Investigating the Impact of Alignment Angle Between Copper Turns and Magnetic Core on Magnetic Field Coupling in PCB Integrated Inductors

This study investigates the influence of copper trace alignment relative to the magnetic core in PCB-embedded inductors, focusing on the effects of the alignment angle on perpendicular magnetic flux density that shall cause eddy currents in AC applications. Although aligning traces at right angles is common in traditional inductor winding, it may not be feasible for PCB designs due to manufacturing constraints. The study proposes an investigation of the angular-shift effects on magnetic flux while maintaining practical PCB manufacturability in potential applications like static power converters. By evaluating how the angular shift impacts magnetic flux behavior in copper traces, this research is part of a study that aims to address efficiency losses and heating caused by eddy currents. Through Finite Element Method (FEM) simulations using Ansys Maxwell software and experimental validation, the results demonstrate that smaller alignment angles, particularly at 0°, reduce perpendicular flux what shall mitigate eddy current formation in AC applications, improving inductor performance.