Ferroxcube Ferrite Pi Cores Transformer Cores

The EP/LP core range was specially designed for wideband transformer applications where low build height is a must. The board area occupied by the assembly is almost a square, allowing high packing densities on the PCB. The bobbins have two rows of pins allowing easy design of multiple output transformers. Cores are available in high permeability materials, including the new low THD material 3E55, for wide band transformers and in power materials for small power transformers.

PM cores are a variation on classic P cores, suitable for large high power transformers and energy storage chokes. They have larger wire slots facilitating easy assembly, but still the good shielding of a closed core shape. PM cores can be found in transmission and radar equipment and in various high power industrial installations.

RM cores were designed for use in high Q, high stability fi lter inductors. Their shape allows economic utilization of surface area on the PCB. The range is standardized in IEC 431 and is available worldwide from many suppliers. The sizes are based on the standard PCB grid distance. RM 5, for instance, fi ts on a board space of 5 x 5 modules of 2.5 mm grid. Coil formers and clips were optimized for automated winding and mounting. The slots provide suffi cient space for leads of windings. Magnetic shielding is not as good as with P-cores, but still effective.

The shape of EI cores, more precisely a core set consisting of an E core and an I core, is magnetically equivalent to an E core set with shorter legs. For typical characteristics, see therefore the E core section.

A disadvantage of the classical P core design has always been the narrow wire slots, making it diffi cult to make strong coil formers with integrated solder pins. In the PTS design this problem is solved by cutting away the sides of both core halves. This creates ample room for wires and coil former fl anges. A range of special PTS coil formers is available but also most standard P core accessories can be used.

U cores, with rectangular crosssections, are easy to produce and are relatively inexpensive. For this reason they are very popular in low cost applications such as interference fi lters and output chokes in radio and TV equipment. There is no real optimization for transformer winding designs and the core is rather bulky. Large U cores like U93 and U100 are suitable for very high throughput powers. They can be stacked to form transformers, capable of handling several kW's in applications such as industrial HF welding.

The ER core design is derived from the original E core and, like ETD and EC cores, has a round centre pole and outer legs with a radius to accomodate round coil formers. These cores are mainly used for power transformers. The round centre pole allows the use of thicker wires while the shorter turn length keeps the copper losses low.

PQ cores, like RM/I cores, have round solid centre poles and round winding areas. On the outside the design is rectangular. Top and bottom of a core set are completely fl at, allowing good thermal contact with heat sinks. PQ cores are mainly used in power conversion. Therefore they are only offered in power materials. For most core sizes matching coil formers are available.

EPX cores were derived from EP cores specially for pulse transformers in ISDN and ADSL applications. In comparison to EP cores they feature an increased centre pole area and achieve the same AL and THD performance in a smaller core volume. The new EPX designs, complete with SMD bobbin and clip, satisfy the need for slimmer pulse transformers. They are available in the high permeability material 3E6 for ISDN pulse transformers and in the low harmonic distortion material 3E55 for ADSL wideband applications. Power materials are introduced along with these.