Compact Way to Organize SMD Parts

Jan 02, 2008 28 Replies

I have a pile of about 200 different sized bags of assorted SMD parts from Digikey..



What's a nice way to organized this?



I thought of finding 200 clear slim 'click' boxes (used for makeup) with dimensions that match the Digikey sticky labels.



The boxes are then loaded in a box like files in a filing cabinet. One just flicks through to find the right part.



Whatdayah think?



Also... Could I turn this into an E*bay item for sale? Would you buy a SMD part organizer like this off E*bay?


D from BC


I put them in 4" x 6" zip lock bags.

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Regards,

Boris Mohar

Got Knock? - see: Viatrack Printed Circuit Designs (among other things)

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void _-void-_ in the obvious place

I'd be a little worried about static electricity.

I went to a jewelry supply house and bought a wooden case containing a bunch of little glass-topped aluminum containers similar to these:

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-- Joe

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alredy sells thier system on eBay.
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Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I\'ve got my DD214 to prove it. Member of DAV #85. Michael A. Terrell Central Florida

As I've said at least once before when this subject came up, I think that test-tubes or culture tubes are really handy for actually getting to/using the parts. If the parts are static sensitive, leave them in the tape for SMD protection, or pay 5X the price for ESD-safe tubes.

Not the most compact, but saves time in getting some out and putting some away, with convenient racks available, and color-coding options as well.

Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by

Envelopes?? Like brown paper?? Maybe there's rectangular clear coin envelopes...

Clear packaging is nice to see how many parts are inside.

I'm imagining something like slim CD jewel cases but equal to the size of Digikey labels...

D from BC

The brown paper ones. You can write the part number, top marks, pinout, and maybe a few basic measurements on the front, and tape the Digikey label or whatever to the back. They're very volumetricly efficient, don't roll around, and a box of 500 is cheap and easy to store.

John

That's almost like what I have.

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643kb pictures of zip bags same size as Digikey labels.

The zip bags are very easy to open and close. Quantity is visible through the bag. A cardboard insert reduces floppyness.

The floppy zip flaps prevent me from doing fast flipping to search for parts. I have to carefully finger through the bags.

If the parts were in slim rigid plastic cases, it would be easier to flip through the parts. Click...click...click...click...

D from BC

I wonder if those envelopes are anti static....

Digikey labels are about 2"x3.5" and won't fit on the 1.6" x 2.7" envelopes :(

But it's close to what I'm looking for. :)

On the far side, imagine getting SMD parts on a rolodex :)

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(with picture)

D from BC

Yeah..I think that was some time ago...

While on the topic of misusing chemistry equipment.. :)

This looked interesting to organize SMD parts.

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Near the bottom.. catalog H9901 index card slide holder and storage box.

48 slots. Wish the picture was better..

D from BC

Oops...

Links that work..

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643kb pictures of zip bags same size as Digikey labels.

D from BC

I still have one of those, as well as a box of tractor feed cards for a dot matrix printer. I think I have the flat version, as well.

I used 2" * 3" antistatic zip lock bags at my last job. I cut address labels down to fit, and hand printed the stock number and descriptions. I had about 300 different parts in two corrugated paper tray bins

Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I\'ve got my DD214 to prove it. Member of DAV #85. Michael A. Terrell Central Florida

I use old film canisters. Free, in vast quantities. I have a silly number of SMD parts, and four document drawer cabinets (15 foolscap sized drawers each, about 2" high) with about 35 film canisters per drawer.

1000 0603's is < 1cm deep in a film canister.

I did this after getting sick of leafing thru a gazillion little bags. Its easy to waste hours per day if your parts are poorly organised.

Cheers Terry

Film Negative-strip binders :

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Terry Given wrote in news:1199266220.753539@ftpsrv1:

OK for passives,not good for semis.

Jim Yanik jyanik at kua.net

Try this:

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Cheers, Harry

Neato

Reminds me of my idea of using vinyl floppy disk holders to hold SMD parts. Example:

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Especially the floppy disk holders for 3 ring binders. A Digikey label would fit in these holders.

D from BC

I dunno if I'm going to like picking parts out of a tray with needlenose pliers.. Perhaps I could train a bird like this one

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to pick SMD parts. :P

D from BC

Harry Dellamano a écrit :

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Yup. That's what I use too and I find it incredibly practical, safe (you know what I mean) and compact.

D : picking components in those boxes is *very* easy.

There's even enough place for a few SOICs, but we could use a bit more place here. Hey, nothing's perfect :-)

Thanks, Fred.

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