Ferrite Planar Cores Do Away With Manual Windings

A new ferrite planar core has been developed that is said to facilitate wire printing directly on printed circuit boards. Called the E-Core Series, these low profile devices are now available in a wide range of sizes and designs for use in switch mode power supplies, industrial power supplies, battery chargers, and telecomm equipment. The planar cores are made using a high frequency ferrite material formulated for minimum power loss at frequencies above 100 kHz; the design replaces manually wound cores. The devices are optimized for operation at 100°C between 200 kHz and 1.5 MHz. The low profile E-Core Series is intended primarily for transformers and output chokes in SMPS applications. The new cores are also available for use in high speed dc/dc converters. The company is currently producing standard E14, E18 and E22 planar cores, but can also supply ER09, ER11 and ER14.5 models. Typical pricing for the E-Core ferrite planar cores starts at $0.05 each/OEM quantities. AVX CORP., Myrtle Beach, SC. (843) 946-0414.