Sulfur damages standard resistors and causes failures. A chip resistor is designed to avoid this problem and keep automotive and industrial systems stable for longer.
Electronics used in automotive, industrial, and telecommunications systems often operate in sulfur-rich environments. In such conditions, standard thick film resistors can suffer from corrosion, leading to resistance drift, reduced accuracy, and early failure. This creates reliability risks for engineers designing systems that must operate for long periods under heat, electrical stress, and harsh environmental exposure. These issues are especially critical in automotive electronics, factory automation, and telecom infrastructure, where downtime and performance loss can cause safety concerns, service disruption, and higher maintenance costs.
Vishay has launched the RCA-SR e3 series of AEC-Q200 qualified thick film chip resistors. The series is designed specifically for sulfur-containing environments and meets ASTM B809-25 standards. It demonstrates a maximum resistance drift of 1% after 1,000 hours at 60 °C, providing stronger long-term reliability than competing devices tested for shorter durations. Under continuous electrical load, the resistors maintain high stability, with ΔR/R limited to 1% after 1,000 hours of rated power at 70 °C.
The RCA-SR e3 series is aimed at designers of automotive control units, industrial equipment, and telecom hardware who need compact components with stable performance.
- Available in five compact case sizes: 0201, 0402, 0603, 0805, and 1206
- Power ratings up to 0.25 W
- Operating voltage range from 30 V to 200 V
- Resistance range from 10 Ω to 10 MΩ
- Tolerance options of ±1% and ±5%
- Temperature coefficient ratings of ±100 ppm/K and ±200 ppm/K
For manufacturing teams, the series supports efficient assembly. The resistors are RoHS-compliant and halogen-free, include a protective coating for electrical, mechanical, and climatic protection, and are suitable for automated soldering using wave, reflow, or vapor-phase processes. Pure matte tin plating ensures compatibility with both lead-free and lead-based soldering, simplifying production across different manufacturing lines.
