Microwave Components, Inc.

The process of specifying a desired value of inductance is a relatively simple one, insofar as it is based on the conventional terms and abbreviations that identify the component parameters.

Each of these terms has a specific meaning, and when they are combined, they represent all of the component’s applicable ingredients.

Included among these ingredients in four numerical groupings are (1) the number of turns in the coil, (2) the inside diameter of the coil, (3) the gauge of the wire, and (4) the symbol describing the material composition of the coil itself.

The first two numerical characteristics, namely the number of turns in the coil and the coil’s inside diameter, are pretty much self explanatory. The inside diameter is illustrated in the figure below.

The gauge of the wire essentially defines its actual thickness or diameter. The gauge selection available at MCI ranges from .001 in. to .005 in. In terms of equivalent American Wire Gauge, or AWG numbers, the range is AWG 36 to AWG 50. A complete breakdown of these dimensions is presented in the Design Guides.