Active lifecycle — no last-time-buy scramble
The 1.5KE160A/B: That means it is still in regular production and available through the standard supply chain. For BOM planning, the active status removes the urgency of a last-time-buy calculation — you can order against the line without a sunset date looming.
Package and board-fit — DO-201 rework realities
The DO-201AA / DO-27 axial leaded package is a through-hole form factor with a 0.042-inch (1.07mm) diameter lead — it fits standard 0.040-inch plated-through holes. The body is about 9mm long, so it stands off the board by the lead bend height; no special footprint beyond the standard axial diode pad pair is needed. Rework is straightforward: heat both pads simultaneously with a wide-tip iron or use a hot-air preheat on the board bottom to avoid cold joints on the cathode barrel. The part is unidirectional, so the cathode band orientation must match the silkscreen — a reversed TVS clamps nothing and passes the surge through to the load.
The 150°C upper limit means the TVS can sit next to a hot regulator or in an engine-bay ECU without derating the peak pulse power below the 1500W figure, provided the ambient stays under 125°C or so (the junction-to-ambient thermal resistance of the DO-201 package adds about 20-30°C rise at steady state).