Panasonic Thick Film Current Sense Resistors Offer Up to 50% Cost Savings as an Alternative to Metal Shunts

As artificial intelligence, industrial robotics, battery management systems (BMS), and advanced power electronics continue to increase power demands, accurate current sensing has become more critical than ever. According to market analyses, the global current sensing resistor market is projected to expand at a CAGR of approximately 6% through the coming years, reflecting increasing requirements for battery management, motor control and power conversion applications.

At the same time, engineers are under increasing pressure to improve energy efficiency, reduce system costs and maintain accurate current measurement as power levels continue to rise across modern electronic designs. To address these challenges, Panasonic Industry offers its Thick Film Current Sense Resistors, providing a cost-effective alternative to conventional metal shunt resistors in a wide range of low- and medium-current sensing applications.

Current sense resistors play a vital role in monitoring and controlling electrical current in applications ranging from AI server power systems and industrial robotics to battery management systems, DC/DC converters, motor drives and advanced power supplies. Detecting and controlling current is essential for achieving higher performance, improved safety and more efficient energy consumption.

Traditionally, metal shunt resistors have been widely used for current sensing because of their very low resistance values and high power-handling capabilities. However, many applications do not require the full performance range of high-power metal shunts. This opens the door to alternative technologies that deliver the required sensing performance while improving cost efficiency.

Panasonic's Thick Film Current Sense Resistors have been developed to address growing requirements for larger currents, lower power loss and greater measurement accuracy. By combining advanced resistor materials, double-sided resistor structures and optimized trimming technology, Panasonic achieves resistance values down to 5 mΩ while maintaining excellent temperature stability, with TCR values as low as 75 ppm/°C.

A key challenge in current sensing is balancing low resistance with low temperature coefficient (TCR), as both requirements are typically contradictory. Panasonic has addressed this challenge through material and electrode innovations that enable precise current measurement while minimizing heat generation and temperature-related drift.

For engineers operating within the overlapping application range traditionally served by metal shunts, Panasonic's Thick Film Current Sense Resistors offer several important advantages:

• Up to 50% lower cost compared with comparable metal shunt solutions. 
• Reduced heat generation through low-resistance designs that minimize I²R losses. Panasonic data shows that reducing resistance from 10 mΩ to 2.5 mΩ can lower resistor temperature by up to 33°C under comparable operating conditions. 
• Improved reliability under thermal cycling thanks to soft termination technology and robust component construction.
• High current-sensing accuracy through optimized materials and trimming technologies that combine low resistance with low TCR.
• Simplified migration paths through pin-to-pin compatible double-sided designs, enabling practical replacement of many metal shunt implementations within the overlapping operating range.

The technology is already being used successfully in customer applications and is particularly suited for AI infrastructure, robotics, battery management systems, motor control, power supplies and industrial automation systems where designers seek to optimize both cost and performance.

As designers look for ways to improve efficiency, lower thermal stress and control bill-of-material costs, Panasonic's Thick Film Current Sense Resistors offer a proven solution that combines accurate current measurement, thermal stability and significant economic benefits within a broad range of current-sensing applications.

For more information about Panasonic’s Thick Film Resistor offering please visit: Thick Film Shunt Resistor as a Replacement for Metal Shunt Resistor