Hello everyone,
I have a handy little gadget from china that I want to hack on. The main brain is an ARM and a eLQFP 176pin 20x20mm package. They did not break out any of the spare GPIO as nobody expected them too but I have a novel idea and would like an opinion on its feasibility.
So the highest component on the board is 2mm off of the motherboard. My idea is this:
- Create a spacing ring out of double sided through hole plated FR4.
To do this I would have a board with via's over every single pin on the eLQFP176 package and then mill out the centre of the package so that half of the via is cut off. This way once plated I could solder it to the motherboard and solder the eLQFP package to the top of it and make a sort of "riser"
- Create another spacer that breaks out the GPIO
In much the same way as above I would make another riser with a larger hole that brings the unused GPIO to the top of this board. Then it would be a simple matter to route them to a 0.5" header for use on whatever project I need.
Does that make sence to anybody? And would it work? I think its perfectly reasonable but I have never touched such a high density package before.