Macaos Component Chooser

The Component Chooser may be used to search for components in the Macaos Component Database. The module consists of a search pane (top), results list (middle) and component details (bottom).

The Macaos Component Database encompasses commonly used components with links to the stock numbers of widely used component suppliers. Each entry in the Macaos Component Database has a unique Key name. For many components, the key name is the same as the manufacturer's part number. However for common parts, such as resistors and capacitors, the key name is a string of component parameters. This allows equivalent components from different manufacturers to be grouped together.

Up to 6 different criteria may make up a search, one for each row in the search pane. For each row, the selected fields (Key name, Part number, Description and Package) are compared with the specified text. The comparison may be that one or more of the selected fields contains, begins with, ends with, or equals the specified text.

Click on the Search button to execute a search. All matching components are listed in the results list. Select an item in the list to view the component details.

When a component is selected, its parameters are shown in the Part details pane. At the right, the known suppliers for the component are listed. Double-click on a supplier to open the supplier's web page for the component. The Display package information displays additional information about the component package/footprint (if available). The Add new part to database button allows you to add a component to the database.

Once you have located the component to be included in your BOM, click on the Select and close button to close the Component Chooser and update your BOM.

Adding a component to the Macaos Component Database

If a component is not found in the Macaos Component Database, then you may add it to the database by specifying the appropriate parameters.

For common capacitors, inductors, resistors and resistor networks you should specify the component parameters (such as value, tolerance, rating, etc). For these components, a key name based on the specified parameters will be used to identify the component in the database.

For other components (including special-purpose capacitors, inductors and resistors) you should specify the manufacturer's part number (without spaces). This will also be used as the key name in the database.

You should also enter a descriptive text of the component and a package descriptor (such as 0805 or TSSOP-16 or whatever). If the component is a surface mount device or is lead-free (RoHS compliant), then mark the appropriate check box(es).

You should enter at least one supplier stock number for the component, as this will contribute to the usability of the component in the database.

Clicking on the Save and close button adds the specified component to the database. The component will only be visible to users from your company (and selected EMS providers) until the submitted data has been verified by Macaos.

Note: The Macaos Component Database is still in the early stages of development. Although there are a few thousand components in the database at the time of first releasing the Assembly Data Manager Module, there is still a long way to go to encompass the hundreds of thousands of components that might be used on a PCB. Adding the components that you use in your BOMs helps make the database more useful for you as well as other Macaos Enterprise users.