Soft magnetic materials are undergoing iterative upgrades, unlocking a new path for high-frequency and miniaturized inductor products!

Soft magnetic materials—the “magnetic core” of electronic components—drive innovation in inductor technology.

Soft magnetic materials, as critical foundational materials for the electronics industry, are widely used in core components such as inductors, filters, switch-mode power supplies, and transformers. They serve as the “invisible cornerstone” that ensures the efficient operation of electronic devices.

Starting from industrial applications in the late 19th century, soft magnetic materials have gone through five generations of evolution—from silicon steel sheets to soft magnetic alloys, then to ferrites, amorphous/nanocrystalline ribbons, and finally to soft magnetic composite materials (magnetic powder cores). Each successive upgrade has propelled electronic devices toward higher performance, miniaturization, and higher frequencies. Among these, soft magnetic composite materials (magnetic powder cores), with their core advantages of "low loss and high saturation magnetic flux density," have become the optimal solution for today’s high-frequency and high-power applications. By coating the surface of magnetic powder particles with an insulating medium and then compacting them into shape via powder metallurgy processes, these materials achieve an excellent balance between magnetic performance and process compatibility, providing crucial support for technological breakthroughs in inductor products.

▲ The Development History of Soft Magnetic Materials

Magnetic Powder Core Inductors—Three Major Product Lines Covering All Application Scenarios

Based on the characteristics of magnetic powder core materials, inductor products have adopted a diversified layout featuring “traditional wound inductors + integrated molded inductors + EI integrated molded inductors,” catering to the diverse needs of different application fields.

◆ Traditional Wound Inductor:

Deeply cultivating mature sectors such as household appliances, data centers, energy storage, photovoltaics, and new-energy vehicles—these are the core foundational components that underpin the stable operation of the industry.

◆ Integrated Inductor:

The star product, which has experienced explosive growth in recent years, stands out in high-frequency and high-current applications thanks to its integrated structural advantages, making it an “essential product” in fields such as 5G, new-energy vehicles, and consumer electronics.

◆EI Integrated Molded Inductor:

Based on server manufacturers’ demands for cost reduction and efficiency improvement, the concept of TLVR has emerged. With its compact installation footprint, this product can reduce the volume of heat sinks by 30% and save 41% of PCB area, thereby significantly enhancing device integration. The EI integrated inductor, with its rapid transient response and ability to reduce the number of downstream capacitors, has gained industry-wide acclaim for its clear advantages in lowering costs.

Market Dynamics and the Rise of Domestic Brands—Tongyou Group’s “Three-in-One” Approach to Breaking the Impasse

The global market for integrated inductors exhibits a high degree of concentration, with Taiwanese companies from China long holding a leading position. However, domestic Chinese manufacturers are rapidly gaining ground. Companies such as Maxscend Technology, Sunlord Electronics, and Fenghua High-Tech have all stepped up their efforts to expand their presence in this sector. Meanwhile, Tongyou Group has achieved leapfrog development thanks to its unique “materials-equipment-products” integrated strategy—from R&D of core magnetic powder materials and independent development of production equipment to mass production of end-use inductor products. This comprehensive, vertically integrated industrial layout has enabled the company to take the lead in technological iteration and capacity expansion. Currently, Tongyou Group has reached a monthly production capacity of 120 million integrated inductors, firmly establishing itself among the top tier of domestic manufacturers.

Meanwhile, Fenghua High-Tech is releasing new production capacity through technological upgrades and expansion, while Shunluo Electronics is ramping up mass production of new products. Domestic manufacturers are leveraging their technological innovation and production capacity advantages to continuously seize global market share. With the rapid growth of emerging technologies such as 5G, new energy, and AI, market demand for integrated molded inductors will continue to rise, leaving ample room for domestic substitution.

The Next-Generation Track—Chip Inductors—Kicking Off High-End Competition

As the “next-generation core product” in the inductor field, chip inductors currently still primarily rely on ferrite materials. However, metal soft magnetic powder cores, with their superior magnetic performance, are rapidly gaining market share. Although these products feature greater process complexity and currently face limitations in size that prevent them from fully leveraging the miniaturization advantages of integrated inductors, they remain irreplaceable in high-power, low-loss applications and have become a fiercely contested battleground for leading companies.

Tongyou Group has proactively laid out plans for the R&D of EI integrated molding inductors and has now successfully developed VR, dual-VR, and TLVR products. These products boast advantages such as low voltage, high current, and low DC resistance. Compared to conventional inductors, they not only consume less power, achieve higher conversion efficiency, and have longer lifespans, but also feature rapid transient response. This enables them to effectively reduce power supply ripple and precisely meet the stringent requirements for power supply stability and energy efficiency in high-end equipment such as advanced servers.

From technological breakthroughs in magnetic powder core materials to iterative upgrades of inductor products, the development of soft magnetic materials and the inductor industry has always been in perfect sync. Tongyou Group will continue to leverage its comprehensive advantages across the entire value chain—materials + equipment + products—to deepen its expertise in the fields of soft magnetic materials and inductors, helping domestically produced electronic components move toward high-end and global markets and injecting powerful “magnetic” momentum into the development of emerging industries!