Hi Earl,
Andon is a pretty good company that makes some good sockets...they just did a custom one for me recently, wasn't a BGA socket though, and I have never used a BGA socket from them.
The one BGA socket I do have experience with is what Wells/CTI calls their "Z-lok" BGA socket. Go to:
http://www.wellscti.com/zlok.html
Their claim to fame is that even if a BGA is put into their socket, the way the individual pins contact the balls, there will be no ball deformation so the BGA can still be soldered to directly to the PCB after it's been in one of their sockets.
Only thing about their sockets I can comment on, is they ARE NOT reworkable.
Remember my little episode trying to rework one of these jewels with my hand-held HAKKO 850 a few years back? I was able to get it off, but never back on. You have to do it right the first time. As long as the footprint is correct in relation to the alignment holes that need to be drilled for the alignment posts on the socket, it's a "piece-o-pie" (that was the problem when I was asked if I could try and rework that socket a few years back...everything was one row off).
If the design allows you to use a BGA-to-throughole socket, I think I would go that route, less hassle all the way around. But doing in doing that, you're probably going to lose real estate for trace routing huh?
-Steve Gregory-
Folks,
Never having had a need to use BGA sockets of any type, I don't like of the
thought of a first time effort. Our company has an apparent need to do some
studies using easily replaceable BGA's and that is understandable. I have
two choices as either a BGA socket or one through hole.
The company selected so far is Andon. Any and all comments happily accepted.
Earl Moon