Hotplate substitute for SMD assembly

[Wolf99]

Hi Folks
My current project has some tricky SMD parts and I think Ill prob need a hotplate.
Now I have hotplates available that are used to heat up liquid solutions in a lab etc but these look different from the type I see on Farnell....
Does anyone know if they will do the same job?

If they will it'll save me splashing out a couple hundred euro...
Thanks

 

[Rob B]

I think that hotplates are for rework heating rather than reflowing parts on. It might work but there might be an easier solution.

What are the components that you need to solder?

 

[Wolf99]

I have some DFN package components and two bumped die parts an the board also lots of 0603 passives.
My main worry is the bumped die, they are very small (0805-ish) so the heat dissipates to a point and then they just burn up.
If I can heat the board with the plate, then use a gas gun to reflow it might be easier...

 

[Rob B]

I've had success reflowing QFN packages on 0.4mm pitch but I imagine that chip-scale bumped packages would be more tricky (especially with hot-air methods)!

Do you have a solder paste stencil for the PCB?

I'd like to try using the "toaster oven reflow" method the next time I make something. I was looking at the reflow oven controller from PCB Pool's website, they also do a free stencil on certain orders. Maybe you are in a region they ship to?

 

[Wolf99]

This is www.pcb-pool.com ? I should hope they do ship to me Im in the same country...and its only a fairly small one! :smile:

 

[FvM]

În my opinion, hot air is much more at risk to burn components then a hot plate. Personally, I have good experience with a regular cooking plate, you don't necessarily need a temperature controller for it, just switch to medium power until the required temperature is reached, hold a few seconds, then take the PCB carefully off. No abrupt movements while the solder is liquid!

 

[Wolf99]

Just found out a mate has one of these ACHI IR PRO SC @ the BGA store which will prob do the trick!