Guide to the manufacturing and winding rf coils – An essential part of MRI scans

When it comes to medicine and medical equipment, every little object and element plays a vital role. The process of winding rf coils comes across similar. Without the advent of these spiralling coils, the function of MRI scans would have been incomplete. The coils frequently find use in the electronics industry. But where they find their best use is in medicine. In a line, they help save lives. So, today, we learn how these tiny little things manufacture? After all, the next time you get into an MRI machine for a scan, you know what you are getting into. 

Let’s take a pause and understand what’s winding of coils before heading any further into manufacturing.   

The technique of winding rf coils ?

Rf coils are a complex integration of insulated wires that swirl around a core to produce magnetic fields. Although the insulated wires produce magnetic fields, when they twist around the core these fields multiply and produce enhanced fields. Want to take the magnetic charge to the next level? Just use more layers; a complex system indeed. However, the functions are in multitudes. The primary work of rf coils is that of a transmitter and a receiver. 

Now that we have, if not a lot, a little information about how winding the rf coils work, let’s move further into understanding their manufacturing process. 

Manufacturing and Winding rf coils 

Here is a detailed narrative of how rf coils develop. 

1. Multiple tools used in the modeling and simulation processes like the Swedish device COMSOL Multiphysics integrate into the initial process of coil making. Using such tools, makers make exact judgments for the number of coils and wires required to form the kind of rf coil needed for a particular task. It’s essential because every machine is different. A coil for an MRI machine differs from that of another. 
2. We move further into the process and consider the kind of core to use for the coils. Aspects ranging from the type of core to the material used to make the core. Again, the base of these decisions – the device it’s going to reside in. 
3. Precision and highly skilled judgment come into play once again in this step where the wires swirl around the core only a specific number of times considering step 1 the modeling and step 2 the type of core. In recent times, the process has depended completely on automation using Orthocyclic winding machines. These machines make sure maximum swirls per core by sealing them the best way possible. 
4. After the coils are made they are further moved into the process of testing. Post testing, they approve and ready for use. 

Many factors including the quality of wire and core depend on the end product of an RDF coil. Additionally, the life of the coil also depends on such integrated factors. So, whether it’s for a small device or a large machine high-quality materials of the core, coil among others recommended.