Inductors, as key passive components, are widely used in automotive electronic systems, playing a role in energy conversion, noise suppression, and signal stabilization. With the development of automotive electrification, intelligence, and connectivity, the application value of inductors is increasingly prominent. Their performance is related to the energy efficiency, operational stability, and service life of automotive electronics, affecting driving safety and driving experience. Therefore, selecting high-reliability, high-performance automotive grade inductors is of great significance for automotive manufacturing.
1- Applications of Automotive-Grade Inductors in Automotive Electronics Systems
Automotive grade inductors refer to inductor products used in the automotive electronic field that meet relevant industry standards, comply with automotive electronic quality control requirements, and possess high reliability characteristics. Automotive grade inductors are widely used in automotive electronics, covering various subsystems such as power systems, motor drives, assisted driving, entertainment information, network communications, lighting, and safety. Their core applications are as follows.
1.1 Power System
On-board Charger (OBC): The on-board charger converts AC power from an AC charging station into high-voltage DC power to charge the high-voltage power battery. The OBC circuit primarily uses power inductors and filter inductors. Power inductors including high-current inductors ensure the stability of power output. Common-mode chokes are mainly used in OBC circuits to suppress common mode noise.
DC-DC Converter: Converts high battery voltage (such as 400V/800V) to low voltage (12V/48V) to power automotive low-voltage systems or on-board electronic devices. In DC-DC converters, inductors primarily serve the function of energy storage, requiring the selection of inductors with high current capacity, low loss, and high conversion efficiency.
BMS Battery Management System: In electric or hybrid vehicles, the BMS battery management system monitors high-voltage battery packs safely and effectively, maximizing the control of charging risks and extending battery life. Selecting components with high reliability characteristics can reduce system maintenance costs. High current power inductors, molded power inductors, and common-mode chokes are widely used in BMS systems.
1.2 Motor Drive System
The motor drive system is the core unit of new energy vehicles. In motor drive systems, inductors are primarily used for filtering, energy storage, suppressing electromagnetic interference (EMI), and optimizing the performance of switching devices. Filtering inductors in motor drive systems are used to smooth current, suppress high-frequency noise generated by the switching of IGBT/SiC modules, improve control accuracy, and reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI). In motor drive systems equipped with DC-DC boost converters, inductors primarily serve the function of energy storage to achieve the boost function, requiring the selection of power inductors with characteristics such as small size, low loss, high-temperature resistance, and high saturation current.
1.3 ADAS and Smart Cockpit
ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) and smart cockpit systems deploy numerous automotive components, such as camera/radar power supply, communication systems, head-up displays, vehicle monitoring, and more. Molded power inductor is widely used in ADAS and smart cockpits, efficiently and precisely providing stable power to various key chips, reducing power noise and ripple, and ensuring signal processing accuracy. The inductor requires a compact design, low loss, high reliability, and strong anti-EMI performance.
1.4 LED Driver System
Automotive-grade inductors serve as core components in automotive lighting drive power circuits, with their performance directly determining the efficiency, reliability, and environmental adaptability of vehicle lighting. Many power inductors are used in automotive lighting LED drive power circuits, predominantly molded power inductors. Due to the complex operating environment of vehicle lighting, the inductor must address challenges such as high temperature and high frequency, high current, good mechanical vibration and shock performance, while also meeting the demands of automotive electronics miniaturization, including small size, anti-EMI, and high-density packaging.
1.5 Car Audio System
Automotive audio is a basic configuration in the vehicle cabin, and the audio quality is closely related to the performance of the in-vehicle amplifier equipment. As a filter at the output terminal of the digital amplifier circuit, the selection of digital audio inductors is particularly important. Digital audio inductors need to meet the design requirements of automotive amplifiers such as high audio quality, low distortion, small size, and high reliability, predominantly featuring high-current power inductors.
In addition, other key components of the vehicle include the body control system, in-vehicle communication system, safety system, and so on. Inductors are widely used in these systems, with varying performance requirements.
2- Codaca Provides Comprehensive Inductor Solutions for Automotive Electronics
With the increasing functions of new energy vehicles and intelligent connected vehicles, automotive parts are showing an integration trend, placing new requirements on the electrical performance and size of inductors. To ensure the safe and stable operation of vehicles, selecting low-loss, high-reliability, and high-quality automotive-grade inductors is crucial.
As the original manufacturer of magnetic components and a leading professional manufacturer of automotive-grade inductors, Codaca has been dedicated to inductor research and development over 24 years. We have independently developed multiple series, including automotive-grade molded power inductors, automotive-grade high current power inductors, automotive-grade common mode chokes, and automotive-grade rod inductors. Thanks to our technological innovations in magnetic core materials and inductor manufacturing processes, our independently developed and manufactured automotive-grade high-current inductors and molded power inductors have achieved technical characteristics such as "the same size, higher current, lower loss, and higher reliability," meeting the current trends of miniaturization, integration, and high efficiency in automotive electronics.
[Click on the image to learn more about Codaca's automotive-grade inductors]
All Codaca automotive-grade inductors are manufactured in IATF16949-certified factories and have passed AEC-Q200 reliability full-item tests. High-quality automotive-grade inductors are widely used in automotive electronic components of major brands, driving the innovation and upgrade of automotive products with technical advantages such as low loss, high efficiency, and high reliability.
2.1 Rich product variety, multiple selectable models
Codaca's self-researched and developed inductors mainly include: high current power inductors, molded power inductors, inductors for digital amplifier, SMD power inductors, DIP inductors, rod inductors, common mode chokes, etc. Among them, automotive-grade inductors have hundreds of parts, with product sizes ranging from 0420 to 5051, operating temperature range of -55℃ to +170℃, power conversion efficiency as high as 98% or more, and can be flexibly customized for electrical performance and product dimensions according to customer needs.
2.2 Wide application fields, high matching degree
With a rich product series, high-quality inductor products, and broad product compatibility, Codaca's inductors are widely applied in the automotive electronics field. Currently, they have been widely used in automotive power systems (such as OBC, BMS systems, DC-DC converters, ECU controllers, etc.), body systems (automotive lighting, body control modules, etc.), intelligent cockpits (air conditioner, seat controller, information entertainment, head-up display, etc.), ADAS (driving monitoring, assisted parking, etc.), in-vehicle communication (T-BOX, automotive radar, etc.) systems.
Main applications of Codaca automotive-grade inductors
2.3 Products undergo strict testing, quality you can trust
The operating environment of automotive electronics is complex, often facing harsh conditions such as high-frequency high-current, temperature shock, and vibration shock. Therefore, the requirements for components and electronic components are extremely high, and high-quality inductors are one of the key considerations for automotive electronic users when selecting products.
Codaca's automotive-grade inductors undergo rigorous reliability testing (AEC-Q200) before release. This includes more than ten tests, including temperature cycling, humidity test, operating life, terminal strength, mechanical shock, and solderability test. They have passed all AEC-Q200 tests required for magnetic components. For example, the temperature cycling test requires 1,000 consecutive hours of rigorous testing. Terminal strength testing also ensures vibration and shock resistance exceeding 5G or 10G.
Notably, Codaca has a CNAS-accredited laboratory that can independently perform all customer-required testing. Codaca's testing center is equipped with a professional testing team and state-of-the-art testing equipment, providing strong technical support for product testing.
Codaca Inductor Product Testing Center
3- Independent Research and Development of Core Materials and Controllable Product Manufacturing
24 years of industry experience have forged Codaca's strong R&D capabilities in automotive-grade inductors. The company possesses independent research and development capabilities for magnetic powder core materials and inductors, operates automated production lines for automotive-grade products, and has achieved fully automated precision manufacturing. Additionally, Codaca has established an automated equipment department, which can develop various automation equipment and fixtures according to product development needs, providing support for product updates, iterations, and technological innovation, thereby achieving autonomous and controllable product manufacturing.
The strong independent R&D and manufacturing capabilities ensure that Codaca's inductors maintain technological leadership and can quickly meet customer customization and delivery requirements. For example, Codaca's automotive-grade molded power inductor, through the improvement of innovative technologies and production processes, has resolved technical challenges such as the coil deformation and crack issues during molding process. It has also reduced overall inductor loss by more than 30%, with a working temperature as high as 170℃ (higher than the highest grade 0 of AEC-Q200), achieving a power supply efficiency of up to 98%, effectively enhancing product reliability and power conversion efficiency.
A corner of the automated production line for automotive products at Codaca
4- Total Quality Control System to Ensure High-Quality Automotive Grade Inductors
Quality control for automotive products is not limited to passing management system certification and AEC-Q200 product tests. Even more crucial is process control to prevent errors, reduce quality fluctuations, and maintain product stability and consistency.
All along, Codaca has been committed to providing low-loss, high-reliability automotive-grade inductor solutions for automotive electronics, strictly adhering to the IATF16949 automotive quality management system requirements for automotive product quality control. German customers adopt the VDA6.3 standard. At the same time, Codaca strictly selects raw material suppliers and conducts comprehensive incoming material testing. The product development process strictly follows APQP, emphasizing early quality planning, manufacturing process control, process management, quality traceability management, and more. Digital management methods are used to improve production efficiency and achieve full-process traceability of product quality.
Codaca can provide the PPAP (Production Part Approval Process) Level 3 documentation (the most complete) required for automotive-grade products. PPAP is used to confirm that the supplier has correctly understood all requirements of the customer's engineering design records and specifications during the actual mass production process of the parts, and to assess whether it has the potential to continuously meet these requirements.
Codaca's automotive-grade product manufacturing capabilities
As a company committed to environmental protection and sustainable development, Codaca manufactures products that comply with international environmental standards and meet RoHS, REACH, Halogen Free and other environmental regulations. Codaca can also provide IMDS/CAMDS (International/Domestic Material Data System) related information according to customer needs. Through standardized and strict raw material control measures, we improve the quality, safety and environmental performance of automotive products.