SMD Capacitor Packages

c1206cc3015x15
Capcitor Chip 3.0mm Long, 1.5mm Wide, 1.5mm High
The Zentroid SMD Naming Convention separates standard chip types. A resistor chip and capacitor chip may not be separated in some placement machine libraries. This should be avoided. The naming convention should be accurate and usable in all testing machines.
Pic of ct3216x18ct3216x18
Capacitor Tantal 3.2mm Long, 1.6mm Wide, 1.8mm High
Tantalum Capacitors are also very common. Many think that the A, B, C, D, E, etc. types accurately describe this package. In today's industry these letter designators fail often. Heights and sizes do vary so a new naming convention is required.
Pic of cc3528x21ct3528x21d
Capacitor Tantal 3.5mm Long, 2.8mm Wide, 2.1mm High
This dilemma happens often on the production floor. Tantalum capacitors are produced with yellow or black bodies. All machines can have problems with this. Advanced AOI systems can be programmed to adjust for this but manufacturers continually test these limits.
The Zentroid SMD Naming Convention uses the suffix letters B and D for bright and dark respectively. These designations apply throughout the naming convention. Zentroid assumes yellow tantalums as normal and black tantals as dark.
Pic of Aluminum Electrolytic Capacitorcae84x62
Capacitor Aluminum Electrolytic, 8.4mm Base Width, 6.2mm High
Aluminum Electrolytic Capacitors are manufactured with a range of different marking systems. Some include polarity and others do not. The most consistent choice to test polarity is from the chamfered corners on the positive pin end of the base. In zero degree orientation this end (pin 1, +) is positioned on the left.
I considered including the pin over pin distance in the name but this becomes to specific. Manufactures do use different pin lengths extruding from the base. It is more convenient to set the tolerances of your placement machine to accept the variations and make your AOI program settings specific to that program or product.
With taller capacitors telecentric lenses become a distinct advantage for AOI equipment. Viscomer's please don't forget the flag FLG_OPOS with 2 Meni 6s. Horst can update you on that one.