD, Fremont CA. (510) 659-1549.