Current sense resistors provide engineers
with a very accurate and reliable method
for measuring current. This capability is
especially important for applications such
as battery charging systems, in which
current measurement accuracy is critical."
Gábor Márk
Resistive Products Application Engineer, Bourns, Inc.
C h a p t e r 3 | C u r r e n t M e a s u r e m e n t
it introduces challenges with trying to detect and
amplify extremely low voltages to accurately measure
the current. Minimizing hotspots is also crucial for
high-power shunts, and using electron-beam welding
(EBW) can help in this regard. The resistor must also
be able to dissipate heat through the surface of the
resistor and the surrounding areas such as the solder
pad, PCB, and bus bar.
Bourns
®
current sense resistor
offerings
Bourns, a leading manufacturer of electronic
components, offers several solutions for current
sensing. These solutions include thick-film chip
resistors, metal strip/foil chip resistors, and high-
power metal strip resistors. The high-power metal
strip resistors use resistive alloys EB-welded to
copper terminals, with resistance values down to
25 µΩ and a tolerance of 5 %. These resistors take
advantage of laser trimming that actively measures
each resistor and trims until the desired resistance is
measured.
18
Passives and Their Emerging Applications
