Press Releases

APEC 2010

WCM's President/ Engineering Manager, Weyman Lundquist, has been asked to speak at next month's Applied Power Electronics Conference in Palm Springs. This year's conference will be hosting a special session on inductor technology and Weyman will be presenting new findings on winding losses in inductors.

Projects To Come

Shortly after this conference, Electronic Design Magazine is publishing an article on inductor design, also authored by Weyman. This article will examine the inductor design problem more generally, with a focus on SMPS inductors. Recognizing that there is a great interest in these topics, Weyman will be putting together a one hour presentation encompassing his APEC talk, and the Electronic Design article. This presentation is a must see for any engineer that has to specify or design of power inductors. Weyman will be offering this presentation on a limited invitation only basis to select companies to select companies and customers. Stay tuned for more information on when Weyman will be in your area.

Did you know that West Coast Magnetics has a broad range of product offerings and design capabilities? Many of our customers are not aware that in addition to switch mode power transformers and inductors, we also have standard product lines which include common mode chokes, 50/60/500 Hz transformers, isolation transformers, current sense transformers and gate drive transformers. Our standard products offer a volume priced alternative to a custom design and they have been proven in the field with millions of hours of commercial use. And if you cannot find a standard product that will work for you, our magnetics design group is world class. We simply have better design engineers working on our staff.

Did you know that WCM is working in collaboration with the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth to develop improved low loss windings for switch mode power transformers and inductors? A topic of current research is the development of new winding technology using conductive foils.

Foil windings are of particular interest because of their inherently high window utilization and low DC resistance. While low DC resistance is certainly a benefit in many designs, the effective AC winding resistance in a switch mode power transformer can actually be greater than the DC resistance. It is not uncommon to see engineers trying to solve this problem by adding more copper to the conductor cross section, but in a switch mode transformer this may actually have no effect on losses, and merely serve to drive up the cost.

The research being conducted presently is focused on the development of new foil winding techniques with the objective of reducing the AC resistance, and the DC resistance of foil windings, with the result being a lower cost, lower loss alternative than litz wire.

We just posted a new datasheet on our popular 306 series power inductor. This inductor is highly suited to switchmode power applications at frequencies up to 500 kHz. It can handle high ripple currents because it uses a low loss ferrite core, and with a gap to increase Bsat, the inductor can also handle high peak currents. The new datasheet includes a plot of inductance vs. Idc. This plot enables you to choose precisely the right part number for your application.

Did you know that a discrete gap in a powdered iron core also increases Bsat, and enables higher peak currents? Powdered iron is a good choice for low ripple applications because it is lower cost iron ferrite.

West Coast Magnetics now has simulation software to precisely predict L vs Idc for gapped core geometries in many ferrite and powder materials. As a result we can deliver highly optimized designs to save you money and provide the best possible performance from your inductor. Combined with the use of our shaped foil technology for high ripple applications you can see why we are an industry leader in this important technology.

CLICK HERE to see the WCM306 Data Sheet

West Coast Magnetics would like to share the newest addition to their custom made products, the WCM405!

West Coast Magnetics' 405 series is based on the popular PQ ferrite core geometry. This geometry has some unique characteristics including high power density, good input to output isolation, and low EMI. These transformers are available now from West Coast Magnetics at power levels to 1 kW and frequencies up to 500 kHz. West Coast Magnetics' engineering staff will design, document and deliver a transformer designed to your exact specifications including all applicable agency and certifying body requirements.

West Coast Magnetics' 308 series power inductors deliver very high performance in a small, light, low cost package. They have been designed to handle very high DC currents and high AC ripple currents from 60Hz up to 500kHz.

These inductors offer exceptional reliability with an operating temperature rating of 200C and they can be ordered using West Coast Magnetics' SHAPED FOIL TECHNOLOGY^TM.

BENEFITS: Compact Size � Low Cost � High Current Rating � 200C Temperature Rating

Click Here for a Direct Link to the 308 Series Product Data Sheets

Power Magnetics Design for Electrical Applications

West Coast Magnetics is pleased to announce a new course offering. This 3 hour short course will focus on power magnetic designs for electrical applications. Topics covered include magnetism basics, and design of 4 classes of magnetic devices including single phase transformers, 3 phase transformers, autotransformers and current sensing transformers. Also covered will be methods for achieving isolation, and an overview of common insulating materials. The design examples and methods are focused on dry type transformers in the 1 W to 10 kW power range.

POWER MAGNETICS DESIGN SEMINAR

West Coast Magnetics will be offering a ½ day course in magnetics design for power electronics beginning in the first quarter of 2008.  This course will emphasize a practical approach to design of power magnetics and is designed for engineers who are designing magnetics for the first time.  Topics covered will include switch-mode transformer design, common mode choke design, boost inductor design and current sense transformer design.  Litz wire, solid wire and foil windings will also be covered as well as an overview of core material types commonly used in power electronics..  

Contact West Coast Magnetics for further information.

West Coast Magnetics is pleased announce a new inductor technology which achieves a major improvement in cost and efficiency over existing inductor technology. This new technology combines the low DC resistance of a foil wound inductor with the low AC resistance of a litz wire wound inductor. For high current, high ripple applications at frequencies of 10 kHz and up loss reductions in the range of 25% to 50% compared to conventional wire wound devices are typical. The technology fits very well with the newer classes of silicon devices such as IGBTs designed to operate at current levels of 100 amps and up and at frequencies over 10 Khz.

The technology was patented by the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College and is under exclusive license by West Coast Magnetics. West Coast Magnetics has worked closely with Dartmouth to develop the technology so that it is ready for commercial use.

Weyman Lundquist, President of West Coast Magnetics, summarized the benefits

"Very simply, this new technology, will lead to the use of smaller and lower cost inductors for a host of very important developing power electronic applications in the energy field. Wind energy, hybrid vehicles, solar energy and many other environmentally friendly energy technologies rely on continued improvements in power electronics, and power inductors are one of the main building blocks of virtually all power electronic equipment."

West Coast Magnetics has completed a market forecast which concludes that the global market for inductors of the class which stand to benefit from this new technology is forecasted to exceed $1 billion by 2010, and reach $2.5 billion by 2015. The breakdown in 2015 is $832 million for hybrid vehicles (including heavy commercial, passenger, and light utility), $812 million for solar, wind and other power generation and transmission applications, $464 million for large uninterruptible power supplies, and $359 for other categories.

If the technology is extended into lower power applications such as personal computers, desktop electronic equipment and handheld devices the total global market will exceed $5 billion in 2015.

West Coast Magnetics is pleased to announce a new noise cut transformer product. This transformer will effectively eliminate reflected noise from your power source and is an excellent choice to condition the power supplied to your sensitive production equipment. A 2.5 KVA, 208 Vac, 60 Hz transformer is available for order immediately. The proven design of this noise cut transformer incorporates a number of unique features including:

• Rack mount chassis
• Emergency Machine Off circuit with On/Off contactor
• On/Off Breaker with lock out tag out
• Side to back forced air cooling
• 80 dB of noise rejection at 1 Mhz
• 50 db of noise rejection at 100 Mhz
• 40 dB of noise rejection at 1000 Mhz

Other input and output voltages, 50 Hz, and higher power levels are available on request

WC Magnetics begins the training and certification process to implement lean at its Tecate facility.

WC Magnetics announces the roll out of its new lean manufacturing process at its Stockton facility. This facility now operates entirely using lean processes which flow through from receipt of order until product shipment. Lead times have been reduced by more than 50% on average

WC Magnetics is pleased to announce that we now have the capability to build 50/60 Hz and 400 Hz linear single phase transformers with a power rating up to 5 KVa. These medium to large transformers are manufactured on a made to order basis at our Stockton facility and are available as an isolation transformer with up to 4000 Vac isolation. Specifications can be viewed on line under 60 Hz transformer, WCM 803 series.

West Coast Magnetics is pleased to announce an industry first. The new 603 series current sensing transformer combines current sensing to 20 amps with sense frequencies to 1 Mhz in a low profile SMD package. This unique product can be purchased on-line.

West Coast Magnetics announces that it has taken over the power transformer business of Energy Transformation Systems, located in Fremont California. This acquisition significantly enhances West Coast Magnetics already substantial product offering. Energy Transformation Systems had substantial capabilities in heavy power magnetics. West Coast Magnetics is pleased to note that it now is capable of manufacturing and delivering transformers as large as 100 lbs and 12 Kva.

West Coast Magnetics has been selected as in industry participant in a new DOE '- funded research project being conducted by Professor Charles Sullivan at the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College. This new research effort will examine techniques of improving the efficiency of transformers and inductors. The focus will be on the development of software tools for predicting and minimizing winding losses. Participation in this project will enable West Coast Magnetics to enhance its position as one of the leading companies in the power magnetics field.

West Coast Magnetics expands its east coast presence with the acquisition of Quality Magnetics, located in Vermont. West Coast Magnetics will now serve a growing number of East Coast customers and is happy to expand on the excellent reputation of Quality Magnetics.

West Coast Magnetics significantly expands its manufacturing capabilities with the acquisition of Muir Industries, located in Tecate, Mexico. The new facility includes a 10,000 ft' manufacturing plant located in Tecate, Mexico. The plant incorporates a full range of production capabilities including toroid and bobbin winding equipment, potting, impregnation, and electrical test instrumentation. The convenient location within 3 miles of Tecate, CA enables same day shipping to U.S. and international customers.