New Socket Design Tackles BGA Shipping, Assembly And Performance Problems

A new patent-pending BGA terminal called the Rollerball Socket is said to eliminate many problems inherent in the shipping and assembly of conventional BGA devices. It also claims to improve performance characteristics and reduce rework and scrap, while increasing production yields. The key to the new design is a terminal that is crimped over the solder ball. This crimped configuration makes it impossible for solder balls to dislodge during transportation and handling. The design also brings the terminal closer to the solder pad, reducing coplanarity pc-board problems and leaving just enough of the solder ball exposed for soldering to a pc board. With the Rollerball Socket design, the critical distance between the terminal and the pc board pad is typically reduced from 0.036"-0.040" to 0.018-0.022". The fact that the solder balls are encapsulated in the Rollerball Socket also reduces the risk of solder bridging, since the design provides controlled dispersion of solder. ANDON ELECTRONICS CORP., Lincoln, RI. (401) 333-0388.