MALVERN, PA — Vishay Intertechnology Inc. (NYSE: VSH) introduced a 650-watt thick-film power resistor series designed to reduce the number of parallel components required in high-power systems, targeting automotive, energy, industrial, medical and avionics applications where space and thermal management are constraints.
The MCB RPWA 650 series combines continuous power handling of as much as 650 watts with a low-profile package and a baseplate designed to transfer heat to an external heatsink. The devices operate across a temperature range of minus 55 degrees Celsius to 155 degrees Celsius.
Higher power density can allow designers to use fewer parallel resistors for a given application, reducing component counts and simplifying power-module assemblies, according to Vishay.
The resistors can also incorporate an optional negative temperature coefficient, or NTC, sensor within the same housing, allowing temperature monitoring without a separate component. Customizable cabling and a mounting system with self-calibrating pressure are designed to eliminate board-level soldering and reduce wiring requirements.
The series covers resistance values from 6.2 ohms to 1 megohm, with tolerances as low as plus or minus 5%. Vishay identified precharge, discharge, active discharge, power conversion and snubber circuits among the intended applications.
The devices have a maximum operating voltage of as much as 6,000 volts DC and dielectric strength of as much as 7,000 volts RMS. Typical self-inductance is no more than 40 nanohenries, a specification relevant to limiting transient overshoot in high-voltage, fast-switching circuits.
Vishay also rated the series for repetitive pulse operation of as much as 3.5 joules per pulse for 50-microsecond pulses.
The resistors comply with the Restriction of Hazardous Substances, or RoHS, requirements. AEC-Q200 qualification, an automotive reliability standard for passive electronic components, is pending.
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