Trimmer resistor is one of the main radioelectronic elements

In modern circuits, various modifications of resistors have found wide application. The main parameter of such elements is the electrical resistance. To the secondary characteristics of such parts, one can include the maximum power dissipation and the error in the resistance rating. Depending on the possibility of changing the resistance, distinguish between constant and variable radio components of this type. The first kind of this element has a certain resistance, which can not be changed. In turn, the second embodiment of such a component can change this characteristic. This class of parts includes a potentiometer, rheostats, variable and trimmer resistor. The first two are most often used in power electronics, the latter two are most often used in microelectronic devices.

By design, the variable and trimmer resistor is divided into wire and wireless. Depending on the method of changing the resistance, distinguish between rotary and slider.

The simplest design for a wire resistor. As a base, it has a dielectric ring. This wire is wound around the wire, the ends of which are attached to the 2 nd terminal contacts of the radio element. A handle with a slider is installed on top (it should fit snugly against the ring) and a cover with a groove for rotation with a screwdriver is installed on it. In the next step, a central contact is established, which is to connect the central terminal and the rotation member. The final stage of manufacturing such a radio component as a tuning resistor is to install the assembled structure in a protective case. So briefly looks the technological chain of production of these components. If the part belongs to the class of wireless wires, the winding of the wire is skipped - the ring is not made of dielectric, but immediately from a material with high resistance (most often it is a rare earth material with a very high price). The cost of components manufactured in this way is greater than in the first case, and because of this they have not yet received much distribution.

This electronic component has found the greatest application in amplifying stages (with its help the gain factor is regulated). At the input, a resistor with a constant resistance is installed, and at the output - with a variable resistor. After the completion of the assembly of the circuit, it is with the help of the last element that the necessary gain is selected. To do this, the groove rotates until the desired mode of operation of the cascade is obtained. After the adjustment is completed, the varnish (on the resistor) should be applied from above. The tuning component can accidentally turn (from touch, from vibration, from falling) and then it is necessary to adjust the circuit again. To avoid this, and apply a varnish on top to fix the resistance value.

To assess the importance of the role played by the trimmer in modern microprocessor technology (and not only) is quite difficult. But with certainty we can say that such a radio component is used in almost all electronic devices. And tuning resistors every year find more and more wide application in new circuit solutions.