Current monitor IC is impossible to hand solder?

Please can you confirm that the INA216 current shunt monitor is literally impossible to hand solder? (both RSW & YFF packages)

ina216 datasheet
https://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/ina216a2.pdf

........the only way to solder these packages would be with expensive surface mount machinery or an infra red soldering kit?



In the past, i've incinerated QFN mosfet packages with a gas gun in order to solder them to a PCB, but these INA216 devices are too tiny for the gas gun, do you agree?

Never say impossible - but in this case 'nearly' impossible is true.

BGA packages have no visible solder connections and to allow them to seat parallel to the PCB all the solder balls have to melt simultaneously. You might be able to use hot air if you could localize it enough not to damage surrounding parts. The other package you might be able to solder if the pads are pre-tinned and heat is applied adjacent to pads immediately bedside the body. Again, hot air might be your best bet.

Brian.

The pads actually wrap around slightly on the RSW package, and there's no center thermal pad, so you might be able to hand solder. Otherwise pre-heating the board and then using hot air may work. If all components are on one side you could use a hot plate for pre-heating. The link below has some tips on how to do this.

https://store.curiousinventor.com/guides/Surface_Mount_Soldering/QFN/

I think these are relatively easy for prototype or hobbyist level soldering.

The WCSP-4 has only four balls - just glue it upside down to the PCB and solder on jumper wires with a fine-tipped iron. Easy-peasy.

The edges of the pads on the RSW, as pstuckey said, again mean that a fine-tipped iron could be used, this time with the chip glued solder-side down. Or do it dead bug like the above. That's probably easier.

Preparation (flux, tinning), patience, no coffee for two days and a binocular microscope are useful assets for these chips.

A hot plate would be another good method for either package, but a solder mask helps to allow the parts to auto-centre. I don't usually have that luxury myself, being a cheapskate hobbyist.

Seriously, these are not all that hard to do.

thanks,

i have never heard that solder resist helps them to autocentre.....but im not debating you.

Components will generally self-center during reflow solder, soldermask is a prerequisite in so far that it prevents the solder spreading along the top traces and vanishing into vias.

A hot plate, that has been mentioned as a preheat option can be also used to solder the components. Solder paste can be applied by hand with a syringe.

I have had these components re-worked on boards...
Look up GGA/QFN rework equipement.
Not easy, but achievable with the RIGHT tools.