In its relentless pursuit of smaller and more powerful mass-produced magnetic components, TDK has introduced several products for automotive design engineers recently. One is a series of thin-film power inductors that use the company’s proprietary metallic magnetic material as its core material. Others include a high-reliability ferrite chip bead and, introduced in late October, new inductors for power-over-coax systems.
By using the metal magnetic material with high saturation magnetic flux density, the DC bias characteristics needed for inductors for automotive power circuits can be achieved while, by using a closed magnetic circuit structure leakage flux is minimized, says TDK. The new TFM201210ALMA inductors feature a mounting area downsized approximately 22% from the company’s conventional product. Mass production was set to begin in August 2021.
This fall, TDK announced the development and mass production of the MMZ1608-HE series of high-reliability chip beads, marking what it says is the first high-reliability chip bead specifically designed for automotive applications associated with engine control modules, anti-lock brake systems, electric power steering, electric and hybrid electric vehicles, inverters and LED headlights.
In high-temperature automotive environments such as engine compartments, high-durability solder is increasingly used to prevent solder cracks in the bonds between chip components and the mounting substrate. Since high-durability solders do not stretch easily and impart higher stress compared with conventional solders, they place a large load on chip components and do not meet the reliability requirements of existing chip beads.
There are four products in the series so far and TDK plans to continue expanding the lineup of compact sizes and various impedances to support a wide range of automotive specifications and designs. A ferrite chip bead, also called an EMI filter or choke, is a passive component that suppresses or filter high frequency noise in circuits.
The newly developed ADL3225VM inductors for use in automotive power-over-coax (PoC) systems were released in October. Measuring at 3.2 x 2.5 x 2.5 mm, they provide a compact solution for designers looking to reduce vehicle weight as manufacturers add more sensors and cameras to accommodate expanding automotive and advanced driver-assistance systems applications. The proprietary structural design and wire winding manufacturing process ensure high impedance over a broad bandpass, says TDK.
PoC systems relay data and power over the same coaxial cable. The inductors serve as a blocking coil that separates ringing currents from the power supply, and increases the currents supplied. TDK says it will further expand the product portfolio to meet the needs of higher-speed and larger-volume transmission for an even wider variety of automotive applications.
