Stackpole Releases Series Of Anti-Sulfur Thin Film Chip Resistors

Stackpole Electronics, Inc. announced the release of the new RNCP series of low cost thin film chips. The company claims that this series offers twice the normal power rating compared to standard thick film and thin film chip resistors, is impervious to sulfur contamination due to the elimination of silver, and is priced within 10% of standard general purpose thick film chips. In addition, the RNCP does not have any lead-containing glass. It is a truly lead free and green component series.

The thin film resistor structure is said to offer all of the usual stability advantages and low noise that is expected of this technology. Stackpole states that it is able to lower manufacturing costs of the RNCP by using specialized materials, by focusing on only 1% tolerance and 100 ppm TCR and higher requirements, and by means of a proprietary high volume sputtering system.

The RNCP series is well suited for a broad range of applications and end products requiring a higher power rating in a limited amount of board space. It is suitable for all types of power systems, controls, and industrial and commercial automation, and various types of low torque motor controls. It will also be useful for UPS devices and equipment and backup power systems, audio applications, high speed communication, thermostats and HVAC, metering, monitoring, and detection, as well as for avionics and instrumentation. Arguably the greatest application for the RNCP is in high sulfur applications where long term reliability is critical. The anti-sulfur properties make the RNCP well suitable for various types of automotive, industrial and heavy equipment applications.

The RNCP series is available on standard 7 inch reels. Pricing varies with chip size, tolerance, and resistance value and ranges from around $1.00 per thousand to $10 per thousand in full reel quantities.