The 2N2222AE3 is an NPN switching transistor in the industry-standard TO-18 metal can (TO-206AA). With a 50 V collector-emitter breakdown voltage and 800 mA maximum collector current, it handles general-purpose switching and amplification in circuits up to medium-current loads. DC current gain (hFE) is a minimum of 100 at 150 mA, 10 V — typical for the 2N2222 family, giving consistent drive margin in saturated switching designs. Collector-emitter saturation voltage is 1 V max at 500 mA, so the on-state drop stays predictable in low-voltage rails.
The TO-18 metal can (TO-206AA) is a three-lead through-hole package with a 0.230-inch (5.84 mm) diameter body. The collector connects to the case, so the metal tab is at collector potential — keep this in mind for heatsinking or when the transistor shares a common heatsink with other devices. Supplied in bulk — no tape-and-reel option for this order code. For pick-and-place assembly, the through-hole format requires manual or selective soldering; the metal can withstands standard wave-solder profiles without issue.