Littelfuse Inc., the global leader in circuit protection, has officially introduced the first encapsulated surface mount fuse. It has been designed for intrinsic safety protection of equipment intended for use in or near hazardous locations and explosive atmospheres and certified to the UL 913 Standard. In the case of overcurrent and short circuit fault conditions, the 1-mm thickness encapsulation around the body of the PICO® 304 Series surface mount fuse minimizes the amount of heat produced and contains sparks or arcs inside the fuse assembly. This prevents their exposure to potentially explosive gases or dust in the environment. It also eliminates the need to pot or coat printed circuit boards or assemblies, saving production time and money to reduce end-product costs.