By Michael Kennedy, Marketing Director
Headquartered in Los Alamitos, CA, Practical Components is an international supplier of Dummy Components. The company provides “factory manufactured” dummy components that are virtually identical to their live counterparts. The same manufacturers as the live components specially make them without the expensive live die inside.
Dummy components are also known as mechanical samples, and they are the exact mechanical equivalent of fully functional, electronically active components. Dummy SMD components are available in all popular IC fine-pitch packages (test die) including PoP, TMV, WLP, BGA, Flip Chip, CSP, QFP, LQFP, TSOP, TSSOP, SSOP and PLCC as well as resistors and capacitors, and lead-free RoHS/WEE compliant formulations.
A Practical Dummy Component is used only when the physical properties of the components are required. These components can cost as much as 80 percent less than live components, making them ideal for solder process testing, machine setup, lead-free conversion, thermal profiling, solder training and other process evaluations where only the mechanical characteristics and not the functioning components are required. Since there are no expensive die inside the package, the cost for performing mechanical testing is significantly lower.
Dummy components are used by companies involved with electronic component assembly, testing, evaluation and employee training, and they most commonly are used for the following:
- Machine setup and evaluation
- Assembly workflow evaluation
- Soldering training, practice and certification
- Soldering rework training
- Prototypes
- Demonstrations
- Testing
- CPK Studies
Practical Components is the exclusive distributor of mechanical sample Dummies for Amkor Technology, as well as the sole agent for WALTS Co. LTD.’s extensive line of high-technology products. Additionally, the company distributes components from most other leading SMD manufacturers, and provides advanced test element group wafers (TEG) die/test kits to the North American market.
President Kevin Laphen said, “We distribute components for most major manufacturers, and are proud that we are the exclusive distributor of dummies for Amkor Technology, one of the world’s largest providers of contract semiconductor assembly and test services.”
Since being founded in 1996, Practical Components has been a team of dedicated electronic industry professionals offering value pricing, on-time delivery and superior service to customers. The Practical Components team is ready to provide project assistance in the areas of technical component knowledge, drawings, component land patterns and PCB practice kits.
PCB Practice Kits contain both the PC practice board and the necessary dummy components, allowing customers to conduct assembly process evaluation without using high-cost, live components and functional PC boards. Kits are available in a single pack for employee hand soldering training or packaged for production equipment evaluation. Additionally, X, Y Theta data and Gerber data are available without charge.
The company has a worldwide distribution network and in- stock availability of most popular package types, and distributes both SMT and through-hole components. As an additional customer benefit, the company specializes in cutting-edge dummy component packages that are not available elsewhere. All of its products can be found on the Web site (www.trustpci.com) as well as in its full-color product catalog, which is a comprehensive resource guide produced annually.
“Practical Components specializes in in-stock availability, manufacturer support and traceability. Our customer support representatives are knowledgeable and have access to engineering data that others do not. These are not cheap, poorly constructed knockoffs. We only sell components from leading companies, such as Amkor and WALTS. The same type manufacturers use for production so customers always are assured of getting the same factory quality with the same thermal and mechanical specifications as the live components in their final assemblies,” added Laphen. “Practical prides itself on the relationships it has with both suppliers and customers, facilitating a smooth transition from design to test and on to production.”
In addition to dummy components, Practical Components carries solder training aids, tools and related equipment, IPC products, PC test boards, SMD production tools, kits and supplies. The company also can design custom PC test boards to meet customer requirements.
“Practical Components is committed to ensuring that electronics assembly engineers and technicians have access to the latest in high-technology components. Our goal is to help companies take the next step in growing their business and qualifying their process,” concluded Laphen.
To learn more about Practical Components and how it can help with your design to test transition, visit the company at its NEW Web site location: www.trustpci.com.
Practical Components® and Practical Dummy Component® are registered trademarks.
For more information, contact Kevin Laphen, President of Practical Components, Inc., at 10762 Noel St., Los Alamitos, CA 90720; 714-252-0010; Fax: 1-714-252-0026; E-mail: klaphen@practicalcomponents.com; Web site: www.trustpci.com.