High‑Current Ferrite Beads Support EMI Suppression in Auto Designs
Bourns’ MH1608A series of high-current chip ferrite beads, an AEC‑Q200‑compliant, automotive-grade component family, is designed to suppress high‑frequency noise in space‑constrained electronic designs. The series combines a compact 1.6- × 0.8-mm footprint with low DC resistance and rated current capability of up to 5 A, supporting electromagnetic-interference (EMI) control without increasing conduction losses in dense PCB layouts.
Target applications include EMI suppression in automotive power supplies and high‑density automotive PCB assemblies. In these apps, designers are typically required to manage conducted and radiated noise within shrinking board areas while maintaining thermal margins and meeting qualification requirements.
Unlike conventional ferrite beads that may limit current handling or introduce excessive DC resistance, the MH1608A Series is intended to address these design pressures by supporting higher current levels in a small, automotive‑qualified package.
Design Features and Key Capabilities
- Compact 1608 package: 1.6- × 0.8- × 0.8-mm size supports high‑density PCB layouts.
- High rated current capability: Supports up to 5 A depending on impedance value.
- Low DC resistance: Minimizes power loss and temperature rise at rated current.
- Wide impedance range: 30 to 1,000 Ω at 100 MHz for broadband noise suppression.
- Quality and reliability: Automotive grade and AEC-Q200 compliant for electronic systems.
Availability
The MH1608A ferrite beads are available now through Bourns’ authorized distribution network. Full specifications, inventory status, and ordering information are available via the company’s inventory search for the MH1608A Series. Samples may be requested through Bourns Customer Service.
About the Author
Lee Goldberg
Contributing Editor
Lee Goldberg is a self-identified “Recovering Engineer,” Maker/Hacker, Green-Tech Maven, Aviator, Gadfly, and Geek Dad. He spent the first 18 years of his career helping design microprocessors, embedded systems, renewable energy applications, and the occasional interplanetary spacecraft. After trading his ‘scope and soldering iron for a keyboard and a second career as a tech journalist, he’s spent the next two decades at several print and online engineering publications.
Lee’s current focus is power electronics, especially the technologies involved with energy efficiency, energy management, and renewable energy. This dovetails with his coverage of sustainable technologies and various environmental and social issues within the engineering community that he began in 1996. Lee also covers 3D printers, open-source hardware, and other Maker/Hacker technologies.
Lee holds a BSEE in Electrical Engineering from Thomas Edison College, and participated in a colloquium on technology, society, and the environment at Goddard College’s Institute for Social Ecology. His book, “Green Electronics/Green Bottom Line - A Commonsense Guide To Environmentally Responsible Engineering and Management,” was published by Newnes Press.
Lee, his wife Catherine, and his daughter Anwyn currently reside in the outskirts of Princeton N.J., where they masquerade as a typical suburban family.
Lee also writes the regular PowerBites series.