Drum core inductors (sometimes called bobbin core inductors) are so named because the wire is wound directly on the core. The core shape is typically cylindrical, or cylindrical with end caps. Drum core inductor leads can exit in one of three ways:
- Axial leaded: One lead exits from each end of the core for horizontal mounting on the PC board
- Radial leaded: Both leads exit out one side of the core for vertical mounting on the PC board.
- Surface mount.
The core material of drum core inductors is most often ferrite, but can also be powdered metal.
Drum core inductors usually do not have a closed magnetic path. This means that saturation current can be very high, but the tradeoff is that there is more noise produced in nearby components.
Typical requirements to be specified for a drum core inductor include:
- Peak voltage
- Peak current
- Operating frequency
- No load inductance
- Full load inductance
Call or complete and RFQ to start the design of your drum core inductor.