the imprinted signs to capacitance, tolerance, voltage and polarity. Smaller capacitors use a shorthand notation. The most commonly used format is: XYZ J/K/M "V", where XYZ represents the capacitance (calculated as XY × 10Z pF), the letters K or M indicate the tolerance (±10% and ±20% respectively) and "V" represents the working voltage. Examples: 105K 330V implies a capacitance of 10 × 105 pF = 1 μF (K = ±10%) with a working voltage of 330 V. 476M 100V implies a capacitance of 47 × 106 pF = 47 μF (M = ±20%) with a working voltage of 100 V. Capacitance, tolerance and date of manufacture can be indicated with a short code specified in IEC/EN 60062. Examples of short-marking of the rated capacitance (microfarads): μ47 = 0,47 μF, 4μ7 = 4.7 μF, 47μ = 47 μF The date of manufacture is often printed in accordance with international standards. Version 1: coding with year/week numeral code, "1208" is "2012, week number 8". Version 2: coding with year code/month code. The year codes are: "R" = 2003, "S"= 2004, "T" = 2005, "U" = 2006, "V" = 2007, "W" = 2008, "X" = 2009, "A" = 2010, "B" = 2011, "C" = 2012, "D" = 2013, "E" = 2014 etc. Month codes are: "1" to "9" = Jan. to Sept., "O" = October, "N" = November, "D" = December. "X5" is then "2009, May" For very small capacitors no marking is possible, only the component's packaging or the assembly manufacturer's records of the components used can be used to identify a component fully. Standardization Standard definitions of characteristics and test methods for electrical and electronic components and related technologies are published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), a non-profit, non-governmental international standards organization, which defer to the standards of other industry organizations for particular application characteristics, e.g. the EIA size standards, IPC solderability standards, etc. The quality and reliability standards and methods of the US MIL-STD specifications are used for components requiring a higher reliability or a less benign operating environment are required. The definition of the characteristics and the procedure of the test methods for capacitors for use in electronic equipment are set out in the Generic specification: IEC/EN 60384-1: Fixed capacitors for use in electronic equipment The tests and requirements to be met by aluminum and tantalum electrolytic capacitors for use in electronic equipment for approval as standardized types