Forum Discussion

Altera_Forum's avatar
Altera_Forum
Icon for Honored Contributor rankHonored Contributor
18 years ago

0.5mm BGA, who can build those?

altera recently introduced some super small BGA packages on their MAX 2G line. While the sizes are attractive, my board design house isn't very open minded about the 0.5mm ball grid, and the ridiculously tiny vias they have to route to get this on a board.

Is this a common package in the industry now? How many of the big solectron guys know how to route and build boards with these kinds of packages? is it still cheap?

Thanks for the help,

guano-girl

3 Replies

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
    Icon for Honored Contributor rankHonored Contributor
    18 years ago

    Anyone that builds consumer electronics has to support those packages to save board space and save $$$$. It was a problem a few years ago but not in 2007...

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
    Icon for Honored Contributor rankHonored Contributor
    18 years ago

    Oh really? Like who? Can foxconn do it? I think "anyone" is a pretty wide sweep for what I consider to be a pretty challenging manufacturing issue. the trace widths are extremely small, and with lead free reflow added to the mix...

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
    Icon for Honored Contributor rankHonored Contributor
    18 years ago

    I have a board house I'd recommend, MEI mei4pcbs.com, that has done fine PWB tolerances for me in the past (not specifically .5 mm BGA). They say they have done .5mm before, and their engineering staff is usually on top of things. I've had my projects' boards done by 4 different board houses in the last couple years, and this is the only one I have found that I'd consider for .5 mm BGA's. I know of a .5 or .8 mm Altera done by an associate. If MEI doesn't pan out, shoot me an email and I'll see if I can track down another.