Eaton Electronics measuring resistors – precise current control
Eaton Electronics measuring resistors – precise current controlDate of publication: 17-09-2025 🕒 3 min read
Measurement Resistors Eaton Electronics in metal film and metal strip technologies are proven components that combine measurement precision with high resistance to working conditions. They enable reliable current monitoring in modern electronic and power devices.
Resistors are one of the basic electronic components. They are most commonly used to limit current, but in many circuits, they also serve as shunt (measurement) resistors. These are components with very low resistance – often measured in milliohms – which allow for accurate measurement of the current flow with minimal impact on the operation of the entire device.
Such resistors are used wherever energy flow control is crucial: in power systems, automotive, battery devices, or power converters. One of the manufacturers well-known in the electronic components industry is Eaton Electronics, which offers special measurement resistors available at TME.
Metal Film Resistors
Metal film resistors are made by applying a thin metal layer on a ceramic substrate. They are characterized by very good stability and low noise levels, making them commonly used in precise measurement circuits or general-purpose electronics. Their resistance can cover a wide range of values (from a few ohms to megaohms), allowing them not to be limited only to current measurements.
Resistor with a resistance of 0.1Ω and power of 0,25W.
In the case of measurement resistors of this type, we encounter slightly higher resistance values than in strip versions, therefore they are more often used where accuracy is important, but the measurement currents are not very large.
Metal Strip Resistors
Metal strip resistors are a special group of low-resistance resistors, in which the resistive element is a strip of metal alloy with high conductivity. Thanks to this structure, they can conduct large currents while maintaining a very low resistance value (often below 1Ω, and even in the milliohm range).
Metal strip resistors feature a tolerance level of 1%.
Metal strip is today the most commonly chosen solution in the construction of shunt resistors for measuring current in converters, batteries, or automotive applications. An additional advantage of this technology is high nominal power and resistance to heating, which translates into measurement stability and longer component life.
Parameters of Eaton Measurement Resistors
Among the components of metal film or metal strip, we find resistors with resistance down to 1mΩ in 0402, 0603, 0805, 1206,1210 and 2512 packages. The power of the components is described by a range from 0.25W to 3W, depending on the type. Resistors are characterized by excellent accuracy at the level of +/-1% at operating temperatures from -55°C to 155°C or 170°C. It is also worth mentioning the temperature coefficient of these elements, which is 50, 100, or 200ppm/°C. Additionally, the resistors comply with the AEC-Q200 standard, confirming their potential use in automotive and industrial applications where reliability is crucial.
