Glossary of component sourcing terms

The 24 terms that appear on a part page, defined, with the figure from this catalogue where there is one.

This glossary defines the 24 terms a buyer meets when reading an electronic component listing: manufacturer part number, authorized distributor, price break, minimum order quantity, lifecycle status, NRND, moisture sensitivity level, landed cost and the rest. Each definition is the standard industry or regulatory meaning, with the count from the TracedParts catalogue where one applies.

Manufacturer part number MPN: The identifier the company that makes a component assigns to it. It is the only reliable key for a part: distributors each have their own order codes, and two distributors selling the same component will use different ones. Every page on TracedParts is keyed on the MPN together with the manufacturer, because the same MPN can be used by two unrelated manufacturers.564,344 part numbers on TracedParts, from 2,509 manufacturers
Authorized distributor: A distributor franchised by the manufacturer to sell its parts. The stock comes through the manufacturer's own supply chain, carries the manufacturer's warranty, and arrives with traceability documentation a QA department will accept. Every quote on TracedParts comes from one.3 authorized distributors supply every quote on this site: DigiKey, Mouser and element14
Independent distributor: A distributor that buys and resells on the open market rather than under a manufacturer franchise. Stock can be genuine, and can fill a gap no franchised distributor can, but its origin is not certified by the manufacturer, so incoming inspection and test reports matter more. TracedParts does not currently carry any.
Price break: A quantity threshold at which the unit price drops. A part quoted at RM 4.10 each for one and RM 2.90 each for a thousand has a price break at a thousand. Quotes here show the whole break ladder rather than the headline unit price alone, because the price at your actual order quantity is the one that matters.
Minimum order quantity MOQ: The smallest quantity a distributor will sell. A price break below the MOQ is not purchasable, which is why rows under their minimum are greyed out on a part page rather than quietly quoted at a price you cannot buy at.
Lead time: How long until the parts arrive. Stock on a distributor's shelf ships now; anything else waits on a factory build slot, quoted in weeks and subject to change. A part with deep stock and a long factory lead time is one to buy before the stock goes.
Lifecycle status: Where a part sits in its production life. Active means normal production. NRND means the manufacturer still makes it but does not want it in new designs. Obsolete means production has ended and what is on shelves is what is left.542,313 active, 2,847 NRND and 19,184 obsolete parts in the catalogue
Not recommended for new designs NRND: A manufacturer's signal that a part is on its way out: still made, still buyable, but it should not go into a new product because it will be discontinued before that product's life is over. Catching this before a part lands in a bill of materials is worth more than any price comparison.2,847 parts in the catalogue are marked NRND
End of life EOL: The manufacturer has announced it will stop making the part, usually with a last time buy date. After that, supply is whatever distributors and the open market still hold.19,184 parts in the catalogue are obsolete
Surface mount device SMD: A component soldered onto pads on the surface of a board rather than through holes in it. Almost everything in modern volume electronics is surface mount. The packages carry metric and imperial names for the same physical size, which is why an 0603 can mean two different things depending on which system is being used.547,789 of 564,344 parts are surface mount
Through hole THT: A component with leads that pass through holes in the board and are soldered on the far side. Slower to assemble than surface mount, still used where mechanical strength or serviceability matters, and common in connectors, power parts and prototyping.16,555 of 564,344 parts are through hole
Package: The physical body and lead arrangement of a component: 0402, SOIC-8, QFN-24, TO-220. The package decides whether a part fits the footprint on your board, so two parts with identical electrical specification in different packages are not interchangeable.
Tape and reel: Components supplied in a carrier tape wound on a reel, the format a pick and place machine feeds from. Surface mount parts are normally bought this way in volume; cut tape, tube and bulk are the small quantity alternatives.
RoHS: The European Union's Restriction of Hazardous Substances directive, currently 2011/65/EU, which limits lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium and certain flame retardants in electrical equipment. A RoHS compliant part can lawfully go into equipment sold in the EU.
REACH: The European Union regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals, EC 1907/2006. For components it matters mainly as a declaration about substances of very high concern contained in the part.
Moisture sensitivity level MSL: How long a surface mount part may sit exposed to normal room humidity before it must be baked or reflowed, defined by IPC/JEDEC J-STD-020. MSL 1 is unlimited; higher levels have a floor life in hours or days, after which trapped moisture can crack the package during soldering.
Datasheet: The manufacturer's specification document for a part: electrical characteristics, absolute maximum ratings, package drawing and recommended soldering profile. It is the authoritative source, and anything a search engine tells you about a part, this site included, is secondary to it.484,200 parts carry a datasheet link
Bill of materials BOM: The list of every component a product needs, with quantities. Sourcing works from the BOM, which is why a part being obsolete or unquotable matters long before anyone tries to buy it.
Alternate part: A different part number that can do the same job. A true drop-in alternate matches footprint, pinout and the electrical parameters the circuit depends on. Peers listed on a part page here are nearest by price within the same category, which is a starting point for a substitution rather than a guarantee of one.
Date code and lot code: Markings that record when and in which production batch a part was made. They are the thread back to the factory when something fails, and the first thing to ask for when buying outside franchised distribution.
Counterfeit component: A part misrepresented as something it is not: remarked, salvaged, or simply fabricated. The usual failure mode is not a fake that never works, but one that works on the bench and fails in the field, which is why certainty about the source is worth paying for.
Harmonised System code HS code: The World Customs Organization's product classification, used by customs authorities to decide duty. Electronic components fall mostly under chapter 85. The code shown on a part page is the one a Malaysian import declaration would use.
Landed cost: What a part actually costs once it has arrived: unit price, freight, duty, tax and handling. A cheaper unit price shipped from further away can land dearer, which is why this site models the landed figure rather than showing the unit price alone.
Sales and Service Tax SST: Malaysia's consumption tax, which replaced GST in 2018. It applies on import at the point of clearance, so it belongs in a landed cost estimate for anything bought from outside Malaysia.