Pin Header & Female Header Selection Cheat Sheet and Package Cross-Reference

With so many pin header and female header types single or double row, straight or right-angle, SMT or THT, different pin lengths selection gets confusing fast, especially when several buyers quote the same part differently. This article uses one cheat sheet to sort the key dimensions and cross-references common package notations so you can order with confidence.

1. Four Required Dimensions

• Pitch: the most common are 1.27mm, 2.0mm, and 2.54mm;
• Rows: single row or double row;
• Mounting: through-hole (THT), surface-mount (SMT), or right-angle;
• Positions: for example 1×4, 2×10, expressed as rows times pins per row.

2. Package Notation Cross-Reference

Common forms read like “2.54mm 1×40P straight pin” or “2.0mm 2×5P right-angle SMT.” Here P stands for Pin, the number before the × is the row count, and the number after × is the pins per row. SMT means a surface-mount tail, THT means a through-hole tail, and “right-angle” or “RA” means the pins bend ninety degrees. Learning this notation removes most ordering errors and shortens communication with your supplier. Keep a printed reference at the purchasing desk so every quote uses the same language, and attach the drawing to the purchase order so the delivered part matches the intended footprint exactly.

3. Cuttable and Combinable

Pin headers often ship as a full strip, such as 1×40P, that you cut to the length you need; female headers work the same way, but the cut end needs insulation and burr treatment so it cannot short against a neighbor. Keep a cutting fixture on the line to make the break square and clean for consistent mating, and label the trimmed strips to avoid mixing lengths.

4. Quick Check List

Pitch matches the mating part? Rows and positions correct? Mounting matches your PCB process? Pin length covers insertion plus solder? Plating meets the life requirement? Tick each box and you can release the order without a respin. A thirty-second check list prevents a thirty-day delay, and it gives purchasing a defensible record of what was specified.

Conclusion: RXSY stocks pin headers and female headers in full specifications, with a cheat sheet and samples available. Send us your dimensions for a quick quote and a free cross-reference list to your current brand.