App note: Identify surface mount part codes online

The SMD Codebook is a comprehensive internet database of the two and three letter codes used to mark small surface mount parts. This is an indispensable resource for repairing and reverse engineering SMD circuits.

SMD devices are, by their very nature, too small to carry conventional semiconductor type numbers. Instead, a somewhat arbitrary coding system has grown up, where the device package carries a simple two- or three-character ID code. Identifying the manufacturers’ type number of an SMD device from the package code can be a difficult task, involving combing through many different databooks. This HTML book is designed to provide an easy means of device identification. It lists over 3,500 device codes in alphabetical order, together with type numbers, device characteristics or equivalents and pinout information. Sometimes I’m asked to put IC information in the codebook. There is some information about ICs – but first and foremost the codebook is intended for discrete devices. Some ICs have been included, usually these are 3/4 pin devices or RF circuits I’m interested in.

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