A Guide to AEC-Q200 Qualified Components

Q: What are the temperature ranges covered by AEC-Q200?

Stress test qualification temperature ranges established by the AEC-Q200 standard are categorized into five grades (0 - 4).

AEC-Q200 Inductors and Magnetics

Coilcraft offers a wide range of off-the-shelf inductive components engineered to withstand extreme heat and cold. Most of them meet the stringent quality standards of AEC-Q200 and are suitable for use in harsh automotive environments. Automotive applications for Coilcraft inductors and other components include:

AEC-Q200-qualified Inductors and Magnetic Components

Multi-function antenna systems
Power over coax/LVDS
Telematics
Class-D audio
ADAS
LIDAR/Radar Systems
Supplemental restraint systems (Airbag)
Anti-lock braking systems
Electric power steering systems (EPS)
Tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS)
HEV / EV power systems including On-Board Chargers (OBC)
Engine control modules (ECU)
LED lighting
LED backlight displays
Adaptive cruise control (ACC)
Instrument panel

This article discusses AEC-Q200 qualified inductors and the implications these and other passive components have on vehicle system performance.

What is AEC?

The Automotive Electronics Council (AEC) is a global council that includes many Sustaining Member automotive companies including Autoliv, Bose Corporation, Continental Corporation, Cummins, Delphi Corporation, Denso International America, Gentex Corporation, Harman, Hella, John Deere Electronics Solutions (Phoenix International), Kostal Automotive, Lear Corporation, Magna Electronics, Sirius XM, Valeo, Visteon Corporation, ZF, TRW Automotive, and other Technical, Associate, and Guest Members.

The AEC council includes two committees:

The Quality Systems Committee and the
Component Technical Committee

The AEC Component Technical Committee has created stringent test standard specifications for high quality electronic components used in automotive applications. Components qualified to these specifications are suitable for high-temperature automotive environments.

The complete AEC-Q200 REV E (March 20, 2023) base pdf document "Stress Test Qualification for Passive Components" can be downloaded free-of-charge from the AEC Council website.

What is an AEC-Q200 inductor?

An AEC-Q200 inductor has passed the environmental stress testing requirements of the AEC-Q200 global standard. This standard tests the ability of passive electronic components to withstand the temperature and physical stresses of automotive environments. Automotive industry companies require the use of AEC-Q200 qualified components. Selecting AEC-Q200 qualified inductors eliminates the need for additional component qualification testing.

What are the temperature ranges covered by AEC-Q200?

The minimum temperature the AEC recognizes is −40°C to +85°C. Beyond that minimum range, it is up to each individual manufacturer to develop, test and rate their components (ie, 105°C and 125°C ambient). Coilcraft designs and manufactures a broad range of off-the-shelf surface mount devices (SMD) and through hole technology (THT) components that are AEC-Q200 qualified, including but not limited to 85°C, 105°C, and 125°C ambient.

What AEC-Q200 tests apply to Coilcraft off-the-shelf inductors?

Table 5 (Pages 35 to 38) of AEC-Q200 Rev E (March 20, 2023) defines the test methods and additional requirements for magnetics, including inductors and transformers. These tests include a variety of methods to test the component's ability to withstand severe conditions, including:

High temperature exposure (Storage)
Temperature Cycling
Humidity bias
High-temperature operating life
Terminal strength
Resistance to solvents
Mechanical shock
Vibration
Resistance to soldering heat
Electrostatic Discharge – Human Body Model
Electrical Characterization
Solderability
Flammability
Board flex
Terminal strength

Value-added tests that Coilcraft performs:

Thermal shock
Low temperature storage
Moisture resistance
Shear strength

Representative component samples are also measured to verify that the physical dimensions comply with the datasheet specifications. In addition, they are inspected visually for construction, marking, and workmanship, and the electrical parameters are measured pre- and post-stress testing to verify conformity to specifications. This rigorous battery of tests assures that the AEC-Q200 qualified inductors are capable of handling the harsh conditions of the automotive environment.

What types of AEC-Q200 inductors does Coilcraft manufacture?

Coilcraft designs and manufactures a broad range of off-the-shelf surface mount devices (SMD) and through hole technology (THT) components that are AEC-Q200 qualified inductors and inductive components, including:

RF inductors
Power inductors
Coupled inductors
RFID transponder coils
Class-D inductors
Current transformers
Flyback transformers
Planar transformers
Isolation transformers
Broadband RF chokes
EMI filters

Coilcraft designs and manufactures AEC-Q200 qualified inductors
view selector chart

To browse Coilcraft AEC-Q200 qualified products, click here.

What tools does Coilcraft have for selecting AEC-Q200 inductors and other magnetics?

Coilcraft has a variety of tools to assist in finding AEC-Q200 qualified inductors and other products for your application.

The results from our Inductor Finder tools and inductor analysis tools list whether an inductor is AEC compliant and shows the temperature grade. Users can easily sort and filter results to focus on AEC-Q200 qualified components. These tools include:

Additional AEC-Q200 brochures and guides:

Do I need to use AEC-Q200 inductors for my application?

Coilcraft has a variety of tools to assist in finding AEC-Q200 qualified inductors and other products for your application.

While the intention of AEC-Q200 is to ensure a high level of component ruggedness for automotive use, it is not generally specified for non-automotive applications. Other inductors may be available for non-automotive applications. You can use the tools listed above to identify the inductive component that makes the best sense for your application. While not meeting all AEC-Q200 qualification requirements, these products are qualified to meet Coilcraft's commercial qualification requirements. Contact Coilcraft Technical Support to discuss your commercial or industrial application requirements.