Inductor Overview and Applications

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This part is a generic fixed inductor: a passive two-terminal component that stores energy in a magnetic field when current flows through it.
Purpose
An inductor resists changes in current. In circuits, it is commonly used to:
  • Store and transfer energy in switching power supplies
  • Filter noise and ripple
  • Block high-frequency signals while passing DC or low-frequency current
  • Form resonant LC circuits with capacitors
  • Provide impedance matching or RF tuning
Key functions
The main electrical behavior is:
V=LdidtV = L \frac{di}{dt}
Where:
  • V is the voltage across the inductor
  • L is inductance
  • di/dt is the rate of current change
This means a larger inductance produces more opposition to fast current changes.
Common functions include:
  • Energy storage: especially in buck, boost, and buck-boost converters
  • Filtering: smoothing current ripple in power rails
  • Choking: suppressing high-frequency noise
  • Resonance: tuning oscillator, RF, and filter circuits
  • Current shaping: slowing transient current changes
How it operates in a circuit
When current starts increasing through the inductor, the magnetic field builds up and the inductor develops a voltage opposing that increase. When current decreases, the collapsing magnetic field releases stored energy and tries to keep current flowing.
In a switching regulator, for example:
  • During the switch-on phase, current ramps up through the inductor
  • Energy is stored in the magnetic field
  • During the switch-off phase, the inductor releases energy into the load
  • This creates a smoother output current when combined with capacitors
In a filter, the inductor’s impedance increases with frequency:
XL=2πfLX_L = 2\pi fL
So higher-frequency noise sees more impedance and is attenuated.
Notable characteristics
Important inductor parameters include:
  • Inductance value: e.g. nH, µH, or mH range
  • Current rating: maximum continuous current before overheating or saturation
  • Saturation current: current where inductance drops significantly
  • DC resistance, DCR: winding resistance that causes voltage drop and power loss
  • Q factor: important for RF and resonant applications
  • Self-resonant frequency, SRF: above this, parasitic capacitance dominates
  • Shielding: shielded inductors reduce magnetic field leakage
  • Package size: affects current rating, resistance, and thermal performance
Common applications
Typical use cases include:
  • DC-DC buck converters
  • Boost converters
  • EMI filters
  • LC low-pass filters
  • RF matching networks
  • Oscillators and resonant tanks
  • Power rail noise suppression
  • Audio crossover networks
  • Sensor excitation circuits
  • Motor and solenoid drive filtering
Family / series context
This part belongs to Flux’s generic passive component family, specifically the generic fixed inductor family. It is not one manufacturer-specific model; instead, it is a configurable generic component intended for rapid schematic and PCB development.
Its footprint adapts based on the selected package, supporting common SMD sizes and inductor package families such as:
  • 0402 / 0603 / 0805: small chip inductors, usually for RF, signal filtering, and low-current applications
  • SDR1806: larger power inductor format, suitable for switching regulators
  • PA4320: high-current power inductor style
  • SRN6028: shielded power inductor package, useful where EMI control matters
  • SRR1260: larger shielded drum-core power inductor, suitable for higher-current DC-DC designs
Variations in this family
The main configurable differences are:

Table

VariationEffect
Inductance valueSets filtering, energy storage, or resonance behavior
Package sizeDetermines PCB area, current capability, and thermal performance
Shielded vs unshielded styleAffects EMI performance
DCRImpacts efficiency and voltage drop
Saturation currentDetermines maximum usable current
Self-resonant frequencyImportant for RF/high-frequency filtering
Typical value ranges and use cases
  • 1 nH to 100 nH: RF matching, high-frequency filters, antennas
  • 100 nH to 1 µH: high-speed filtering, compact DC-DC converters
  • 1 µH to 100 µH: common switching regulator inductors
  • 100 µH to 1 mH: lower-frequency filtering, energy storage, signal conditioning
  • mH range: audio, sensor, and low-frequency filter applications
Compared to other inductor models
Compared with a real manufacturer-specific inductor, this generic part is best for early design work and topology capture. For final production, it should usually be replaced or configured to match a real inductor with known:
  • Saturation current
  • RMS current rating
  • DCR
  • tolerance
  • shielding type
  • thermal behavior
  • availability and cost
In short: this part is a flexible placeholder/configurable inductor for building circuits quickly, while the final design should select a concrete inductor model based on current, frequency, efficiency, size, and EMI requirements.
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  • Generic Inductor
    Generic Inductor
    A generic fixed inductor suitable for rapid circuit topology development. The footprint automatically adapts based on the selected package, supporting standard SMD sizes (e.g., 0402, 0603, 0805) as well as well-known inductor packages such as SDR1806, PA4320, SRN6028, and SRR1260. Standard inductor values: 1.0 nH, 10 nH, 100 nH, 1.0 µH, 10 µH, 100 µH, 1.0 mH 1.2 nH, 12 nH, 120 nH, 1.2 µH, 12 µH, 120 µH, 1.2 mH 1.5 nH, 15 nH, 150 nH, 1.5 µH, 15 µH, 150 µH, 1.5 mH 1.8 nH, 18 nH, 180 nH, 1.8 µH, 18 µH, 180 µH, 1.8 mH 2.2 nH, 22 nH, 220 nH, 2.2 µH, 22 µH, 220 µH, 2.2 mH 2.7 nH, 27 nH, 270 nH, 2.7 µH, 27 µH, 270 µH, 2.7 mH 3.3 nH, 33 nH, 330 nH, 3.3 µH, 33 µH, 330 µH, 3.3 mH 3.9 nH, 39 nH, 390 nH, 3.9 µH, 39 µH, 390 µH, 3.9 mH 4.7 nH, 47 nH, 470 nH, 4.7 µH, 47 µH, 470 µH, 4.7 mH 5.6 nH, 56 nH, 560 nH, 5.6 µH, 56 µH, 560 µH, 5.6 mH 6.8 nH, 68 nH, 680 nH, 6.8 µH, 68 µH, 680 µH, 6.8 mH 8.2 nH, 82 nH, 820 nH, 8.2 µH, 82 µH, 820 µH, 8.2 mH #generics #CommonPartsLibrary
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  • Generic Resistor
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Generic Inductor

A generic fixed inductor suitable for rapid circuit topology development. The footprint automatically adapts based on the selected package, supporting standard SMD sizes (e.g., 0402, 0603, 0805) as well as well-known inductor packages such as SDR1806, PA4320, SRN6028, and SRR1260.
Standard inductor values: 1.0 nH, 10 nH, 100 nH, 1.0 µH, 10 µH, 100 µH, 1.0 mH 1.2 nH, 12 nH, 120 nH, 1.2 µH, 12 µH, 120 µH, 1.2 mH 1.5 nH, 15 nH, 150 nH, 1.5 µH, 15 µH, 150 µH, 1.5 mH 1.8 nH, 18 nH, 180 nH, 1.8 µH, 18 µH, 180 µH, 1.8 mH 2.2 nH, 22 nH, 220 nH, 2.2 µH, 22 µH, 220 µH, 2.2 mH 2.7 nH, 27 nH, 270 nH, 2.7 µH, 27 µH, 270 µH, 2.7 mH 3.3 nH, 33 nH, 330 nH, 3.3 µH, 33 µH, 330 µH, 3.3 mH 3.9 nH, 39 nH, 390 nH, 3.9 µH, 39 µH, 390 µH, 3.9 mH 4.7 nH, 47 nH, 470 nH, 4.7 µH, 47 µH, 470 µH, 4.7 mH 5.6 nH, 56 nH, 560 nH, 5.6 µH, 56 µH, 560 µH, 5.6 mH 6.8 nH, 68 nH, 680 nH, 6.8 µH, 68 µH, 680 µH, 6.8 mH 8.2 nH, 82 nH, 820 nH, 8.2 µH, 82 µH, 820 µH, 8.2 mH
#generics #CommonPartsLibrary

Properties

H

Inductor

SMD_0603_1608Metric

L

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