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Component Package Sizes Explained: 0402, 0603, 0805 and Beyond
What 0402, 0603, 0805 and the SOT/ QFN families actually mean, how the imperial and metric codes map to each other, and what changes when you shrink a package.
Category: Components & Parts
How to Read a Component Datasheet: The Seven Sections That Decide a Part
Datasheets are long and most of the length is not what decides whether a part fits. These are the seven sections worth reading in order, and the traps hidden in each.
Ceramic Capacitor Dielectrics: C0G, X7R, X5R and Y5V Compared
The three-letter dielectric codes describe temperature range and tolerance, but the choice between C0G, X7R, X5R and Y5V is really a choice about how much capacitance you are willing to lose.
Understanding Component Tolerances and Temperature Coefficients
A tolerance is a statement about a population, not about the part in your hand. How to turn tolerance, temperature coefficient and drift into a worst-case calculation that holds up.
Circuit Protection Basics: TVS Diodes, Varistors and ESD Ratings
Transient protection is chosen by what the stress is, where it enters the board and how much energy it carries. What TVS diodes, varistors and ESD-rated parts each do, and where they are placed.
