SparkFun Forums

[ChrisDA]

Hi there, I made a post about a hand mounted mouse a few months ago and the help I got was great so I thought i'd ask another question about my project.

Now I've got good grasp on the connections and the code but I can't seem to get how the parts will fit together on a pcb at all. Am I using the right parts? Or is there something i'm missing?

Microcontroller
http://www.sparkfun.com/products/212
Accelerometer
http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9156
And some sort of bluetooth link.

[leon_heller]

Create a schematic and design a PCB. Then get one made.

[ChrisDA]

Okay but I guess my question is, how does a decade breakout board fit on a pcb?

[Roko]

Hi ChrisDA

If you want to make a circuit board that mounts breakout boards (i.e. if you're not ready to reflow solder a QFN component yourself just yet), you'll need to use headers. Most (if not all) of the sparkfun breakout boards use standard 0.1" spaced headers.

On your PCB, you simply need to have the corresponding holes to solder the header into. In the case of your accelerometer board, you would use a 1x8 header. Then you can solder your breakout board directly to the header that's soldered into the PCB

You can use headers like this: (It breaks away to your custom length)
http://www.sparkfun.com/products/116

If you want a less permanent solution, you can use sockets as well, like this:
http://www.sparkfun.com/products/115

With the sockets, you can solder the socket into your custom PCB, then solder the male header pins into the breakout board. The breakout board can then plug into your PCB..

If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask!

[ChrisDA]

Thanks Roko, that was really helpful.

Now with that, do you think reflow soldering is a better way of buiding a device? That means surface mounting right? And what is a QFN component?

[leon_heller]

QFN is an IC package with contacts around the sides. Some people find them difficult to solder.