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The easiest thing to do is simply say that a number is a number, and it has no meaning in and of
itself. In 1999, Fox implemented a part number system that is essentially a Database of part numbers
and the individual fields in each RECORD are the specifications belonging to that RECORD (Part
Number).
Database Management programs usually have some sort of incrementing function for new records.
Incremented Docket Numbers at the County Courts?
Incremented Patient Numbers in your doctor's or dentist's office?
Incremented Account Numbers in Banks and other businesses?
Incremented Patent numbers in the US Patents office.
Numbers like these are database pointers to the RECORD storing information about me.
And I have not yet found an internal customer part number that made sense outside of their own
company.
When the Fox part numbering system was implemented in 1999, the ending (last field of the three-
part number) was incremented for each new part number. It appeared on the surface to be a random
ending on the part, with numbers like the 119-29.4912-21202 and 117-32-44154. But it was an
incremented number each time a new part number was assigned without regard for any details within
the part number.
In less than 2 years the last field was getting to large and it became necessary to find a different
method of assigning part numbers.
In 2001, Fox changed to incrementing the RECORD number of the part configuration to be based on
the combination of the physical package AND the frequency. 119-29.4912-21202 was first quoted in
June of 2000, that part number (RECORD) never changed, and has been quoted and sold many
times since that time. But by the time 2002 rolled around, a part number was quoted for the same
part to a different customer. That customer was assigned part number 119-29.4912-1.
For Example:
Fox P/N 119-29.4912-61305, was the 61,305
th part number assigned for any Fox device since the
beginning of the system in 1999.
Fox P/N 119-29.4912-1 was the 1
st part number assigned under the new system. It is the 1st part
number for the package 119 together with frequency 29.4912MHz. Since the change-over in the
numbering system only five part numbers have been assigned for that combination to five different
customers.
119-29.4912-1
119-29.4912-2
119-29.4912-3
119-29.4912-4
119-29.4912-5
Weekly, a question comes from one of the customers, such as:
“What does the (-12) mean in my part number 414LF-0.032768-12?
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