Types of Surface Mount Resistors

A surface mount resistor is a tiny rectangular ceramic body with silver conductive edges on either end. Also referred to as surface mount technology, an SMD resistor offers advantages in saving space on printed circuit boards (PCBs). It features the resistance value code printed onto it, where there is space. Solder paste is printed onto the mounting pads of a PCB, and the resistors are placed automatically onto these pads by pick and place equipment. The whole board is then passed through a reflow oven which melts the solder into place, making the contacts.

A surface mount resistor provides the same functionality as the more traditional axially leaded resistors but has a lower power dissipation capacity and oftentimes a lower stray inductance and capacity. Surface mount resistors can be thick film, which is most commonly used, thin film, which offers accuracy and stability, metal strip, for current sensing, or wirewound, which is molded construction as opposed to a flat chip.

Surface mount resistors are used in large quantities and are the preferred resistor for use in electronics equipment, because of the small size and high reliability. Surface mount resistors are commonly used in telecommunication, automotive, and medical equipment, as well as in personal devices, displays, and advanced technology research instruments.

TE Connectivity (TE) brings you it’s metal-glaze high precision thick film resistor range, type RT73 series available in four different packages with standard resistance values offered in the E96 and E24 series. The resistance tolerance specifications are from 1% to 0.1% with low temperature co-efficient of resistance (T.C.R. making the RT73 series suitable for use in automotive, measuring equipment and industrial measurement applications.