November 1, 2023
A lot of components do the same thing. How do you choose the best one?
The decision to use one component over another in your product or system design can often be tedious, especially when many parts from different suppliers appear to have the same specifications. While flipping a coin can seem like the easiest way to go, there are better strategies available to assist in your evaluation process.
You could develop a simple decision table to help you choose one part over another. For example, the most rudimentary one might include Features, Price, Quality, and Availability as the component qualifiers. Then, making an educated assessment on each, you assign a score of 1 to 5 to each part for each of the 4 qualifiers. Finally, add up the scores and go with the winner.
Alternatively, you could also do a quick search for help on-line. This will yield numerous posts from many suppliers on how to select the best components. The recommended evaluation and selection process that they typically offer usually includes the following steps:
- Determine the function of the part you need for your design.
- Define your technical requirements for performance of the part (power needs, output, form factor, thermal envelope, mounting style, etc.).
- Determine any additional needs (Hi-Rel, MIL-SPEC, technical standard specifics or regulatory needs that cover a specific application, etc.).
- Research available components in the market.
- Develop an applicable part/supplier list.
- Test and verify each potential part (in-circuit if possible).
- Determine price vs. quality trade-offs for each part.
- Assess current availability and future deliverability for each part.
- Cut the purchase order to the winning supplier.
That may sound like a fairly complete set of the steps to take, and many of them you probably know about. They run in a logical succession from need to solution. If you pattern your selection process after this you probably will not go wrong, even faced with very similar components. Of course, you will also have to decide on a metric to assess quality, determine your timeframe for part availability, and predict if you can source the part going forward.
Conclusion
Sourcing of the components you need for a design is not as simple as ordering from a catalog, especially if you are anticipating a ramp-up for production. More often than not, two components that appear to be identical are far from it, when other factors are considered. Navigating your way through the part selection and sourcing process can be made easier by working with a qualified component distributor who has knowledge of many different parts, suppliers, relationships, and product history.