Chip resistors are compact electronic components with known resistance for electric currents. They have the same physical characteristics as other surface mount devices and are available in various package formats. They are constructed using thin film or sputtering techniques and comply with international safety standards. Chip resistors come in single resistor or resistor array formats and have unique features for specific applications. They facilitate the construction of multilayer PCBs and allow for more complex circuits to be housed in a given area.
A chip resistor is a very compact surface mount electronic component designed to offer a known resistance to any electric current flowing through it. Such a mini resistor is designed to have the same physical characteristics or form factor as other surface mount devices (SMDs) to conform to the geometry of the SMD circuit. It differs from traditional axial lead resistors only in physical form and performs the same functions in electronic circuits. Chip resistors are available in various package formats and with a range of special characteristics.
A chip resistor is a small, flat component typically slightly larger than a pinhead. It has a cable at both ends designed specifically for surface mounting. This method of printed circuit board (PCB) construction not only allows more complex circuits to be housed in a given area, but also facilitates the construction of multilayer PCBs. Older methods of PCB construction required the component wires to be inserted through holes in the board and soldered in place on the reverse surface. In modern surface mount technology, these components are soldered directly onto the conductive tracks on the same side as they are mounted.
Larger cylindrical axial lead resistors would not allow for this type of PCB construction which led to the development of the chip resistor. Chip resistors are constructed using thin film or sputtering techniques in which vacuum deposition is used to apply a resistive carbon composite, ceramic or metallic material onto an insulating support. A series of leads are attached to the resistive layer and the completed resistor is enclosed in a protective coating. The materials used to produce chip resistors generally comply with most international safety standards and contain minimal amounts of lead, cadmium and hexavalent chromium.
There are two most used chip resistor formats are single resistor and chip resistor array. The single resistor is a passive component with set value, and the resistor array consists of several resistors of identical value in one package. Single resistors have one set of terminals while chip resistor arrays are in-line packages with several pins representing a common pin and one for each resistor in the array.
There are several categories of chip resistors that meet a variety of application requirements. These include purpose-built power supplies, telecommunications, high frequency, current sensing, automotive, medical and aerospace components. Chip resistors may also include unique features such as integrated heat sinks, water cooling systems, flame retardant casings or coatings, and non-inductive shielding.
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