Reply to post: Re: Just because...

Re: Just because...

I think the trend towards BGAs needs to be understood in the wider context and from a designer's perspective.

BGAs have a number of things going for them. They save physical space; for a given number of contacts, BGAs are the smallest solution. When in reflow (which is basically a multi-stage oven with different temperature zones) a BGA will actually pull itself onto the pads even if it was not precisely placed by the pick and place equipment. That cannot be said of non BGA packages which will be soldered where they are physically placed.

Contrary to what is widely believed, BGAs are really not that difficult to remove and replace; it requires slightly more specialised equipment but it does not cost thousands (unless you expect to be doing a lot of them when the cost can get quite high).

The use of security devices to ensure you can only buy the OEM parts is a blight on the world of electronics in many cases but absolutely necessary in others (you really wouldn't want anything safety critical to be using anything other than the part we know really works and that can include even a die revision which is something I have seen in a particular autopilot).

When it is used to force you into using the dealer network (especially for things we used to do ourselves) it is simply wrong and needs to be clamped down on.

When designing modern equipment, the form factor (size) is often a key for marketdroids so we are forced into very high density layouts which do require somewhat specialist equipment - try desoldering (or even seeing clearly!) a 01005 component which are now commonplace in smart phones and have been since around 2000 or so.

As to adding a mezzanine, that introduces a connector. In electronics, about 90% of faults are connectors.

Deliberately soldering down memory in a system that does not really require it is just taking the p*ss but there are occasions where that is a better solution.

There are companies out there that use lock in methods to extract as much money from people as possible and it is those I avoid.

Having a robust repairability index would be a very good start.