Panasonic Industry has expanded its current-sensing resistor range with thick-film devices that offer a lower-cost alternative to metal shunts in suitable low- and medium-current applications.
The components are designed for systems requiring accurate current measurement, effective thermal management, and reduced bill-of-materials costs. Target applications include AI infrastructure, industrial robotics, battery management systems, motor control, and power supplies.
Current-sense resistors are used to measure electrical current for monitoring, control, and protection. As power density rises in AI servers, robotics, and power-conversion equipment, reliable current detection is increasingly important for efficiency and thermal management.
Metal shunt resistors are widely used when extremely low resistance and high power handling are required. However, those capabilities are not essential for every design. In applications where thick-film and metal-shunt technologies overlap, Panasonic says its devices can deliver comparable sensing performance while potentially reducing component costs by up to 50% versus selected metal-shunt solutions.
The thick-film resistors combine optimized materials, trimming methods, and structural designs to balance resistance, accuracy, and thermal characteristics. Certain models offer resistance values as low as 10 mΩ and TCR ratings down to ±75 ppm/°C, helping minimize temperature-related measurement errors while keeping power losses low.
Panasonic has also incorporated thermal-management features such as wide-terminal structures and double-sided resistive elements to improve heat dissipation. Soft termination technology helps reduce mechanical stress on solder joints during temperature cycling, supporting long-term reliability.
For easier replacement of metal shunts, selected devices are offered in compatible footprints and package sizes, allowing designers to upgrade current-sensing solutions without significant PCB modifications.
The portfolio is suited to AI power systems, robotics, BMS, motor drives, DC/DC converters, industrial automation, and advanced power supplies. Overall, Panasonic’s thick-film resistors provide a practical alternative where ultra-low resistance and extreme power-handling capabilities of traditional metal shunts are unnecessary.
