A new MG inductor series from Gowanda Electronics is said to be a first for inductor component technology. Inductors manufactured using traditional methods can exhibit magnetic characteristics that are undesirable in certain applications. The MG series, however, is manufactured using a novel approach that assures the inductors have non-magnetic characteristics.
“The series uses a material consisting of non-magnetic particles, thus addressing the problems caused by typical inductor materials, which are magnetic in nature,” explains Keith Blendowski, an engineer at Gowanda (Gowanda, New York, U.S.). “The MG series, thereby, assures enhanced and accurate performance of medical test equipment or other magnetically sensitive equipment or devices.”
Blendowski says developing an inductor material that had no magnetic properties was a real challenge, but was achieved using proprietary methods. “This material has been used in the electronics industry for many years now, and Gowanda has just recently been able to shape this into many different coil forms,” he explains. Some inductors within the series are also epoxy-encapsulated for environmental protection and increased strength, said to allow the devices to withstand all types of reflow soldering.
Relevant applications include medical diagnostic equipment, specifically imaging equipment such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and certain types of X-ray equipment. “In medical imaging, inductors utilized inside MRI equipment can interfere with equipment performance if those inductors contain magnetic particles,” Blendowski tells APPLIANCE. “In medical device applications, with the increasing demand for electronic devices implanted in the human body (such as pacemakers), there are concerns about the electronic components [and] if they contain magnetic particles, should that person need an MRI. This inductor series offers a solution because it is made using materials that do not have magnetic particles.”
Other possible applications include telecommunications, security systems, laboratory analysis equipment, and electronic test equipment. “As appliances, consumer electronics, outdoor power equipment, and other medical devices evolve and incorporate new technologies to make them more multi-functional, user-friendly, and to address new needs, there is the associated possibility that they could incorporate magnetics technology, and thereby, require non-magnetic inductors,” Blendowski says.
 He says the new inductors are traditional in size and shape, making it easy for design engineers to incorporate the component into any medical device. They are also available in surface-mount and through-hole leaded form, enabling integration into a variety of designs. “It essentially offers the design engineer a ‘drop-in’ alternative to traditional inductors,” Blendowski says.
Technical specifications for the series include inductance options from 0.01 to 4.7 microHenries and current ratings from 260 mA DC to 3,835 mA DC. Numerous self-resonant frequencies are available, ranging from 90 MHz to 1,800+ MHz. RoHS-compliant versions are also available.