Panel Potentiometers

Panel Potentiometers are variable resistors that are commonly used for all applications involving a reasonable number of cycles (few tens of thousands, manually actuated). Mounted behind the front panel for various equipment, they frequently feature buttons mounted on their shafts. Typical applications include: setting the light or the brightness of a screen, turning the volume for an audio application, setting the speed on tool machining equipment, or various parameters for industrial remote controls.

Typical markets include:

• Off-road tractors, excavators, cranes
• Avionic : overrhead panels
• Medical : syringe pumps
• Industrial : various parameters to be set up on machines.

Key parameters defining a panel potentiometer:

• Resistive element material: depending on the application could be cermet of conductive plastic
• Overall dimensions, dependent on the available space for the application
• Sealing level: dependent on customers' constraints
• Lifespan requested directly related to the application
• Variation laws: a few are available (please refer to datasheets)
• Admissible power: wide-range function of the potentiometer model
• Other common options: detents (torque increase in determined position) / switches: rotary or push-push / mutiple resistive modules (multi-gang potentiometers) / custom shafts and bushings/ inner and outer shafts actuating different resistive modules

In summary Vishay offers a very versatile family of products with a wide range of potential options.