Manufacturing design considerations for planar magnetics

With the advent of planar magnetics, modern power supplies have steadily been reduced in size. Simultaneously, greater demands are placed on these planar magnetic components. Although the electrical and mechanical requirements of the magnetics in general are dictated by the circuit design, the manufacturing design approach is crucial in yielding reliable components which meet the performance expectations of the circuit designer. This article discusses the key aspects of manufacturing planar magnetics. In the selection of winding type, production processes and materials, the manufacturing design has to take into consideration the electrical parameters such as the frequency, current and power density, the mechanical lead configuration and overall size