PICsters,

Having an inexpensive DIP converter for surface mount parts
to be soldered onto is one good solution to the problem
of prototyping surface mount components.

I was thinking about this, and wondered if there might not
be a slightly more expensive, but more flexible answer.
Wouldn't it be nice to have a re-useable surface mount
to DIP converter that was SOLDERLESS, so you could then
eventually remove the IC and use it elsewhere. The
re-useability of the converter would mean that you could
get by with just a few of the devices during the
design stage of a project.

What I envision would be a carrier that would have the
surface mount pads gold plated for corrosion resistance.
The IC would be held in place by a snap-on top that would
apply pressure to the IC package AND to the IC leads.
The leads would be held down by a strip of hard rubber
or some other means such as soft plastic over metal
that would cause the leads of the IC to be pressed up
against the gold plated pads.

There are some structural issues involved. It might be
neccesary to use a thicker than normal PC board so that
the necessary forces can be developed without flexing
the board too much, or the clip can be made to anchor
itself through holes or slots punched in the pc board.

I would think that there would be a reasonable market
for such a device if it could be made at a decent price.
One thing is for sure: the prices we currently have to
pay for dip converters are ridiculous.

Fr. Tom McGahee