REVERSE ENGINEERING OF A HIGH Q TUNABLE INDUCTOR WITH PROGRESSIVE UNIVERSAL WINDING
REVERSE ENGINEERING OF A HIGH Q TUNABLE INDUCTOR WITH PROGRESSIVE UNIVERSAL WINDING
Case Study
Type
Customer
Challenge
What Is a High Q Tunable Inductor?
Electrical windings use electric currents going through a coil, to generate an electromagnetic field. An Inductor, also called a choke, is a passive electrical component consisting of a coil of wire which induces a magnetic field within its core as a result of current flowing through these coils. These components utilize different types of windings depending on their end application including progressive universal winding which is highlighted in this case study.
Their design and manufacturing is a specialized process and different parameters are used to evaluate the performance of an inductor. One such parameter that is used is Q. The “Q” or quality factor is a measure of the damping of a resonant circuit or system. It is a dimensionless parameter that indicates the energy loss of a system as it oscillates at its resonant frequency. The system becomes more stable and efficient as its Q increases. This specific inductor utilized a tuning slug to vary its Q depending on characteristics of each circuit in which it was installed which enabled the engineers to optimize the performance of each device.
Velatron Technologies Provides Custom Winding Solutions
There are many different types of windings that are utilized in different magnetic components depending on their end use application. The style and size of each winding is highly dependent on the parameters and characteristics required for each circuit within which it is installed in. This holds true for highly specialized and unique machines where each magnetic component may have to be customized to ensure the highest performance of the end device.
Velatron Technologies brings decades of experience in designing and manufacturing custom windings. It was originally engaged in manufacturing radio and television coils since its founding in 1945 and during its early formative years. Today, the company’s capabilities extend to manufacturing transformers, inductors, and specialty windings for a large number of industries serving many applications.
Instrumentation devices and sensors are highly specialized systems that require every component, including their windings, to be precisely engineered and manufactured to ensure accurate measurements and reliable performance.
The customer is an industry-leading provider of innovative instrumentation, critical sensor technologies, and advanced process control software, serving highly demanding applications.
The customer’s specialized devices are also used in NASA space programs, where the coils generate the RF voltage required for the equipment to perform its intended function.
The original supplier of the specialized coils went out of business, creating significant challenges for the OEM and requiring a reliable replacement solution.
The original inductor utilized progressive universal winding, laying the wires in a honeycomb pattern to reduce gaps, increase the fill factor, and improve the Q value.
Velatron Technologies was tasked with reverse engineering the original inductor from customer-provided samples while preserving its critical electrical characteristics.
Reverse Engineering Challenges
Velatron Technologies Solution
From the sample provided, Velatron Technologies engineers were able to use that as a basis for the new design, which had to match (or exceed) the older one in performance, quality, and manufacturability. The reverse engineering process took place over the following steps:
- Selected the nearest standard coil form diameter to eliminate machining costs.
- Determined winding pattern (progressive universal winding) by analyzing the sample.
- Replicated the progressive universal winding pattern on the prototype.
- Used computerized numerical control equipment to ensure uniformity in all the windings.
- Developed a new tuning slug in conjunction with the customer’s engineering team to replace the obsolete slug.
Universally Wound Coil
Reverse Engineering That Gets Results
The reverse engineered custom inductors successfully restored production continuity while maintaining performance and improving long-term manufacturability.
“So glad that we found [Velatron Technologies] to be a part of our team. Great people to work with and their quality is second to none.”
Project Insights
This case study required Velatron Technologies to reverse engineer an obsolete coil that had been stopped abruptly due to the previous manufacturer going out of business.
Some key learnings from the project were:
We are one of the few manufacturers in North America that have the capability to universal wind and have done millions of units since our inception. If you are looking for help in magnetics whether it be product design, reverse engineering or build to print, contact us now.