What the 1500W rating means on your board
The 1.5KE68C: That 1.5kW pulse-handling capacity means it can clamp a transient like an inductive load dump or lightning surge without the junction failing — the die area is sized to absorb the energy, not just pass it. For a 48V bus or a 60V DC rail, the 58.1V standoff keeps the diode out of conduction during normal operation, while the 96.6V clamp protects downstream silicon rated for 100V or higher.
Package and rework reality — DO-201 axial
The DO-201AA (DO-27) axial through-hole package is a rework-friendly form factor — the leads are thick enough to survive a couple of heat cycles from a soldering iron or hot-air station without lifting the pad. Pin 1 is the cathode band on the body; the bidirectional construction means the banded end is not polarity-sensitive for the clamping direction, but the orientation still matters for PCB silkscreen consistency. The 175°C TJ limit is the die-attach solder reflow ceiling — keep the board-level soldering profile below that peak.