Innovation inside the device
In today’s Medical & Healthcare landscape, devices must be compact, efficient and safe, all at the same time. Every internal component, even the smallest, must guarantee maximum reliability, especially when used close to patients or in life-saving applications. Among these often-overlooked elements are planar transformers, a true invisible innovation that Elemaster integrates into electromedical equipment to deliver measurable benefits in design and performance.
From traditional coils to planar design
Traditional transformers, used for decades to manage voltage and provide galvanic isolation, rely on bulky wire windings wound around a core. While effective, this architecture takes up valuable space and poses limits for miniaturisation.
Planar transformers, instead, revolutionise this principle: the windings are flat layers integrated directly into multilayer PCBs or realised with thin copper foils. A ferrite core is placed above and below these layers, enabling efficient magnetic coupling in an ultra-flat form factor.
This structural change unlocks performance that makes a difference when devices need to be smaller, lighter and more portable, all critical in today’s medical environment.
Why planar transformers matter in electromedical design
The advantages of planar transformers are clear when it comes to designing modern electromedical devices:
- Compactness and weight reduction: their flat geometry drastically cuts the space needed inside medical devices. This is critical for wearables, implantables, and portable diagnostic tools, where every millimetre counts.
- Higher energy efficiency: with less wasted heat, planar transformers convert power more effectively. This directly translates to longer battery life and lower energy consumption, key factors in medical equipment that must operate reliably, often in mobile or emergency contexts.
- Superior heat dissipation: the large flat surface naturally improves thermal management, keeping devices stable and safe for patients and users.
- Enhanced reliability: fewer soldered connections and mechanical joints mean less risk of failure. By embedding the windings directly into the PCB, planar transformers minimise mechanical stress points, boosting durability over time.
- Improved galvanic isolation: galvanic isolation is essential for protecting patients from electrical faults. Planar transformers deliver this critical function in a design that is both robust and compact.
- Production scalability: for large production volumes, integrating planar transformers into the PCB process streamlines manufacturing and keeps costs under control — a decisive advantage for scaling up certified medical devices.
Precision at every step: Eleprint and Eletech together
The production and integration of planar transformers demands specialist expertise and precise manufacturing. This is where Eleprint, the Group’s centre for advanced PCB production, comes into play. Using cutting-edge processes, Eleprint manufactures multilayer boards that embed these planar structures while ensuring dimensional accuracy and electrical integrity.
Eletech, the Research & Development division of Elemaster, validates each design, from simulation to functional testing, verifying that performance matches stringent safety requirements. This synergy guarantees that every electromedical device incorporating planar transformers is designed for real-world use in hospitals, clinics or home-care settings.
Raising the bar: testing and compliance
Medical devices must comply with rigorous standards for patient safety and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). The use of planar transformers is carefully validated through laboratory testing: thermal cycling, vibration resistance, insulation verification and EMC analysis all contribute to certifying that the device will perform flawlessly over its intended lifespan.
From early simulations to final functional checks, thermal cycles, vibration tests and EMC analysis, Eletech’s lab ensures every detail is under control – from microscopic PCB inspections to high-voltage endurance testing.
While patients and healthcare professionals may never see these transformers, their impact is everywhere: longer device runtime, more compact medical tools, safer treatment conditions and streamlined maintenance.
Planar transformers, therefore, are not just passive components, they are enablers of modern Medical & Healthcare technologies that need to deliver more in less space.
A concrete example of Elemaster’s integrated approach
By combining Eleprint’s production capabilities with Eletech’s design and testing expertise, Elemaster bridges the gap between component innovation and system-level reliability. This integration means Customers benefit from solutions that are ready for industrialisation, compliant with international standards, and optimised for long-term performance.
In sectors like electromedical, where every detail matters, this invisible yet decisive technology helps manufacturers meet growing market demands for portability, energy efficiency, safety and certification readiness, all core values in Elemaster’s vision for tomorrow’s healthcare.