AEM Components announces the availability of its new line of AEC-Q200 qualified surface-mount fuses designed specifically for reliable operation in high-stress automotive applications. The new wire-in-air AirMatrix (QA Series) and solid body SolidMatrix (QF Series) fuses are manufactured in AEM’s TS16949-certified facility. The two product series together offer automotive design engineers with products that assure reliable performance in applications ranging from engine controls and battery-management systems to infotainment and communications systems.
The QA Series features the industry’s highest current ratings – up to 20A/250V. Its proprietary, hermetically-sealed wire-in-air structure assures consistent electrical performance The QF solid-body fuses utilize AEM’s proprietary, anti-sulfur end-cap construction and provide superior mechanical and thermal stability over a wide temperature range ( -55°C to +150°C).
“The fusible element in the QA Series wire-in-air devices is uniformly straight across the internal cavity and externally bonded to the endcap through the plating process,” reports Jeffers Liu, AEM Components’ Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “Competitive units utilize solder beads inside a ceramic tube to bond the fusible link. This traditional approach has the drawback of non-uniform performance and potential internal connection failure caused by mechanical/thermal stress like vibration or bending, or by common soldering defects like cold joints or poor wetting. Under high-stress conditions, the solder can vaporize, causing prolonged arcing that can lead to package failure and damage to the circuit board and surrounding components. In comparison, our automotive-grade fuses are designed specifically to enhance reliability in harsh environments by eliminating the solder joint.”
The QA Series is offered in two fast-acting versions: a 2410 package with a 0.5-20A/65-250V rating and a 1206 package rated at 1.5-15A/32-65V. Auto-grade QF parts are offered in fast-acting and time-lag versions, and in 1206 and 0603 versions with current ratings up to 8A.
