10 Common Types of Inductors You Should Know

🔹 10 Common Types of Inductors You Should Know

Inductors play a vital role in electronics — from signal processing to power conversion. Here are 10 common types you’ll often see in circuit design:

1️⃣ Drum Core Inductor (I-shaped Inductor)
An improved version of the wound chip inductor, designed to enhance energy storage and reduce RDC. Commonly used in low-frequency power switching circuits like LED boost converters or DSL modems. However, open magnetic circuits may cause EMI and noise issues.

2️⃣ Color Ring Inductor
A simple, rod-type through-hole inductor with color bands for easy value identification. It’s low-cost but gradually being phased out due to size and manual assembly.

3️⃣ Air Core Inductor
Mainly used for high-frequency signal applications like resonance, transmission, and reception. Air provides stable performance at very high frequencies but limits inductance density, making it less suitable for modern compact designs.

4️⃣ Toroidal Inductor
A highly efficient, closed magnetic path design with minimal EMI. It’s ideal for power inductors but difficult to wind automatically, often requiring manual work. Iron powder toroidal inductors are widely used in power applications with current ratings exceeding 20A.

5️⃣ Multilayer Chip High-Frequency Inductor
Essentially an air-core inductor in a compact multilayer ceramic structure. Its stability and miniaturization make it ideal for communication devices. Though current Q values still have room for improvement, it’s the inevitable trend for next-generation high-frequency applications.

6️⃣ Rod Core Inductor
An enhanced version of the air-core type, with magnetic material inserted into the coil to increase inductance and Q factor — a classic design that remains useful today.

7️⃣ SMD Power Inductor
Designed for energy storage and low loss, widely used in DC-DC converters and power management circuits.

8️⃣ Through-Hole Ferrite Bead
Essentially a high-frequency noise filter, allowing low-frequency signals to pass while blocking unwanted high-frequency interference.

9️⃣ SMD Ferrite Bead
The surface-mount evolution of ferrite beads — smaller, more efficient, and ideal for compact electronic devices.

🔟 High-Frequency Transformer (SMD / Through-Hole)
Key components in switching power supplies, ensuring efficient energy transfer and voltage isolation at high frequencies.

At LINKEYCON, we believe understanding component diversity helps engineers design better, more efficient systems.
Stay tuned for more insights on capacitor and inductor technologies that drive modern electronics forward.