Advantages of Surface Mount Thermistors

Surface mount thermistors provide a number of important advantages for sensing and controlling temperature in a wide variety of applications.

First, let’s see what thermistors are and what basic types exist.  In a nutshell, thermistors are a semiconductor or resistor device made of materials whose resistance varies as a function of temperature. They come in two basic types: PTC and NTC.

PTC (positive temperature coefficient) devices show an increase in resistance as the temperature increases. PTC thermistors are a temperature dependent resistor made of barium titanate. They work best when the resistance needs to be greatly changed at a specific temperature or current level.

The NTC (negative temperature coefficient) device shows a decrease in resistance as the temperature increases. NTC thermistors are made up of semiconductors. They are made from a mixture of oxides of manganese, cobalt, copper or nickel. NTC thermistors work best when it is necessary to change the resistance continuously in a wide temperature range. They have mechanical, thermal and electrical stability as well as high sensitivity.

The advantages of surface mount thermistors derive mostly from the five listed factors below that make thermistors uniquely qualified for certain applications.

• Compact size
• Accuracy
• Sensitivity
• Fast response time
• Low cost

Surface mount thermistors’ small footprint allows for easy integration into designs with limited space.

They offer excellent accuracy and high sensitivity, offering precise temperature sensing and controlling for various industrial, automotive, smart device, HVAC, and medical applications.

Surface mount thermistors also have a fast response time that allows for real-time adjustments and actions in temperature-sensitive systems. They are compatible with automated assembly processes which makes them a great fit for mass production electronic devices.

Common Applications include:

• Home appliances: Ovens and Refrigerators
• Medical devices: Catheters, thermometers, glucose monitors
• Smart devices products: Home automation, Internet of Thing applications
• Battery monitoring: Overcharge, over-discharge
• HVAC appliances: Air temperature, condenser temps
• Fire & security: Heat detectors, smoke detectors
• Automotive: Cabin temperature, battery monitoring

As that list demonstrates, thermistors are widely used due to their versatility, accuracy, sensitivity, low cost, compact size and rapid response time. Please contact us to have your surface mount thermistors or other NTC thermistors designed and assembled according to your specifications.