In inductive components too, EPCOS can draw on a wealth of experience built up over decades. Whether customers need fast and reliable solutions to EMC problems or tailor-made inductors and chokes, they can all benefit from this edge in technology. Ongoing development at EPCOS' Inductors Division is opening up more and more new applications for these products.
INDUCTORS are versatile components. It is not unusual for them to perform two functions at the same time: filtering and storage. Both are primary functions of signal and power applications alike. Not surprisingly, no electrical or electronic device, whatever the product variant, can function without inductors. Their scope of application ranges from simple electric toys through the entire sector of communications right up to drives in the megawatt range.
The variety of applications is driving the pace of development in inductors and determining the range of technologies, sizes and designs in which they are made. In terms of weight and dimensions, for instance, several orders of magnitude separate the most compact SIMID® choke currently available in size 0402 from a customer-specific EMC filter for the kiloampere range. Many new applications could not be implemented without innovative, economical solutions based on inductors from EPCOS. Ballasts for energy-saving lamps are one example. Thanks to miniaturization and enhanced temperature stability of the chokes and transformers used, the entire electronic circuitry can be squeezed into such a tiny space that any difference in size between conventional incandescent bulbs and energy-saving lamps can no longer be perceived.
All modern power supply topologies are based on switch-mode power supplies (SMPS). These ubiquitous devices are now found in mobile-phone chargers, PCs, telecom equipment and, to a growing extent, in automotive electronics. As well as power semiconductors and capacitors, storage chokes are key components of SMPS. EPCOS offers the right choke for all topologies, from small point-of-load-converters to AC/DC converters in the kilowatt range. Thanks to the results of EPCOS' intensive research program, which includes ferrite materials developed and manufactured in-house, customer requirements for smaller and more powerful chokes with even lower losses can now be satisfied.
As the electronics content of automobiles keeps rising with every new model generation, inductors and chokes play a decisive role in the automotive electronics market too, because they are critical to many safety applications. One vehicle contains dozens of electric motors that require chokes for interference suppression. And miniaturized CAN bus chokes now ensure smooth and interferencefree data interchange between dozens of electronic control units.
I N T E R V I E W
Tradition of progress
Jürgen Thomas, President of the Inductors Division, talks about the challenges of new markets, even better customer service, and highpower inductors as proof of EPCOS' innovative strength.
Where do customers benefit most from the strength of the EPCOS range of inductive components?
In all sectors of electronics. As we offer one of the broadest product portfolios worldwide, we can supply the right inductive component for virtually every requirement. Our portfolio extends from ultracompact SIMID® inductors, as used in RF applications, for example, up to EMC filters weighing several tons for drive systems. But customers can not only obtain a full range of inductors and filters from a single source and take advantage of the associated benefits. They can also make use of our comprehensive service.
Can you give an example?
We are the only manufacturer of passive electronic components worldwide to offer a carefree package for EMC.
But let's first take a look at the major industries served ...
Let me start with lighting, because electronic ballasts have emerged as a key application for our transformers and chokes in recent years. But as we are still exposed to heavy price pressure in this market, we are manufacturing our inductive components for lighting at our plant in Hongqi, China (editor's note: 100 kilometers west of Hong Kong), which enables us to offer customers a good price/performance ratio. Our transformers are used in many telecom applications. As you know, this market has slumped severely over the past few years. But the situation has now improved, and demand for products for DSL systems has distinctly picked up.
What role does automotive electronics play?
A central one. The importance of our RF and CAN bus chokes in particular is very great and steadily increasing. Keyless entry systems, ABS, airbag controls and DC/DC converters are typical applications designed to enhance the safety and convenience of motor vehicles - and none of these systems can dispense with inductors.
And what is in demand in industrial electronics?
The main demand in industrial electronics is for our EMC competence and EMC filters. Here we have seen encouraging signs of recovery recently. Incidentally, we have opened a new market for this type of filter over the past few years: EMC filters are used in the base stations of mobile phone networks. EPCOS is now a strategic supplier to all major manufacturers.
Where do you see large market potential in the future?
Automotive electronics is undeniably the most dynamic growth market for electronic components at present and one of the great innovation drivers: nine out of ten innovations in automobiles are now based on electronics. So as more and more mechanical systems are in future replaced by X-by-wire systems, demand for chokes and inductors will keep rising. In addition, the CAN bus, which has so far been designed almost exclusively into European vehicles, is now gaining worldwide acceptance. As a result of this development, demand for our CAN bus chokes will increase - and the same applies to future bus systems.
But let's move away from automotive electronics for a moment. Where else do you see promising opportunities for inductors?
Extra market potential for our products will be opened up by progressive digitization of consumer electronics and more elaborate control systems in industrial electronics. The resulting demand for higher levels of electromagnetic compatibility can only be satisfied by greater use of inductors. At the same time, demand for decentralized DC/DC converters for the power supplies of controllers and processors will grow. This in turn will call for smaller and smaller chokes with high currenthandling capacity for filtering and energy storage.
Or just look at drive systems, where the number of variable speed drives keeps increasing. In this market in particular, drives with regenerative capability and matching converters are very much the trend. Demand for matching EMC filters will likewise increase.
What is the Inductors Division doing to enhance customer satisfaction?
First of all, I would like to mention our ability to contribute our competence to development projects, anywhere in the world, from an early stage in the product life cycle. Just look at automotive suppliers, for example. We maintain very good contacts with them and are involved in all their important designs from an early phase.
I have already mentioned our carefree EMC package. Thanks to the support of our own accredited EMC test lab in Regensburg (Germany) and about a hundred EMC test houses as partners, we can quickly develop the right solutions to all EMC problems and implement them as well if the customer wishes. I find our consulting service for customers just as important as delivering high-grade EMC components.
What about logistics?
Good logistics performance is also decisive for our customers, of course. To supply them just in time, anywhere in the world, we have set up a global network of consignment stocks. We also work together with a host of distributors worldwide.
How do you intend to become even more competitive?
The fact is that we have been continuously expanding our position to date. The EPCOS Inductors Division has been scoring average annual growth of about 15% in recent years and thus grown faster than the market. To ensure our future success, we are continuing to invest in innovation and customer orientation so that we can respond quickly and flexibly to rapidly changing markets. To get even closer to our customers, we are also stepping up our design-in activities around the world - especially in China and the United States. We are also in the process of consistently improving cost structures throughout the EPCOS Group - I have already mentioned the extension of manufacturing operations to China in this context. In future, we will focus more on the computer and consumer electronics markets as well as on automotive electronics. We are currently developing new products targeted at these industries to take advantage of the growth potential emerging.
What innovation potential is left in inductors and EMC components - haven't these conventional products come up against their limits in technology?
Not at all, these components still have significant potential. Our development work benefits in particular from close cooperation with Ferrites, our sister division. Improved ferrite materials are the foundation for development of new inductive components. High-power inductors that can handle currents up to 50 A despite their relatively modest size are a highlight of our innovations.
At present, miniaturization and higher current-handling capacity are the two main drivers of technological progress. In automotive electronics, customers expect us to keep raising the temperature ceilings of electronic components still further. Some EPCOS products are already specified for ambient temperatures of 170 °C.
And this figure will keep rising ...?
I assume that in the near future we will be unveiling inductors that can withstand continuous loads and keep operating reliably at 200 °C as well.
