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Topic: "Surface Mount" Through-hole parts (Read 2128 times) previous topic - next topic

"Surface Mount" Through-hole parts

Have there been any discussions here about designing simple (hobbyist) circuit boards to use through-hole parts but to "surface mount" them, so that you don't have to drill them?  E.g. are there any Eagle CAD libraries that are already set up toward that end?

I have a good stock of through hole parts, but I hate the drilling...

Thanks,
John

Re: "Surface Mount" Through-hole parts

Reply #1 –
I don't know of any libraries.  I have seen some footprints (adafruit maybe) for things like leds for surfacing mounting them on PCB edge.  I have done that with headers, I frequently surface mount program headers,  I just made a couple quick eagle parts for that.  I have not seen nor have I done chips that way, but since most DIP packages are .1 spacing, it would be really easy to quickly make them in all the 8, 14,18, 20 pin packages.  I think Ian has some tutorials on creating eagle parts.  I have never thought about caps and resistors, but maybe you could come up with a way to surface mount them in an easy way. But they are so cheap and easy to recycle them from garbage (of course caps aren't labeled so it is hard to re-use.  Part Ninja to the rescue), I haven't bothered.

I share your have for drilling, it is the worst.  Surface mount has made my life much better. People are afraid of it at first, but it really isn't so bad once you try.

Re: "Surface Mount" Through-hole parts

Reply #2 –
I did footprints for some smd-mounted PTH parts for a project a while back - TO92's, resistors, caps and 16/20 pin DIPs. 

It was for pcb's for a 60x60 5mm led matrix and due to the spacing of the leds I couldn't properly fit soic's on the backside between the rows or columns of led pins.  But a regular dip ic with the pins flattened out was ok - at least in theory.

I haven't actually sent for any PCBs using those footprints yet but I might do sooner or later this fall.  Probably later :-)

Re: "Surface Mount" Through-hole parts

Reply #3 –
I did this a while back with some toner transfer etched boards

Lay out the PCB as single sided, routing top side only

Put all pads on 0.1" grid

Add 0.3" or 0.4" wire jumpers as needed

Use perf board to align leads of all components, clip flush to bottom of PCB

Solder onto surface mount pad
 

Re: "Surface Mount" Through-hole parts

Reply #4 –
I did one the other day.... The purpose was to make the board as thin as possible to fit inside an existing case, and to use parts that were on hand.  It may be a little hard to see, but 1/4" hole was drilled to let the TO-92 package sit with it's pins flat on the board and the round of the part sticking through the hole.

[attachment=0]

(FYI it is a raspberry pi to wireless remote control interface --- sad news is that it isn't working, more debug to do)

I could export the eagle part if anyone is interested.