5 reasons to use a surface-mount System on Module (SOM)

System on module solutions are a great way to reduce the development time, cost and risk when creating a new embedded device. They are small circuit boards with the common components used in design – processor, memory, power supply and possibly a few other bits and pieces.

SOMs are available in all shapes and sizes. There are SOMs based on standards and others with proprietary connection methods. The main reason for this variety is that the embedded market that uses SOMs is incredibly diverse and each SOM fits a particular need in the market.

This post looks at surface-mount SOMs. They are ideal for applications that have demanding size, cost or environmental constraints.

Surface-mount SOMs have components on one side of a small PCB, and pads on the other side. You can think of it like a big BGA. When it comes to manufacture, you paste the footprint of the SOM along with the rest of your board, place the module along with the other components and reflow.

The image above is of Quartz, our latest surface-mount Vybrid-based SOM. This is 38mm x 38mm and is the smallest package of any Vybrid module on the market.

Here are 5 good reasons to consider a surface-mount SOM for your next design:

1. Lower system cost
A surface-mount module means no connector cost on the module and your board. This is one (or more) less components to source and add to your BOM cost. The module cost is also generally lower as it does not have connectors.

2. Robust Connection
For certainty in a demanding application, nothing beats soldering down a module.

3. Size
A surface-mount module is the least height option of any module. It adds 1mm compared with the alternative of soldering the components directly to your board. The module size is also usually very compact.

4. Faster manufacturing
Our surface-mount modules are supplied in trays – just like BGA components. A SMT machine can pick and place the module, saving labour when compared with a connector based module.

5. Easy Transition to a Design License
If your product volumes increase, we have options to license the design. Using a surface-mount module means the transition has no effect on the placement of components on your board. The components that were on the module end up 1mm lower and directly on your board. There are a number of factors to consider when making this decision which we won’t cover here. Please talk to us if you want to know more about this option.

If you think this is a good option for your new project, please drop us a line. We would love to talk to you about it.