0402 or 0603: metric vs. imperial

0402 or 0603? Millimetres or inches? One mistake and your part doesn't fit the footprint properly...

The production of a ProtoPCBA requires precision. But that's also exactly where the pitfall lies: some component sizes -- like 0402 or 0603 -- mean something entirely different in the metric system than in the imperial system. ➡️ 0603 (imperial) = 1.6 x 0.8 mm ➡️ 0603 (metric) = 0.6 x 0.3 mm (!)

Most suppliers show inches by default. But for 0402 and 0603, millimetres are sometimes also used -- and that's when confusion is easily created.

DeltaProto B.V. checks this with software: ✅ Package size: does the format match the footprint? ✅ Measurement system: inch or mm?

And if we discover during production that the mistake has already been made, we can decide in consultation to place it on the first sample anyway.

🔍 How do you handle this?

Have you ever ordered the wrong size because of this difference? Or do you have a handy tip to prevent it?

Let us know in the comments👇

HappyEngineering