IC Insertion tool

[Stevenm56]

I've been teaching kids in my neighbored basic electronics. For soldering practice, I purchase kits off of Aliexpress and others. I purchased a small two wheeled avoidance robot. However, the kids and I have an issue. The 28-pin controller chip is extremely difficult to insert into the socket, usually ending up with broken pins. I am looking for a 28 pin ic insertion tool. I tried one from amazon only to find out it is too wide.

Can anyone tell me where if at all I can get a tool that fits so the kids can build their kits. TIA

This is the kit:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805357512655.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.5.70a51802QgHkrs&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa

Pic is of a mangled chip one of the kids tried to insert by hand sitting in the tool.

 

[Harald Kapp]

I don't know such a tool - which doesnÄt necessarily mean that it doesn't exist.

Leaded ICs are usually delivered with the pins not facing straight down but a little outward. That's where your problems seem to arise.
I know two methods to handle that:

1. Insert the first row of pins only slightly into the socket such that the pins are held by the socket but the IC can still be wiggled a bit. Then slightly press the IC from the side with the not-inserted pins towards the side with the inserted pins. Such that the inserted pins bend slightly and allow the other row of pins to be inserted into the socket with comparative ease. Here's a video showing the process.
2. Pre-bend the IC pins by pressing each row of pins against a flat surface (aka table) such that the pins bend a bit and face straight down instead of being slightly angled.

The force you need varies with the number of pins. Be careful not to overdo the bending. Otherwise you will have to reverse the bend which is much more difficult.

 

[bertus]

Hello,

You can try to straigthen the pins, but be carefull as they might break easely.
Most times the cheap dual leaf ic sockets are delivered with the kits.
I prefer to replace them with turned pin contact ic sockets.

Those will be more reliable than the dual leaf.


Bertus

 

[Stevenm56]

I don't know such a tool - which doesnÄt necessarily mean that it doesn't exist.

Leaded ICs are usually delivered with the pins not facing straight down but a little outward. That's where your problems seem to arise.
I know two methods to handle that:

1. Insert the first row of pins only slightly into the socket such that the pins are held by the socket but the IC can still be wiggled a bit. Then slightly press the IC from the side with the not-inserted pins towards the side with the inserted pins. Such that the inserted pins bend slightly and allow the other row of pins to be inserted into the socket with comparative ease. Here's a video showing the process.
2. Pre-bend the IC pins by pressing each row of pins against a flat surface (aka table) such thatvthe pins bend a bit and face straight down instead of being slightly angled.

The force you need varies with the number of pins. Be careful not to overdo the bending. Otherwise you will have to reverse the bend which is much more difficult.

 

[Stevenm56]

Harold, here's a pic of an 8-pin insertion tool. They have them available for up to 40 pins, problem is ordering one. I used to shop at radio shack and they carried them.

 

[Alec_t]

28-pin ZIF (Zero Insertion Force) socckets are widely available, e.g on Ebay etc.

 

[Delta Prime]

The 28-pin controller chip is extremely difficult to insert into the socket, usually ending up with broken pins.

You’re gonna have to disorder the socket.

For soldering practice, I purchase kits off of Aliexpress and others.

Solder your control chip directly to the board.

 

[Harald Kapp]

Solder your control chip directly to the board.

Same problem here: The pins will not fit into the pcb holes without some bending.

here's a pic of an 8-pin insertion tool.

One never stops learning. I've never before seen such a tool. I always used one of the methods I described.

I found this tool (page is in german, sorry) or, probably better suited, a few tools here.

 

[Harald Kapp]

28-pin ZIF (Zero Insertion Force) socckets are widely available, e.g on Ebay etc.

A ZIF socket will cost more than the whole kit

 

[hevans1944]

I thought the 21st century outlawed through-hole components in favor of itsy bitsy surface-mount components? You know, the kind that if you sneeze before re-flow soldering them to a circuit you never find them again...

 

[Harald Kapp]

I thought the 21st century outlawed through-hole components ...

How's that going to help the op?

 

[Delta Prime]

The pins will not fit into the pcb holes without some bending.

No, bending. While wearing a grounded wrist strap.

Press the pins flat giving the children wiggle room to fit in your printed circuit board solder holes.

 

[bertus]

 

[hevans1944]

I don't know which Amazon product you purchased and had to return, but this insertion tool by Jonard, their part number MOS-2428, is listed there. It is supposed to work for 20 to 28 pin dual inline packages (DIPs). You might also want to visit this Jonard website where more insertion tools are listed, such as Jonard Tools EX-2, which is supposed to remove and insert 24 to 40 pin DIPs.

 

[poormystic]

Hi
Once or twice I put a chip into an engineering vise and squeezed the pins parallel. It does work...
When I got more skilful, working as a circuit board tech, I would do much as Harald Kapp - get the legs on one side in the proper holes - then I used my EFT-POS card to press all the opposite legs into their destinations at once.

 

[Zakholland441]

I've been teaching kids in my neighbored basic electronics. For soldering practice, I purchase kits off of Aliexpress and others. I purchased a small two wheeled avoidance robot. However, the kids and I have an issue. The 28-pin controller chip is extremely difficult to insert into the socket, usually ending up with broken pins. I am looking for a 28 pin ic insertion tool. I tried one from amazon only to find out it is too wide.

Can anyone tell me where if at all I can get a tool that fits so the kids can build their kits. TIA

This is the kit:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805357512655.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.5.70a51802QgHkrs&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa

Pic is of a mangled chip one of the kids tried to insert by hand sitting in the tool.

An insertion tool is frequently more problematic than beneficial for such DIP chips. The best method, especially for children, is to gently push each side of the IC on a flat table to straighten and slightly bend the pins inward before inserting one end of the chip into the socket and evenly rocking it down. A basic 28-pin DIP lead-forming tool can be useful, but teaching this "table bend" technique is much simpler to handle and typically prevents damaged pins.

 

[poormystic]

Yes, that method works very well, and doesn't require any tools.

 

[hevans1944]

If you can find them, a pair of "duck-bill" pliers works well on smaller DIP devices: a whole line of pins can be bent straight simultaneously.