Introducing the Octopart Way to Search for Components
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Pulse
Adam J. Fleischer
Oct 10, 2017

We spoke to electrical engineers and hobbyists from various industries to learn about the challenges involved in searching for and selecting the right components. From these conversations, we’ve identified a few key ways to help you make faster and better-informed decisions when selecting a part. Octopart search capabilities are designed to:

  • Make the whole landscape of parts available and easy to understand
  • Help you narrow down specific component types and technical specs, so you can see how a part fits into your design
  • Present the whole range of technical specs and potential filters
  • Sort results by technical spec, price and availability

Find the Right Part Without Knowing the MPN

First, of course, you can easily search for specific manufacturer part numbers (MPNs) on Octopart. But we know you also need to find parts even when you're not sure of the MPN, or still need to understand the available selection of parts. We set out to make Octopart the first and only place you need to go to discover parts, select the right ones, and find pricing and availability – even when you don’t have an MPN at hand. For more details and background on some of these features, read on.

If you don’t know the MPN of what you are looking for, you can use our parametric search system to find the right part for your needs. If you know a keyword, a set of technical specs, or the general type of component, Octopart’s enhanced parametric search capabilities will help you find the best parts, independent of any one distributor’s offerings. Examples will be found below.

Fast Category Navigation

First, we’ve learned that one of the most important steps in selecting a part for a design is to see the big-picture scope of the relevant electronic components space. As one person said to us, “It can be hard to know what you’re looking for until you see it.”

To support this kind of exploration and learning, we put a Categories dropdown menu in the header of our search engine – see Figure 1. Once you start any search on Octopart, the category dropdown is always easily accessible on the left side of the page’s top bar, right next to the Octopart logo.

searching on Octopart

Figure 1 – The Categories dropdown menu

When you click on the Categories button, you will first see all the primary part categories (see Figure 2). By moving your cursor over these primary categories you will then see all related sub-categories (see Figure 3). This enables you to see all the types of parts available on Octopart and the relationships between parts. You can always click to the category or sub-category you want, no matter what page you’re on. Breadcrumbs at the top of the page show you which category you’ve selected, so you’ll never get confused about which category of parts you’re searching across.

searching on Octopart

Figure 2 – Primary part categories display when the Categories menu button is clicked

searching on Octopart

Figure 3 – Sub-categories display when your mouse is over a primary category

Relevant Search Query Refinement Suggestions

We developed the Octopart search algorithm to identify the categories most relevant to your search query and to suggest refinements, removing unnecessary noise and making your searches more efficient.

Try a search for "msp430" – Octopart determines that your search is about microprocessors and displays relevant microprocessor information. See Figure 4.

searching on Octopart

Figure 4 – A search for “msp430” showing microprocessors

Now try a search for "relays" – the Octopart algorithm will show types of relays to help you narrow your search, with breadcrumbs that make it easy to see where you are. See Figure 5.

searching on Octopart

Figure 5 – A search for “relays” showing sub-category breadcrumbs

Smart Filter Suggestions

We also developed our algorithm to present the technical specifications most relevant to your search at the top of the page. This helps you learn about the important features of the parts in a search. For example, suppose you do a search for Op Amps. In this case, Octopart shows you the “Most Relevant” information, including that the parameters Gain Bandwidth Product, Input Offset Voltage (VoS), Power Supply Rejection Ratio (PSRR), and Common Mode Rejection Ratio (CMRR) are important considerations when choosing an Op Amp. See Figure 6. (Note that the Specifications view has a Sort by Relevance filter to present these values first.)

searching on Octopart

Figure 6 – A search for Op Amps showing the most relevant parameters

Our in-house electrical engineers developed these specification presentation algorithms based on numerical research and real-world electrical engineering experience. Octopart presents these key technical specs to you in a logical order for making smart design choices. Get a feel for how this works by searching for SwitchesChip SMD Resistors or MOSFETs, and take a look at the Most Relevant parameters displayed.

Powerful Parametric Filters

With the Show Filters button at the top right of the screen selected On (see the top right of Figure 7), you will be presented with a series of detailed parametric filters. The parametric filter options displayed will be based on your search results. For example, if you are looking for a capacitor, you likely aren’t concerned about filtering on the number of pins, so you won’t see that filter. By selecting from these parameters, you can quickly drill down to find only the parts that meet your exact requirements. See Figures 7 and 8.

searching on Octopart

Figure 7 – Detailed parametric filters display with “Show Filters: On”

Figure 8 – A simple example search in action

A Recap of Octopart Search Design

According to many of the engineers we spoke with, it’s incredibly useful to both learn about and narrow down parts by filtering them by sub-category. We also heard that seeing useful suggestions for categories is key to finding the right part quickly and efficiently. That’s why our part search interface displays categories that are most relevant to your query to help you narrow down your search, which means you can spend less searching and more time working on your designs.

Every engineer we spoke with emphasized that drilling down on parts based on known sets of technical specs is also critical. Our electrical engineers evaluated our technical spec filters and hand-picked the right ones to suggest based on your search. So now you can continue to narrow down a search with logical, intelligent suggestions. If you know you need a part with a certain set of specs, you can quickly see what components fit those criteria. If you know a base part number, like MSP430, the specs will change to help you narrow down your search and see how that part fits into its family – saving you time that you might otherwise have spent reading datasheets or researching the part family.

We’ve also maximized the visibility of spec filters by putting them right at the top of the page. Being able to see part specs and values allows you to quickly see and understand the landscape of options for the part that you are looking for. You can sort values by the number of results found or alphabetically/numerically, whichever is most helpful to you.

Layout Optimized for Split Screen

Many of you use Octopart side by side with Excel or your CAD/PCB design tools. We want to support your workflows, so we put our filters at the top of the page which helps you see more parts and information in a narrow window, making the best use of screen space. See Figure 9.

searching on Octopart

Figure 9 – Designed for split screen

Our mission at Octopart is to make part data easily accessible and to be the fastest and easiest-to-use independent resource for part information. Use Octopart to search for parts with confidence, and you can spend less time looking for parts and more time focusing on your designs.

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