Hello all,

I have been a circuit designer for several years, and one thing I have not understood is why there are so many different names for the same IC package?  For example, it seems to me that SOT-23 is the same as TO-263-3 or SC-59-3.  When I try to design a circuit using, say, a mosfet, in this package, I need to know which manufacturers make a compatible device.  But many different names exist for a device package which all fit the same footprint.  Does anyone know of a chart or table or list or any way to know if one manufacturer's device package name will be compatible with another's???  I can look at the datasheets and compare, but when I am looking for a discreet component, I need to be able to search by the package type... so therefore I need to know which package types are compatible!  

I hope you can help,

B

You can find this type of table for a given manufacturer (sometimes), but I haven't seen it across manufacturers.  Each manufacturer wants to keep selling their parts, so they won't help lead you to a competitor unless it is a (niche) part that they don't want to sell.  

My best technique has been working through a distributor site, like DigiKey.  At least there you can sort by package and see multiple manufacturers.  

John D

Well, that has been my strategy too.  However, even a great searchable site like Digikey lists the "compatable" packages as separate types... so you'd have to already know if they are a fit or not.  I was thinking there would be some standard that the manufacturers would conform to... but I think that was just wishing.

B

Eons ago, before SMT existed, this kind of cross-brand information was made available in "D.A.T.A." books, by a third party publisher whose name I have sadly forgotten.  The books were not cheap, but easily justifiable for a serious operation.

 

Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

Well... I'd bet there would be a market for one now!

B

When everything was in DIP packages it was fairly easy (i.e. a good business case).  Once everyone started making their own subtle changes to the surface mount packages it became a much more difficult job.  It seems this should be coming back around though, as I believe almost all the IC manufacturers are getting their packages from a few global companies so this has standardized things again.  

John D