GRM21BR71E104KA01L

The GRM21BR71E104KA01L is a multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) manufactured by Murata, one of the world's leading producers of passive electronic components. This part belongs to Murata's GRM series, a family of general-purpose ceramic capacitors widely used in consumer electronics, industrial equipment, and telecommunications applications. Multilayer ceramic capacitors like this one are among the most commonly specified passive components in modern electronics due to their small size, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. The "GRM21" designation indicates this capacitor uses a 0805 imperial package size (2.0mm x 1.25mm), making it suitable for both through-hole and surface-mount assembly processes. This compact form factor allows engineers to design space-efficient circuit boards without sacrificing performance, which is particularly valuable in portable devices and densely populated PCBs. The GRM21BR71E series is typically characterized by X7R dielectric material, which provides stable capacitance across a broad temperature range and voltage operating window. X7R-type ceramics are preferred for applications requiring predictable performance and minimal drift compared to other dielectric types. This stability makes these capacitors suitable for coupling, decoupling, and filtering applications in both analog and digital circuits. Engineers commonly specify this exact part number in several contexts. First, established designs often call for this specific Murata part due to its proven reliability in production environments. Second, the 0805 package size strikes an optimal balance between miniaturization and handling ease during manufacturing. Third, Murata's consistent quality control and global availability make this part a dependable choice for both prototype development and high-volume production runs. The GRM21BR71E104KA01L designation includes specific electrical characteristics encoded in the part number itself. The "104" element indicates the nominal capacitance value in picofarad units (a standard marking convention for capacitors). The "71" voltage rating designation and "E" tolerance grade reflect Murata's standard classification system, ensuring designers can quickly identify electrical parameters without consulting external references. Common applications include power supply filtering on motherboards and industrial control boards, signal coupling in audio and RF circuits, bypass capacitors near integrated circuit power pins, and timing circuits in digital systems. The combination of small size, temperature stability, and broad voltage ratings makes this part suitable for automotive electronics, computer peripherals, industrial instrumentation, and communications equipment. When selecting between similar capacitors, engineers choose this part for its proven performance history, wide availability, and compatibility with standard PCB assembly processes used in professional manufacturing environments.