As switching frequencies increase, engineers often discover that an inductor’s measured resistance is much higher than expected. The reason is frequently skin effect. Skin effect is one of the primary causes of AC winding losses in high-frequency magnetic components and can significantly affect efficiency, temperature rise, and conductor selection. This guide explains what skin effect … Read more
Telecom and networking equipment commonly operate from a 48V DC power bus. Routers, switches, wireless infrastructure, and data center equipment often require efficient DC-DC converters to generate lower voltages for internal electronics. One of the most important magnetic components in these converters is the power inductor. In this example, we will walk through the design … Read more
When designing power inductors, many engineers focus on average current and peak current. However, winding losses are primarily determined by RMS current. This makes RMS current one of the most important parameters in magnetic component design. Understanding RMS current helps engineers properly size conductors, estimate losses, evaluate temperature rise, and improve overall efficiency. This guide … Read more
Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) converters are widely used in solar energy systems to maximize power extraction from photovoltaic panels. One of the most important magnetic components in an MPPT converter is the power inductor. In this example, we will walk through the design process for an MPPT inductor used in a 48V battery charging … Read more
When engineers discuss magnetic component efficiency, they often focus on winding resistance and copper losses. However, magnetic cores also generate losses. In many high-frequency designs, core losses become one of the dominant factors affecting efficiency and temperature rise. Understanding how core losses are generated and estimated is essential when designing inductors, transformers, flyback converters, and … Read more
Power Factor Correction (PFC) stages are commonly used in industrial power supplies, EV chargers, telecom equipment, and high-power AC-DC converters. One of the most critical components in a boost PFC stage is the boost inductor. In this example, we will walk through the design process for a 2 kW continuous-conduction-mode (CCM) PFC inductor. The objective … Read more
One of the most common problems encountered in power electronics is excessive inductor temperature rise. An inductor may meet its electrical requirements while still running too hot for long-term reliability. Excessive temperature can: This guide explains the major causes of inductor heating and the techniques engineers use to reduce temperature rise. Why Inductors Get Hot … Read more
Electromagnetic interference (EMI) is one of the most common challenges encountered in power electronics design. A converter may meet every electrical requirement while still failing EMI testing. In many cases, the inductor plays a significant role in the generation and control of electromagnetic emissions. This guide explains the key factors engineers consider when designing inductors … Read more
Flyback converters are among the most widely used isolated power supply topologies in industrial and consumer electronics. This example demonstrates the engineering process involved in designing a flyback transformer for a 400VDC to 24VDC power supply. The goal is to illustrate the design workflow rather than produce a final production-ready magnetic component. Design Requirements Input … Read more
Modern processors operate at extremely low voltages while consuming large amounts of current. A server CPU, GPU, FPGA, or AI accelerator may require: These applications require carefully optimized inductors capable of handling high current while maintaining efficiency and thermal performance. In this example, we will walk through the design process for a single-phase regulator supplying … Read more
