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Part Cross References

GreenGiant

Feb 9, 2012
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Feb 9, 2012
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I recently realized that there are a lot of times that cross referencing parts is necessary, and even with google it isn't always easy

Is it possible to create a repository (so to speak) of cross referenced parts old to new versions then new to newer/equivalent?

I have seen some listings but it was always for a specific part, I know that my father has a ton of books that have the equivalent listings

I think that if we could conference and create this listing somewhere it would be a great help plus it would cut down on the short threads like:

"Whats this parts equivalent?"

"Part number ABC1234 or XYZ098 (insert links to each)"

"Thanks so much!"

I know that it wouldn't be a quick and easy thing to do, but if there was say a Google Doc spreadsheet that was searchable for full or partial part numbers I would use it a lot

Like I said it would be a HUGE undertaking and some people would have to invest a lot of time into it, but thinking about it now, I might just make a regular excel spreadsheet on my PC that has everything in my fathers books (well start on it anyways)

Any thoughts?
 

(*steve*)

¡sǝpodᴉʇuɐ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥd
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Jan 21, 2010
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25,510
The problem is that parts are always slightly different in terms of specs, and if the specification that's important to you was not one important to the person who found them equivalent...

I'd settle for a long list of parts from many manufacturers and their specs in a single table. That way I could select and sort them however I wanted to find parts that were equivalent the way I wanted them to be equivalent.

These days I rely on parametric search engines like Digikey's to do the first level of that. Considering that Digikey also has pricing and availability (which is hard to do in a static list) it is a sad fact that although I'd prefer to have the data myself, it's hard to beat.

Another issue is that lists of "equivalents" (and I speak here of parts which can be substituted, not alternate part names) tend to be of less utility when one understands the requirements for a part. This tends to be the domain of beginners and "servicemen". (The grouping is unfair -- when servicing equipment you may have no real understanding of the requirements of a part, a beginner may simply have no understanding of what the requirements might even be).

In the case of servicing, the first task is often to discover the part number. The additional work in finding a similar part (if needs be) may be the lesser task.

However, if someone could scrape all the manufacturers sites and extract the specs of all the semiconductors currently available, and make that a searchable list, I would be all for it.
 

GreenGiant

Feb 9, 2012
842
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Feb 9, 2012
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842
I mean like parts that can be used interchangeably like the 1N4004 is the same as like 15 other diodes, just different brands, so if there was a chart to look all that up it would make life a lot more simple

Or something like a listing of NTE equivalents
 
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