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Question of the Month: In 5 years’ time, do you think component data sheets will be in their current format?

dychen

e14 Question of the Month

As technology advances, component data sheets could evolve into a completely new format.  Take the poll and let us know your thoughts what you think data sheets will look like in the future, and please elaborate in the Comments section below!

  • Perhaps manufacturers won't allow you to know the details of their components, instead selling "services" based on your "needs" with a "subscription model." HAAS.

  • Parametric searches could benefit from improvement and standardization. Distributors and manufacturers have made progress in this area, but the current state of parametric searches is incoherent and non-standardized.

    Distributors have a stronger incentive to improve parametric searches compared to manufacturers. Manufacturers may not be motivated to facilitate customers' ability to find or upgrade components outside of their own product offerings, potentially creating a "walled garden" effect.

  • I've been used to the PDF format - it's non-threatening, it's easy to understand, it's compatible. But it's not efficient.

    But what's really going to help make life easier for everyone is a standardised database/data file format. Well defined parameters, fields for test conditions/notes, no ambiguity about values that are max/min/typ, and ease of comparison would definitely be aided. Stores like element14 would probably have a lot less work when adding product lines and fewer occasions where their parametric search lacks the data for a certain component or has the wrong value.

    Will this be defined within a 5 year time-window, who knows? But I certainly hope it does. If it integrates well and leverages EDA software, provides footprints and symbols, that would be even more streamlined. Perhaps it might even contain SPICE model data for simulation. But perhaps it's a bit too ambitious as an idea, or manufacturers don't want to be compared "apples-to-apples", and extensibility/feature creep could be an issue too. Perhaps manufacturers find value funneling you to their site, forcing you to use their tools alone so you wouldn't be considering other options ...

    - Gough

  • "Manufacturers will offer an API and designers will use their own AI to select components" - probably......but still will provide datasheets for those who need to substitute parts, upgrade, hobbyists, etc.  The pdf  format maybe enhanced, but this is still an inexpensive way to communicate to the masses.