Resistors are components that are commonplace within countless electronic devices, allowing for current and voltage to be managed in various ways. Metal film resistors in particular are film resistors that take advantage of special metals or alloys and a resistor film layer that is formed through vacuum evaporation or sputtering. Coming in a few primary subtypes, metal film resistors are often installed within household appliances, instruments, and communication devices. With high precision, stable performance, light construction, and simplistic structures, metal film resistors serve an important role in electronics, military, and aerospace industries.

Isolators and circuit breakers are two common electronic equipment pieces found in various applications and industries, managing various aspects of current and electrical flow for the means of safety. While having a somewhat similar general role in providing safety, the specific operations and use of both equipment types differ from one another. As both can prevent hazardous electrical conditions and are highly beneficial for many systems, it can be quite advantageous to be familiar with each.

Photodiodes and phototransistors are often compared to one another, both being capable of transforming light energy into an electrical current. While providing similar methods of operation, both components differ from each other in their current gain and internal components. In order to better understand the distinct roles that the photodiode and phototransistor serve, one must first familiarize themself with the internal makeup and processes of each.

A Transistor is a common type of semiconductor device, capable of amplifying or switching electrical signals and power. As a building block of modern electronics, transistors typically feature three or more terminals that establish connection to an external circuit and enable the application of power to control another terminal’s current. While transistors may be packed independently within a circuit, they may also be arranged onto a single semiconductor, establishing what is known as a transistor array.

To help mitigate the spread of electricity beyond a designated threshold within assemblies, apparatuses such as electrical insulators are commonly implemented. Often found in solid, liquid, and gaseous states, insulators have evolved over time to reduce faults, improve reliability, and reduce human harm resulting from electrical exposure. Within an environment where electricity needs to be meticulously controlled, such as those containing electrical wires, high voltage systems, microelectronics, and more, insulators and their lack of electrical conductivity help keep both humans and electrical apparatuses safe.

A transformer is an electrical device designed to transfer alternating current or voltage from one circuit to another through electromagnetic induction. Electrical transformers convert AC voltage from one value to another, and can be designed to “step” a voltage up or down. There are many different types of transformers used to carry out different functions. In this blog, we will discuss the twelve most commonly used types of transformers.

A capacitor is a passive electronic component that is capable of storing an electric charge within an electric field. The film capacitor is a common capacitor type, and they utilize insulating plastic film as their dielectric and may act as a carrier of electrodes when paired with paper. Regularly found within X-rays, phase shifters, safety capacitors, and fluorescent light ballasts, such capacitor types are very useful for a number of electronic devices. To understand how a film capacitor may be used, it is important to first learn about their working principles and functionalities.

Electricity is a powerful source of energy, allowing for countless systems, appliances, and devices to function with power. As electricity is volatile in its nature, it is important that various devices are used to mitigate its flow and protect systems from surges, faults, and other issues. Circuit breaker and isolator devices are two common types of equipment that are often used for dealing with electrical faults. As each device presents its own unique functionality, construction, and application, understanding the differences between the two can be very beneficial when searching for protection devices.

A sensor is a device that detects physical or chemical changes including pressure, force, or an electrical quantity. Simply put, a sensor is a device that helps send a signal from an object to a human operator. After detection, the signal is sent to the processor before the sensor ultimately produces an output signal that corresponds to the input signal. A resistive sensor is an electromechanical device that converts a mechanical change into an electrical signal that can be monitored after conditioning. There are three types of resistive sensors: resistive transducers, potentiometers, and strain gauges. This blog will cover each in detail.

A relay is an electrically operated switch that consists of a set of input terminals for one or multiple control signals and a set of operating contact terminals. Relays are classified into two groups: contact relays (electromechanical) and contactless relays (semiconductor). Within these groups are a variety of subgroups. Subgroups of contact relays include signal and power relays, while those of contactless relays include solid-state and photorelays. Solid-state relays typically utilize semiconductor photo triacs, phototransistors, or photo thyristors as the output device and are limited to AC loads alone. Adversely, photorelays use MOSFETs as the output device and are capable of handling both AC and DC loads. Photorelays are mainly used as replacements for signal relays. This blog will discuss photorelays in greater detail.