The first military aircraft ever to carry a ‘black box’ flight data recorder took to the skies recently - with components for the black box supplied by Swindon-based magnetics manufacturer and distributor MMG MagDev. The first batch of 148 Eurofighter Typhoon supersonic aircraft have been built for the Royal Air Force by BAE Systems in Lancashire and are the first military aircraft in the world to carry a flight data recorder, commonly known as the ‘black box’.

Crucial to the operation of the black box are magnetic components designed by MMG MagDev.

MMG MagDev manufacturing director Paul Wharmby is delighted that his company should be associated with such a prestigious project: ‘This is a tremendous accolade for everybody on the team at MMG MagDev and the staff should all be proud that we are consistently involved with such high-profile applications’.

The Typhoon Eurofighter is capable of speeds up to twice the speed of sound and can climb from the runway to 14km in 30 seconds.

Spain, Germany, Italy and the UK are all involved in the manufacture of the Typhoon as part of the Eurofighter consortium and the Typhoon Eurofighters will based at RAF Coningsby, replacing the Tornado F3.

PowerPax now offers a complete range of high quality toroidal transformers. In recent tests, these China manufactured very aggressively prices units outperformed a selection of UK and European manufactured units as well as offering excellent cost reductions. Standard and customer made units are available for orders of 100 pieces or over.

The standard range covers ratings from 30 to 330VA (with custom models available from 10 to 3000VA), all manufactured in accordance with BS415 class 2, BS3535 (EN60742) and VDE 0550 class 2.

Many models are CE marked and UL approved as standard.

All devices are flash tested to 4.5kV.

The transformers come with flexible flying leads (250mm as standard or as specified), and are supplied with a standard mounting kit.

PowerPax offers a choice of resin filled centres to customer designs and offers a fast and efficient prototype service.

Available now from TTI, Bourns SRP high-current low-DC-resistance power inductors range in size from 7 to 13mm. The standard inductance range is from 0.1 to 10uH and can handle current as high as 50A with DCR well below 1mohm - model dependent. An extended temperature range from -55 to +155C resolves an area that has been an issue for some time.

Also available is the Bourns SRU range of shielded power inductors with 12 octagonally shaped models in 3, 5, 8 and 10mm sizes.

Each size has up to four models which can be used with the same pad layout, they just vary in seated height from 0.9 to 4.8mm.

Further additional devices in 2 and 6mm are soon to be introduced with a total of 10 new models, and with lab kits available in 2, 3, 5, 6 and 10mm sizes.

The one onboard size - up to four models but only one pad layout - assists in reducing space on the PCB by increased flexibility using different model selections for higher current or lower DCR requests.

Mouser Electronics has expanded its Cooper Bussmann product offering to include power management products, including the company’s Coiltronics magnetics solutions. Cooper Bussmann, a division of Cooper Industries, is one of the world’s largest producers of circuit protection devices that protect electrical, electronic and automotive systems from circuit overload.

The Coiltronics family of transformers and inductors includes a broad range of magnetics solutions to meet precise specifications.

‘Both the design engineering community and our suppliers rely on Mouser to supply the newest products available to the marketplace’, according to Barry McConnell, Mouser Vice President of Product Marketing: ‘and by stocking new products like these from Cooper Bussmann, Mouser is able to fulfil its commitment to both suppliers and design engineers alike’.

Coiltronics CCFL (cold cathode fluorescent lamp) inverter transformers feature supply output current up to 30 milliamps, a frequency range from 40 to 80kHz, and output power from 2.5 to 14W.

Available in through-hole and surface mount recess or gullwing versions, these devices incorporate floating or fixed secondary technology and are used in CCFL power supplies.

The Coiltronics DR Series of high-power density, high-efficiency shielded inductors features an ambient operating temperature range from -40 to +125C and is available in four sizes.

The devices have secure mounting, magnetic shielding, a current range up to 56A, and an inductance range from 0.33 to 1000uH.

Typical applications for the DR Series include computers, DVD players, portable power devices, LCD panels, DC/DC convertors, and more.

Additionally, Mouser stocks a variety of toroid inductors including the Octa-Pac, Octa-Pac Plus and Econo-Pac Series of power inductors and transformers.

A new monolithic chip coil series of power inductors from Murata, the LQM2HP series, features a package size of just 2.5 x 2.0 x 1.1mm (1008 size). These multilayer power inductors use Murata’s proprietary ceramic materials and innovative inner electrode design. They enable board space savings of up to 44% without performance degradation when compared with wirewound parts.

Aimed primarily at DC/DC convertor circuits, the LQM2HP series is suitable for miniaturisation of power supplies in electrical appliances that demand the best possible performance.

The inductors feature integral magnetic shielding to eliminate EMI issues.

Parts are available with inductances between 0.47 and 4.7uH.

Low DC resistance of between 0.04 and 0.12ohm (depending on the part number) minimises losses and boosts efficiency.

The series is available with rated currents up to 1.8A.