What this transceiver does on the bus
The Texas Instruments SN65HVD72DR is a half-duplex RS-485/RS-422 transceiver in an 8-SOIC package, rated for 250 kbps data rate over a single twisted pair.
At 250 kbps this part is sized for Modbus RTU, BACnet MS/TP, and similar fieldbus protocols that run at 115.2 kbps or slower. It is not a high-speed Profibus or CAN FD transceiver — the slew-limited output keeps emissions low, which helps pass EN 55022 Class B without external filtering on short stubs. If your design needs 1 Mbps or higher, look at the SN65HVD72 family's faster siblings; for 250 kbps links this is the right fit.
TI lists the SN65HVD72DR as Active. For dual-sourcing resilience, the SN65HVD72 family includes pin-compatible variants with the same footprint — the 8-SOIC layout is shared across the series, making a second-source qualification straightforward.
Package and temperature — board-fit checklist
Supply decoupling: a 0.1 µF ceramic close to the VCC pin is sufficient for the 3V to 3.6V rail.