6.8 µH, 420 mA — what the ratings mean for the BOM line
The LBC2518T6R8M is a Taiyo Yuden drum-core wirewound inductor from the LB, C Type series, unshielded, in a 1007 (2518 Metric) surface-mount package. Its 6.8 µH inductance at ±20% tolerance is tested at 7.96 MHz, and the 420 mA current rating is the DC bias limit before the ferrite core begins to saturate — beyond that current the inductance drops off sharply, so the 420 mA figure governs the load current the inductor can handle in a buck converter or filter. The 300 mOhm DC resistance sets the I²R loss: at 420 mA the copper loss is about 53 mW, which raises the internal temperature above the 105°C upper operating limit if ambient is already high.
Board-fit and rework — 1007 package, unshielded, no pin 1 ambiguity
The 2.50 mm x 1.80 mm footprint with a 2.00 mm seated height fits standard 1007 (2518 Metric) pads — the drum-core body has a clear orientation mark (the white line on the top face) so the pick-and-place camera or a hot-air rework station can align it without guesswork. Unshielded construction means the magnetic field radiates into the board — keep sensitive analog traces or high-impedance nodes at least 5 mm away from the inductor body to avoid coupling noise. The ferrite core material handles the 38 MHz self-resonant frequency; above that the inductor behaves capacitively, so the part is suited for DC-DC converters switching below 10 MHz where the impedance stays inductive.