PCB Reference Designators

Here's some pin name abbreviations from Altium:

Calling a connector J1 J2 etc., is a hangover from the American name "Jack" and is just their name for a socket. P1, P2 etc just means a plug, so P1 plugs into J1.

I'm not sure what you mean when you mention a link, as in a short piece of wire on a PCB usually to pass a connection over the top of some PCB tracks without touching them, it's a cheapy way to avoid having to use a double sided PCB if you can just have a few links instead. I don't think there's any naming standard for a link at all.

There effectively is no "standard", at least none that any sort of majority actually follow. Most do it on an internal company standard basis, as each companies requirements are different. Standards can also change between products with different complexity too. Where no standard exists within your company, the designer usually does whatever they like.

If you *really* want something to follow, then I believe there is an IPC standard available, and also is (or was) an Australian standard available too, but I believe the Australian PCB standards were dropped in favour of the IPC standards. The numbers escape me though, try:

A quick search bought up IPC-DRM-18F which may help

one I know actually uses them.

Dave :)

I've seen larger Australian organisations adopt the Australian Standard (SAA HB3-1986). However the designators in this standard differ from what you usually see in schematics elsewhere (V for semiconductor, X for connector). Most of the designators we see in schematics tend to come from either US or UK standards.

The IEEE have a standard: 315-1975

Dave :)

That's a superseded one isn't it?

Maybe, I don't know. If it was, then what superseeded it? It was reaffirmed in 1993 There is also 315A-1986, no idea what the difference is or which one (if any) is the most recent. In any case it's really only an Amercian/US standard I believe.

Dave :)

Well the Altium website does say something along those lines about 315-1975 (reaff. 1993) and 315A-1986 but on the IEEE website there was some blurb about 315-1975 no longer being a valid standard and being listed for historical purposes along with a some other standards.

Mark Harriss =E5=86=99=E9=81=93=EF=BC=9A

Chinese for "Cheap but tasty"?