I am looking to buy TO-3 package. Any help?? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Enea
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 22, 2022, 01:18:39 am
content: Dear all,for a propotype I am working on my customer asked me to use a TO-3 package.I am having trouble to find where to buy those old faschion package (for my optoelectronic application).Does aneybody has any hint, suggestion, advice on where I can buy 100 of those packages?Many thanks in advance

author: jpanhalt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 22, 2022, 01:25:03 am
content: If it's a transistor, Digikey has seems to have plenty:https://www.digikey.com/en/products/filter/transistors-bipolar-bjt-single/276?s=N4IgjCBcpgTAnBaIDGUBmBDANgZwKYA0IA9lANogAsYAzAKzy0gC6xADgC5QgDKnAJwCWAOwDmIAL6TisCiEGYRuIZxIDcrSUAOf course, the prices may be quite high, but if your "customer" insists, presumably it is willing to pay.

author: bob91343
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 22, 2022, 01:44:04 am
content: You can cannibalize an old transistor.

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 26, 2022, 12:14:27 pm
content: If you search for 'Hermetic Packages' on the web, you will get more hits, eg.http://www.platronics-seals.com/product/to-3-header/Hopefully you can find a company that is a bit more local.

author: gnuarm
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 26, 2022, 02:06:13 pm
content: Quote from: Enea on January 22, 2022, 01:18:39 amIt's ok to push back when a customer makes an unreasonable request. Explain to them the TO3 package is long ago obsolete and is very inefficient anyway.Do you have any idea why they like a TO3 package? Why would they care? Are you building an entire circuit in this package because the customer has a design with a TO3 package in it and your design will replace the existing part?

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 26, 2022, 02:53:48 pm
content: o3 is not obsolete.many power transistors still come in that package.

author: gnuarm
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 26, 2022, 03:07:15 pm
content: Quote from: free_electron on January 26, 2022, 02:53:48 pmYeah? I can still buy buggy whips and even buggies. I don't think anyone says they aren't obsolete, in fact "making buggy whips" is the way to say a business is out of touch with the market and itself obsolete.TO3 is obsolete. Yeah, you can buy transistors in that package because people still need to maintain old systems. Any new parts announced in TO3 packages lately? Digikey returns 1,400 hits to TO3. Remove the military items and you get 27, 24 active (not obsolete). Four of those are not TO3 leaving 20 parts. Of these only 9 are stocked, only 1 in quantities over 500. Why? Because they don't sell very many.At least Digikey doesn't return any hits on "buggy whip".

author: mazurov
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 26, 2022, 06:04:36 pm
content: Quote from: Enea on January 22, 2022, 01:18:39 amLook for the places selling supplies for semiconductor labs, scientific supplies, etc. Such places often don't have a web presence, you may need to go to the university that is offering courses, labs, etc. on semiconductor manufacturing, microfabrication, etc. and ask for the name of their supplier.TO-3 are very expensive. Last time I checked they were asking north of $50 for a piece, in qty. If your client pays expenses you may want to tell them the price beforehand.

author: Pineapple Dan
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 28, 2022, 12:14:23 pm
content: Quote from: gnuarm on January 26, 2022, 03:07:15 pmBuggy whips where never that popular even back in the day. I reckon only a handful were sold before people realised they were better off whipping the horse

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 28, 2022, 02:23:51 pm
content: Quote from: gnuarm on January 26, 2022, 03:07:15 pmtime to delete your browser or get new glasses. i did the same search on digikey : 369 non military , stocked, active parts.https://www.digikey.com/en/products/filter/transistors-bipolar-bjt-single/276?s=N4IgjCBcpgnAHLKoDGUBmBDANgZwKYA0IA9lANogAMIAusQA4AuUIAykwE4CWAdgOYgAvsQC0AJmQg0kLgFcipCiACsdESFEAWKTKx5FZSJVjitANjXEw5rSsnEAzOdjn4IYlq0B2Gx%2Br%2B8GDutEIaksYgACoA8qKO6kA

author: gnuarm
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 30, 2022, 01:38:50 am
content: Quote from: free_electron on January 28, 2022, 02:23:51 pmI stand corrected.