iPod

[Innovative]

I just cracked open my iPod to replace the battery inside. WOW! What type of equipment is required to create boards on that level. I am guessing the majority of it is automated as opposed to hand soldered?

Any ideas?

 

[Papabravo]

I just cracked open my iPod to replace the battery inside. WOW! What type of equipment is required to create boards on that level. I am guessing the majority of it is automated as opposed to hand soldered?

Any ideas?

A pick 'n place machine puts the components on the board and they go into a reflow oven that melts the solder paste and the components just settle onto the pads. Hand soldered boards were pretty much finished in the 1980's for significant production volumes.

Among the newer things are BGAs or ball grid arrays. The contacts are underneath the chip so you could never even hope to solder one with an iron. They use X-ray machines to see if the chip did in fact settle onto the pads.

BTW most people past their late 30's can't even see 0402 components without using a microscope.

 

[RadioRon]

BTW most people past their late 30's can't even see 0402 components without using a microscope.

This is true, I rely on my stereo microscope. I used to tell newcomers that 0402 size was also called "FP" package. Then I tell them that FP stands for flea poop.