3046

3046 is a numeric designation used in various contexts, most often in electronics as part of transistor part numbers. The two common references are 2N3046 and CA3046.

2N3046 is a general‑purpose NPN transistor from the 2N series. It has been widely used in vintage electronics for audio amplification, oscillators, and switching circuits. Designs employing the 2N3046 can benefit from its moderate gain characteristics at low to midrange currents, though performance varies with manufacturing, temperature, and circuit layout. The device has appeared in several packaging formats, including TO-92 and metal can variants, reflecting its long history of use in hobbyist and professional contexts.

CA3046 is an integrated transistor array IC that contains multiple NPN transistors in a single package. It provides a compact way to implement several amplification stages without assembling discrete transistors. The transistors in a CA3046 are built on a common substrate, which simplifies biasing but can require attention to device leakage and matching between the individual transistors in some circuits. The CA3046 has been used in a range of analog applications, including preamplifiers, oscillators, and tone-control circuits, and has seen many revisions and clones over time.

Beyond these, 3046 may appear as a model, catalog, or part number in various products and domains, without implying a specific electrical characteristic. Because “3046” is not a unique identifier, the exact meaning depends on the manufacturer, device type, and field of use. For precise identification, the full part number and context are necessary.

In summary, 3046 most often signals either a discrete transistor (2N3046) or a transistor array (CA3046) in electronics, though the numeric string can appear in unrelated product codes as well.