The WE-PD series of storage chokes has now been part of the WE eiSos product portfolio for 20 years. Starting with just a few million units sold in 2003, the WE-PD has since developed into a bestseller with sales figures of more than 150 million units per year. A sign that the WE-PD delivers what it promises: a durable and reliable component that has won over customers with its unique properties.

But how did this come about? In 2003, the WE-PD was added to the eiSos standard portfolio by the current CTO Alexander Gerfer. The great demand from the market for increasingly efficient electronics and the resulting rise in popularity of switching regulators made the WE-PD a key product for a new pillar in the portfolio: storage inductors.

Even back then, the key requirements for the component were high efficiency with high quality standards in order to design switching regulators with a very long service life.

High-performance materials, versatile formfactors

For this reason, the core material was selected from the very beginning in such a way that it could at least keep up with the best competitors on the market, if not even surpass them in most cases. In addition to the specifications in the data sheet, the focus at that time was already on AC losses, as these make the decisive difference in the final application.

In order to be able to offer the customer a high degree of flexibility, the WE-PD was designed to offer a wide range of options with a single layout on the circuit board. In the 12xx design, for example, inductance values from the E12 series and four different heights can be offered. A service that makes it much easier for customers to select the optimum component for their application.

Robustness and durability

In order to be able to offer a high quality standard without exception, the production process of the WE-PD has been and is continuously optimized and automated. This has made the WE-PD one of the highest quality products in the Würth Elektronik eiSos portfolio. Another advantage is that only materials that do not show any ageing effects are used. For example, the storage chokes are often installed in the electronics for heating systems, which are designed for a service life of at least 20 years. Further proof of the robustness and durability is the fact that the WE-PD was the first series in the eiSos standard portfolio to be allowed to include the AEC-Q-200 logo in the data sheet after successfully passing the qualification.

Fit for the future

The WE-PD has therefore already experienced a great deal, but is still the focus of attention at WE eiSos. In order to guarantee optimum availability, we are constantly working on the approval of new strategic production sites. Furthermore, the portfolio is constantly being expanded with new designs and characteristics, most recently with the WE-PD Type Performance. In order to offer the best customer service, new data, such as dielectric strength, is constantly being added to the data sheets.

This means that the WE-PD is well positioned to continue its success story in the coming years.