Practical
Electronics
Volume 51. No. 12
December 2022
ISSN 2632 573X
Editorial
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Editor
Matt Pulzer
General Manager
Louisa Pulzer
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Alan Winstanley
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Kris Thain
Publisher
Matt Pulzer
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Soldering surface-mount devices
Apart from the general shortage of silicon over the last few years,
one of the biggest gripes for amateurs and hobbyists has been the
inexorable rise of SMDs (surface-mount devices). While these are
fantastic for mass producing compact, cheap electronic products,
for the home design/constructor they can be a real problem.
The simple fact of the matter is that soldering SMDs is
inherently harder than ‘traditional’ through-hole components.
First, there are no ‘legs’, wires or holes to secure and orient
parts before applying solder – components just sit on the board.
Second, and probably here is the biggest problem, SMD parts
are smaller, sometimes considerably smaller than their throughhole counterparts. In fact, some parts are so small they are
barely visible and are specifically designed to be applied using
automated pick-and-place machines, making the challenge
of manually placing and soldering these minute parts almost
impossible.
Technical enquiries
Unsurprisingly, since commercial and industrial consumers
of silicon prefer the lower costs involved with SMD-based
production, the market has simply followed demand, and for
some years we have been in the situation where certain new ICs
are not even supplied in through-hole format – strictly SMD.
Questions about articles or projects should be sent to the editor
by email: pe<at>electronpublishing.com
So, what to do? Well, there are two options. It’s worth
remembering that despite all of the above, there are still very
many through-hole components available, and while you would
be limiting some of your options by avoiding SMDs, there is still
enough user-friendly through-hole silicon to keep most people
happy. If you want to stick to just through-hole then you can.
That said, however, a better option is to grasp this nettle and
learn to solder SMDs. If that’s your preferred route then you’re
in luck, because this month we have a great article and a trainer
project to help you learn to solder SMDs. Do remember that not
all SMDs are the same size. While some are definitely out of reach
for manual solderers, plenty of SMDs are entirely useable with a
bit of practice and some useful guidance. You may need to invest
in a new soldering iron, plus a few other tools and materials, but
the cost is not high and the rewards justify the outlay.
We regret technical enquiries cannot be answered over the
telephone. We are unable to offer any advice on the use, purchase,
repair or modification of commercial equipment or the incorporation
or modification of designs published in the magazine. We cannot
provide data or answer queries on articles or projects that are
more than five years old.
Projects and circuits
All reasonable precautions are taken to ensure that the advice and
data given to readers is reliable. We cannot, however, guarantee
it and we cannot accept legal responsibility for it.
A number of projects and circuits published in Practical Electronics
employ voltages that can be lethal. You should not build, test,
modify or renovate any item of mains-powered equipment unless
you fully understand the safety aspects involved and you use an
RCD (GFCI) adaptor.
Component supplies
We do not supply electronic components or kits for building the
projects featured, these can be supplied by advertisers. We
advise readers to check that all parts are still available before
commencing any project in a back-dated issue.
Advertisements
Although the proprietors and staff of Practical Electronics take
reasonable precautions to protect the interests of readers by
ensuring as far as practicable that advertisements are bona fide,
the magazine and its publishers cannot give any undertakings
in respect of statements or claims made by advertisers, whether
these advertisements are printed as part of the magazine, or in
inserts. The Publishers regret that under no circumstances will
the magazine accept liability for non-receipt of goods ordered, or
for late delivery, or for faults in manufacture.
If you’ve been meaning to take the plunge into the SMD pool,
now is the time jump in!
.
Matt Pulzer
Publisher
Transmitters/bugs/telephone equipment
We advise readers that certain items of radio transmitting and
telephone equipment which may be advertised in our pages
cannot be legally used in the UK. Readers should check the law
before buying any transmitting or telephone equipment, as a fine,
confiscation of equipment and/or imprisonment can result from
illegal use or ownership. The laws vary from country to country;
readers should check local laws.
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