What are RF Coils?
RF coils or Radiofrequency coils generally consist of a core and the winding of the wire around the core and these coils are significantly important for their application in the medical and electronics sectors.
The Features of RF Coils:
RF coils have several significant features such as-
- An insulated wire takes place around the core through the RF coils winding This wire is responsible for generating the magnetic field. However, the intensity of the magnetic field significantly increases through the coil.
- The shape of the magnetic field around the coil is like the bar magnet that has a north and south pole. However, according to the demands, the shape of the coil can vary.
- If the RF coils winding process includes additional layers around the coil, it can increase the strength of the magnetic field.
Applications of RF Coils:
RF coils have several usages and applications in many industries. However, RF coils are mainly used in the medical and electronics sectors. The most significant usage of RF coils is in Magnetic Resonance Imaging or MRI machines. In MRI machines, RF coils act as the transmitters and receivers.
Manufacturing Process of RF Coils:
The manufacturing process or RF coils winding process involves several activities and involves the following steps-
- To prepare the initial design of the coils, modeling and simulation tools are important, especially when the manufacturing of the coils is for MRI machines. COMSOL Multiphysics from Sweden is an incredible tool to use for the designing of the coils. As space is required for Orthocyclic winding, an iterative approach is suitable for this. Therefore, it is important to calculate the cross-sectional area of the wire, the required number of winding, and the availability of maximum space for the insulated core.
- The second step involves the determination of the type of core. Depending on the operating frequency of the device, manufacturers decide what type of material would be suitable for the preparation of the core. In order to decide what type of core is to prepare, the manufacturers need to consider several factors. For instance, in many cases, manufacturers use ferrite or powderediron cores.
- The third step involves the winding of a conductor. An insulated copper wire can be a good conductor and the winding of this wire around the core takes place in this step. Depending upon the properties of the material of the core and the function of the inductance, manufacturers decide the required number of turns.
- A higher number of turns is necessary for the larger inductance. However, automated machinery is capable of doing the winding of the coils in today’s manufacturing industries. In order to produce RF coils, Orthocyclic winding machines are significantly useful. This is because of the fact that the upper-level wires take place in the channels of lower-level wires. This winding process for round wires is significant as it includes most wires in a certain volume. It is important to note that the quality of the copper and its coating hugely influence the RF coils winding process.
- The final step involves the testing and validation of the finished product.
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