I don't really need to elaborate, which is weird.
What are the pros and cons of IC sockets aside from the obvious (replaceability of the tenant IC versus cost)?
Is replaceability a word?
Desoldering is tricky and can easily damage a board.
Vibration or temperature cycling can cause the chip to walk out of a socket unless physically restrained.
That said, I usually use sockets for the reason that @anon57585045 mentions.
@anon57585045 So that's probably a replaceability thing. I don't care too much about that.
@groundFungus Interesting. I've dropped my UNO a few times and the microprocessor is still in place. So is this more of a continuous small vibration thing (like a car) than a big jolt thing (like a drop)?
Besides the obvious of none of the pins being soldered, which I generally avoid, I don't have any problems with IC sockets. The only reason I use them though is for replaceability.
I splurge on the high quality ones with internal coil springs. They're a notch above the cheesy stamped metal contact version. Although, those have been used in a lot of fairly reliable stuff for years.
Right or a motorcycle or the like. And like outdoor projects that see large temperature fluctuations.
Higher quality sockets like @anon57585045 mention are less prone to those environmental problems.
Very interesting. This is an outdoor project (the wearable), but the circuit board has passive heating from my body.
I'd say the only reason not to use a socket is cost (if the part fits-into a socket).
I always use sockets in my hobby projects but where I work there are only used for programmable parts that have to be programmed before they are installed. That way the firmware/programming can be easily updated, and we have some software options so the boards sometimes have to be re-programmed.
Plus of course, a lot of stuff where I work is surface mount and "standard" sockets aren't available.
I have seen parts fall-out of a low-profile PLCC socket, but never with a DIP socket. Vibration & shock aren't usually a problem (with DIP sockets) but I'd guess they are not allowed in aerospace applications.
This is for an IO expander.
The reason I'm asking about this here is mostly because I like to order multiple of every part. That means that replaceability isn't a problem, making durability, cost, and other factors the only important things.
I always use DIL sockets on all my prototypes. Apart from replacing bad chips, part of the debug process might require the removal of an IC or in extreme cases the removal of one pin on an IC. I have done this by bending the pin I want to disconnect to 90 degrees and pushing it in the socket. Mind you, you can only do that trick a few tines before the pin breaks.
When ever I have made stuff on a PCB for batch production of something the end user is not going to see, then I solder the chips to the PCB. If this ever comes back for repair, the faulty chip is first remove by sniping all the pins off with a fine pair of side cutters. Then I can de-solder each individual pin one at a time. This does a lot less damage to the board than trying to remove, what is after all, a dead chip, all at once.
A well made socket is very reliable though not as reliable as solder.
One caution, do not mix tin leads with gold sockets (or vice versa). Tin and gold are not a reliable set of materials.
They were used in some ground test equipment way back when, but they are held down with a spring loaded heat spreader.
I don't think there are acceptable in any high volume product. There is no benefit in these devices.
From my limited experience DIP28 is very hard to remove from the standard socket and the connection is good. The DIP8 socket used in my first project (about 5 years ago) with ATTiny13A is poor: the socket does not hold the chip well, it even fell out once, and the contacts between socket and pins is poor.
Rather than a real socket I am now using the round breakable female "machine" header pins. You don't need socket for every size, just break the enough pins to match your needs.
I believe the IC is a DIP16 or 14. I could be wrong
This very week, I lost a (luckily fairly expendable) PCB because the solder sucker inhaled a pad.
They're rather gluttonous.
Automated assembly can solder through hole components using wave solder. So IC's as well. But I've never seen any automated way to place IC's in sockets. That requires human operators.
...and picky eaters, though. They always leave the vegetables.
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