New Demo Highlights Long-Term Stability of VPG Bulk Metal® Foil Resistors

source: Vishay Precision Group news

MALVERN, Pa. — Jan. 28, 2016 — VPG Foil Resistors announced today that its Vishay Foil Resistors (VFR) brand has released a new demo that highlights the inherent advantages provided by the robust construction of VPG Bulk Metal® Foil resistors. Available as a video, the demo compares the stability of foil resistors with thin film and thick film technologies when exposed to a high-power pulse.
Link to the demo video here.

The resistor elements of thin and thick film resistors are composed of individual particles — consisting of conductive material for thin film and a mix of conductive and non-conductive material for thick film. As a result of this construction, both technologies have countless resistive interconnects and current paths between their particles. Foil resistors, on the other hand, feature a smooth, flexible, and homogenous construction.
In Vishay Foil Resistors’ latest demo, the stability of the three resistor technologies is put to the test. Each resistor type is subjected to a 1000 VDC, 50 W, 3000 ms overload pulse and its change in resistance value is recorded. As a result of the pulse, the thick film resistor is damaged and experiences a change in resistance, and the thin film device is completely destroyed. Due to the homogeneous nature of the foil resistor, however, it is able to absorb the pulse with no damage or change in value.

“Throughout its life, a resistor is exposed to numerous stressors — power ups and downs, heating and cooling, and expansion and contraction — all of which can cause it to change its value,” said Richard Zuratt, VFR Senior Engineer. “Some resistor technologies change a lot, some a little, and some – like foil resistors – hardly at all. With its robust construction, the VPG Bulk Metal Foil resistor sets the standard for survivability and long-term stability, and is the resistor technology of choice in critical applications.”

About VPG
VPG is an internationally recognized designer, manufacturer and marketer of: components based on its resistive foil technology; sensors; and sensor-based systems specializing in the growing markets of stress, force, weight, pressure, and current measurements. VPG is a market leader of Foil Technology Products, providing ongoing technology innovations in precision foil resistors and foil strain gages, which are the foundation of the company’s Force Sensors Products and its Weighing and Control Systems. The product portfolio consists of a variety of well-established brand names recognized for precision and quality in the marketplace. To learn more, visit VPG at www.vpgsensors.com.

About VPG Foil Resistors
VPG Foil Resistors produces the most precise and stable resistors available. Distinguished by the premier brands Vishay Foil Resistors, Powertron, and Alpha Electronics, the VPG Foil Resistors portfolio includes discrete resistors and resistor networks in surface mount and through-hole (fixed-lead) configurations; customized chip resistor networks; precision trimming potentiometers; and discrete chips for use in hybrid circuits. These devices are used in applications requiring a high degree of precision and stability, such as in medical testing equipment, semiconductor equipment, precision measuring instruments, aerospace, and military applications. To learn more, visit www.vishayfoilresistors.com.

Bulk Metal is a registered trademark of Vishay Precision Group, Inc. (VPG).