With the development of automotive intelligence and electrification, automotive lighting systems are gradually evolving from a single lighting function towards integration, intelligence, and high energy efficiency. The performance of automotive lighting is related to driving safety and the driving experience, while automotive grade inductors, as the core components in the lighting drive power circuit, directly determine the efficiency, reliability, and environmental adaptability of automotive lighting.
1- Requirements for Inductors in Automotive Lighting Power Supplies
Automotive lighting LED driver power supply circuits utilize numerous power inductors. Due to the complex operating environment of automotive lighting circuits, inductors must withstand multiple challenges, including high temperature, high frequency, high current, mechanical vibration, and shock. Furthermore, they must meet the requirements of small size, electromagnetic interference resistance, and high-density mounting brought about by the miniaturization of automotive electronics.
◾ Low loss and high efficiency: Automotive lighting solutions operate at relatively high frequencies. Inductors require low-loss core materials and coil windings with low DC resistance (DCR) to reduce heat generation in high-frequency environments, improve output efficiency, and achieve energy conservation and environmental protection.
◾ High current resistance: Automotive lighting electronic circuits are high-power designs. Inductors must maintain sufficient inductance even under high transient peak currents to ensure proper circuit operation. They must also withstand continuous high current output for extended periods while maintaining a low surface temperature rise.
◾ Small size and high power density: PCB space in automotive lighting circuits is limited, so inductors must be lightweight and thin to support high-density mounting of components.
◾ Electromagnetic Interference (EMI): The high density of components in automotive lighting circuits can lead to EMI issues. A magnetic shielding design can enhance the shielding effectiveness of the inductor, effectively reducing EMI.
◾ High Reliability: Automotive lighting is often located in the engine compartment or outside the vehicle, subject to harsh operating environments such as harsh climates, high and low temperature swings, and high vibration. Therefore, automotive lighting places high demands on the material properties, product structure, and production processes of the electronic components. Inductors must withstand extreme temperatures (-55°C to +165°C) and exhibit strong resistance to mechanical vibration and shock to ensure long-term stable operation.
2- Codaca Automotive Lighting Inductor Solutions
As a leading supplier of automotive-grade inductors, Codaca has been dedicated to inductor research and development for 24 years, working closely with global automotive electronics industry chain enterprises to provide low-loss, high-reliability automotive-grade inductor product solutions for automotive electronics.
To meet the application requirements of automotive lighting, Codaca has independently developed and designed multiple series of automotive-grade inductors with high temperature resistance, high current capacity, low loss, and high reliability, including monolithic inductors, high-current inductors, surface mount common-mode inductors, and surface mount power inductors, which are widely used in mainstream brand automotive lighting projects. All Codaca automotive-grade inductors have passed AEC-Q200 reliability testing, with a working temperature range of -55℃ to +155℃ / 165℃, suitable for harsh working environments.
Automobile headlight application schematic diagram
2.1 Automotive-grade Molding Power Chokes VSHB series
Codaca's automotive-grade Molding Power Chokes VSHB series are hot-pressed using low-loss alloy powder, effectively eliminating the risk of interlayer short circuits. They offer excellent product consistency and strong resistance to thermal shock, mechanical shock, and vibration. These inductors maintain excellent electrical performance at high frequencies and temperatures, and feature low loss, high efficiency, and a compact size. The minimum size is 4.4*4.2*1.9mm, with an operating temperature range of -55°C to +165°C.
2.2 Automotive-Grade Molding Power Chokes VSHB-T Series
Codaca's automotive-grade Molding Power Chokes VSHB-T series utilize a combination of T-core preforming and hot pressing to eliminate coil tilt and deformation, significantly increasing the density of the magnetic powder, and effectively addressing the thorny issue of quality. The VSHB-T series inductors feature wide terminals and an improved coil design, providing strong resistance to mechanical shock and vibration, with a vibration tolerance exceeding 15G.
Compared to traditional inductors, the VSHB-T series offers lower losses, with a DCR reduction of 20-30%. With an operating temperature range of -55°C to 170°C, over the highest temperature resistance rating of AEC-Q200 Grade 0, they are ideal for the most temperature-sensitive automotive applications (such as engine compartments and lighting systems).
2.3 Automotive-Grade Molding Power Chokes VSAB Series
The VSAB series of automotive-grade Molding Power Chokes feature a molded structure and ultra-low noise. They utilize a specialized powder blend for outstanding voltage resistance. Their magnetic shielding design provides strong immunity to electromagnetic interference. Their lightweight and thin design saves installation space and is suitable for high-density mounting. This series operates in a temperature range of -55°C to +155°C.
2.4 Automotive-Grade Molded Power Inductor VSEB-H Series
The VSEB-H series of automotive-grade molded power inductors adopts T-core + flat wire coil+ bottom terminals + hot pressing technology. The inductor coils of this series directly bring out the tail wire from the bottom as electrodes, eliminating the need for soldering, thus solving the risk of open circuit failure in traditional molded power inductors, reducing open circuit risk, and simultaneously reducing the overall package size. Using low-loss alloy powder and innovative production processes and structural design, it features ultra-low DCR/ACR, with losses reduced by 30%~55% compared to traditional inductors, significantly improving power conversion efficiency. The VSEB-H series inductors operate within a temperature range of -55℃ to +165℃, with excellent thermal stability performance.
2.5 Automotive-Grade SMD Common Mode Chokes VCRHC Series
The VCRHC series of automotive-grade Coupled Inductor feature a bifilar winding structure for high coupling coefficient. They can be used in series or parallel and are suitable for various circuit topologies such as SEPIC and Zeta in automotive lighting. They also feature a magnetic shielding design for strong electromagnetic interference (EMI) resistance. Operating temperature: -55°C to +150°C.
The above are representative Codaca inductors used in automotive lighting LED drive systems. Codaca also offers a wider range of inductor product categories for automotive lighting systems, including the VSBX series of automotive-grade high-current power inductors, the VSEB series of automotive-grade molded power inductors, and the VCRHS series of automotive-grade SMD power inductors. For more automotive-grade inductors, please visit Codaca's website or contact Codaca sales.
3- What quality control requirements must be used in automotive lighting for Indutors?
The entry threshold for automotive products is high. Inductors used in automotive lighting must not only comply with the IATF16949 quality system requirements and the AEC-Q200 reliability test standards but also meet various demands such as production quality process control, quality management document specifications, and environmental regulations.
3.1 Quality Management System Certification
Automotive-grade inductors must comply with the IATF16949 quality system, while German cars use the VDA6.3 standard. Both systems emphasize the process approach, that is, by controlling and managing each link in the production process, the quality of the final product is ensured. Codaca strictly follows the relevant requirements of the automotive quality management system IATF16949 to control the quality of automotive-grade inductors, while German customers follow the VDA6.3 standard.
3.2 Product Reliability Testing
AEC-Q200 reliability tests for inductor cover more than ten test items, including operation life, temperature cycling, vibration testing, shock test and some others. Although some suppliers claim that their products have undergone AEC-Q200 standards, they may only meet the AEC-Q200 testing capabilities for a few of them. When choosing automotive-grade inductors, users need to understand in detail which specific test items the product has passed, otherwise it may not meet the actual application requirements. Codaca has a CNAS-accredited laboratory that can independently complete the full range of tests for inductors required by AEC-Q200.
3.3 Production control and document specifications
The development process of automotive-grade products must be strictly carried out in accordance with APQP (Advanced Product Quality Planning) to achieve full process control from design to mass production to ensure product consistency. In addition, suppliers must provide PPAP (Production Part Approval Process) to ensure that the supplier has correctly understood all requirements of the customer's engineering design records and specifications during the actual mass production of parts and components, and to assess whether it has the potential to continuously meet these requirements.
Codaca's automotive-grade product development strictly follows the APQP process and can provide PPAP Level 3 documents or meet automotive customer requirements.
3.4 Environmental requirements
The automotive industry effectively manages and controls the materials and components of its products and requires compliance with IMDS/CAMDS (Material Composition of Raw Materials) requirements. For environmental protection and sustainable development of the industry, automotive-grade inductors must comply with environmental protection requirements such as RoHS, REACH, and Halogen Free. Codaca can provide IMDS/CAMDS related information according to customer needs, and all inductor products comply with international environmental standards.
4- Conclusion
The automotive industry's demand for high-quality electronic components means that manufacturers with genuine independent R&D capabilities, diligent product development, and continuous improvement, along with comprehensive automotive-grade product management systems and qualifications, will dominate the market.
Codaca adheres to the corporate philosophy of "providing customers with high-value products and services" and strictly adheres to automotive-grade product development processes and quality management systems. It utilizes an advanced Manufacturing Execution System (MES) to strengthen production process control, material management, and quality traceability for its inductor products.
With 24 years of dedicated expertise in inductor research and development, Codaca, through continuous innovation in inductor manufacturing processes and technologies, provides low-loss, high-efficiency, and highly reliable inductor solutions for automotive electronic systems such as headlights, battery management systems (BMSs), DC-DC converters, amplifiers, OBC, smart cockpits, and advanced driver assistance systems.