radiallead

Radiallead refers to electronic components whose multiple leads exit from the bottom of the body in roughly the same direction, forming a radial arrangement. They are designed for through-hole mounting on printed circuit boards, with the leads inserted into holes and soldered on the opposite side. This is in contrast to axial components, whose leads project from opposite ends along the length of the body.

Common radial-leaded components include ceramic disc capacitors, film capacitors, and metalized film capacitors, as well as varistors (MOVs) and some inductors. Ceramic discs and MOVs are typical disc-shaped parts with two leads that emerge from the bottom close to each other. Electrolytic capacitors often use a cylindrical can with two leads extending from the base. Radial inductors, or chokes, also exist in a radial-leaded form, typically with the windings encapsulated in a resin body.

Lead spacing and body size vary by part and voltage rating. Radial devices are straightforward to hand-solder or wave-solder on through-hole boards and are compatible with traditional mixed technology assemblies. They generally require more board real estate than axial components and can be more susceptible to mechanical strain if leads are flexed.

In summary, radiallead describes a packaging and lead arrangement common to many through-hole passive components and some discrete active parts, favored for robustness and ease of manual handling in older or mixed-technology designs.