To say the COVID-19 crisis has caused disruptions in the global supply chain would be an understatement. In fact, it has undoubtedly unveiled the fragility of current global trade and highlighted the vulnerabilities in the west’s dependence on China. This has caused many manufacturers to reexamine their supply chain strategies and consider a move towards a more resilient approach.

Two trade strategies have been gaining momentum throughout the course of this pandemic. The first is the “China plus-1” concept. This approach retains sourcing in China but also diversifies your business by importing from other Asian countries as well. This strategy has been growing over the past several years but rose significantly as of late with the primary benefactors being Taiwan, Thailand, and other countries with stable governments and close proximity to China.

Another strategy that manufacturers are turning to is “Nearshoring.” Nearshoring is a tactic western importers are turning to which moves the supply chain from Asain countries to facilities closer to the final destination such as Mexico. With the ever-growing costs associated with doing business with China, Latin American countries are shrinking the cost gap as they also have a significant advantage when it comes to the high costs and long lead times that are associated with overseas freight.

Over the 40 years that Pacific Transformer has been in business we have witnessed and endured many crises such as multiple economic recessions, dock strikes, and trade wars. Each one of these events has had us look at our own vulnerabilities and come up with solutions that keep our customers isolated. This has led us to create a multi-pronged supply chain that invests in multiple global production facilities including in China, Thailand, and Mexico. Additionally, and most importantly, we have always maintained and invested in our US production plant. This has offered us a tremendous amount of flexibility ensuring our customers are protected from most supply chain disasters.

When it comes to quality, some come close to our high standards but no one can beat us. We have spent decades devising a quality management system that ensures the highest standards possible. These quality standards have been independently audited and certified by the most demanding auditors and agencies. Organizations such as ISO, the International Aerospace Group and NSF International. We are also qualified by UL, CSA, ETL and TUV. We have over one million of our products on various military apparatuses. Medical equipment, satellites, railroad safety and traffic control all require the highest level of quality because there simply can be no failure.

Learn More about our Quality Standards and Certifications

We asked one of our lead engineers, what are the essential questions you ask when designing a custom power transformer?

He broke down these questions into five primary categories that cover 90% of the applications

1 – The Type of Transformer

What type of transformer does it need to be? The most common are:

• Single Phase
• 2-Phase
• 3-Phase

Don’t worry; we specialize in the not-so-common types as well.

2 – Primary (The Input Section)

• What is the input voltage?
• What is the input current?

3 – Secondary (The Output Section)

• What is the desired output voltage?
• What is the desired output current?

If the secondary is DC, what is the rectifier topology? The most common are:

• Full Wave Bridge
• Bridge
• Center-Tapped
• Single Phase

4 – Finish (The Connectors)

What type of connectors do you need for your application? The most common are:

• Wire leads
• Terminal Block
• Solder Lugs (Used primarily on PCB boards)
• Copper Terminals

5 – Geometry (The Size)

What is the desired size or the space restrictions of the transformer?

In more complex applications, there may be a few other considerations categories to discuss, such as:

Regulation

The voltage regulation of the transformer is the percentage change in the output voltage from no-load to full-load. Voltage regulation will vary as the power factor varies. The regulation is measured in percentage.

Temperature

• What is the ambient temperature range the power transformer will be working within?
• What is the maximum allowable temperature rise?
• Will there be any cooling?

Testing

Some applications will require additional testing to receive a particular certification. For example, many transformers built for defense require a MIL-SPEC certification, which subjects random samples to vibration testing.

Regardless of your project’s complexity, our engineering team has the expertise to design the ideal solution for your application.

When it comes to quality, some come close to our high standards but no one can beat us. We have spent decades devising a quality management system that ensures the highest standards possible. These quality standards have been independently audited and certified by the most demanding auditors and agencies. Organizations such as ISO, the International Aerospace Group and NSF International. We are also qualified by UL, CSA, ETL and TUV. We have over one million of our products on various military apparatuses. Medical equipment, satellites, railroad safety and traffic control all require the highest level of quality because there simply can be no failure.

Learn More about our Quality Standards and Certifications

Over the years, we have worked diligently to improve and refine every aspect of our business, so you, our customer (or potential customer), will get the most of your experience with Pacific Transformer. Why? It’s not a secret; our goal is to build long term partnerships and we believe our never-ending quest for improvement is the key to doing so. We understand that every company may make similar claims, but we have some numbers to back it up.

0 – The Number of Customer Rejections out of 358,000 High-Reliability Parts Delivered in a Year. You Read Right, ZERO.

1 – The Number of Weeks it Takes to Turn Around Most Projects.

4 – The Number of Manufacturing Facilities We Have (California, Mexico, Thailand, China).

24 – The Hours it Takes to Turn-Around Quotes – The Fastest in the Industry.

30 – The Number of Parts Shipped Since We Started (in Millions).

39 – The Years We Have Been Business (Est 1981).

48 – The Amount of Time in Hours it Takes to Turn-Around Prototypes (Again, the Fastest in the Industry).

60 – Our Engineering Team Has more than 60 years of Magnetic Component Design Collectively.

100 – The Percentage of Parts that are Tested and Inspected Before They Head Out the Door.

750 – The Largest Transformer We Can Build (in KVA).

9001 – All Our Facilities are ISO9001 Certified.

10,000+ – We Can Handle Orders From a Single Part to 10,000+. There is no Minimum or Maximum.

We understand in business, choosing a supplier often comes down to the numbers, and we think when you add them all up, the choice is pretty clear.

When it comes to quality, some come close to our high standards but no one can beat us. We have spent decades devising a quality management system that ensures the highest standards possible. These quality standards have been independently audited and certified by the most demanding auditors and agencies. Organizations such as ISO, the International Aerospace Group and NSF International. We are also qualified by UL, CSA, ETL and TUV. We have over one million of our products on various military apparatuses. Medical equipment, satellites, railroad safety and traffic control all require the highest level of quality because there simply can be no failure.

Learn More about our Quality Standards and Certifications

Over the past several decades, we have built a reputation in designing and building magnetics for critical applications. Other than our work in the healthcare industry, there is none more critical than our work in aerospace.

For decades, Pacific Transformer has been a key supplier to the US Military. We have designed and built custom magnetics for cruise missiles, spy satellites, and a multitude of crewed aircraft. Additionally, our engineers have worked extensively on the magnetics for America’s state-of-the-art drone fleet.

Our reach in aerospace reaches beyond military use. Our magnetics have been flying on thousands of commercial airlines, private aircraft, and civilian helicopters for years.

Regardless of the application, the most critical aspect of any aerospace part is reliability. Each part must perform as expected when called upon, which can be a challenge considering many applications are subjected to incredibly harsh conditions, including extreme g-forces, rapid temperature fluctuations, radiation, and a barrage of sand, dust, and saltwater. To ensure total reliability in these environments, our production team adheres to a mature quality management system, which includes thoroughly testing each unit using a variety of testing equipment that can simulate almost any environment and situation. Additionally, we also follow the rigorous guidelines put forth by 3rd party agencies and have received certifications from the following:

• ITAR
• NSF-ISR: ISO9001 / AS9100 Certified – Aerospace and Defense
• International Aerospace Quality Group
• IPC – 610 Compliant with J-STD-001 Certified Trainer – Space Addendum

When it comes to the design and manufacturing of vital magnetic components, there is no substitute for experience, and nobody has more experience than Pacific Transformer.

When it comes to quality, some come close to our high standards but no one can beat us. We have spent decades devising a quality management system that ensures the highest standards possible. These quality standards have been independently audited and certified by the most demanding auditors and agencies. Organizations such as ISO, the International Aerospace Group and NSF International. We are also qualified by UL, CSA, ETL and TUV. We have over one million of our products on various military apparatuses. Medical equipment, satellites, railroad safety and traffic control all require the highest level of quality because there simply can be no failure.

Learn More about our Quality Standards and Certifications

The health and safety of our employees and customers are critically important to us at Pacific Transformer. Like many businesses, we are adhering to the COVID-19 guidelines put forth by the World Health Organization, the Center for Disease Control, and, of course, our State and Federal governments.

Per the California guidelines defining “essential businesses,” we remain fully operational with, of course, a high degree of caution and consideration. Even though we are fully complying with the state order, we have taken additional precautions by mobilizing our staff members that have the ability to work remotely and limiting access to our manufacturing facility to production staff only. Visitors will not be permitted at this time.

In the nearly 40 years of which we have been in business, we have navigated rough waters many times before. This includes multiple recessions, international trade wars, and crippling labor strikes. In learning from these events, we have worked hard to diversify our supply chain to ensure our customers stay isolated. Today, we are more prepared than ever, with manufacturing facilities in China, Thailand, Mexico, and Anaheim, California, we can quickly pivot our resources to ensure our customer’s production lines never go down. We are confident that this event will not be an exception.

Lastly, if you know any engineer and/or purchaser that is scrambling to source parts needed to bolster the production of critical medical equipment, we are here to help! We have decades of experience in designing and building medical-grade magnetics, and (as stated above), our domestic and international production facilities remain operational. Our engineers are here and willing to provide any guidance needed to assist with the crisis.

If you have any further questions regarding this situation, please call 714-779-0450 or email us at customerservice@pactran.com.

When it comes to quality, some come close to our high standards but no one can beat us. We have spent decades devising a quality management system that ensures the highest standards possible. These quality standards have been independently audited and certified by the most demanding auditors and agencies. Organizations such as ISO, the International Aerospace Group and NSF International. We are also qualified by UL, CSA, ETL and TUV. We have over one million of our products on various military apparatuses. Medical equipment, satellites, railroad safety and traffic control all require the highest level of quality because there simply can be no failure.

Learn More about our Quality Standards and Certifications

Over the years, Pacific Transformer has been fortunate to play a part in the early development of electric, hybrid and fuel cell vehicles. In fact, we were a key design partner in General Motors’ first mainstream hybrid vehicles which included the Chevy Volt and also designed and built high-current transformers and inductors used in hydrogen fuel cell applications.

Since then, electric vehicles have outgrown the early adopters and the highly eco-conscience. Today, electric vehicles have proven to be the future of transportation and even though almost every major EV manufacturer are now customers, our expertise in developing innovative technologies for the sector has not waned. As the industry has grown so has the innovation in reducing the tradeoffs associated with electric vehicles.

Today, our team is working with companies developing game-charging wireless charging solutions that are poised to transform public transit. This technology has been successfully deployed in pilot programs and removes the need to charge at a station by way of strategically placed wireless charging pads within a route. This effectively makes the vehicle’s mileage unlimited.

We are also working with companies developing rapid charging infrastructure needed to continue to lower the barrier of electric vehicles. This includes Tesla’s High-Speed Supercharger network.

Additionally, we have been working with traditional mainstream motorcycle manufacturers looking to add electrically-propelled 2-wheeled vehicles to their product lines.

As the EV industry continues to grow, Pacific Transformer will continue to provide unique solutions for innovative technologies that are sure to push the industry further into the mainstream.

When it comes to quality, some come close to our high standards but no one can beat us. We have spent decades devising a quality management system that ensures the highest standards possible. These quality standards have been independently audited and certified by the most demanding auditors and agencies. Organizations such as ISO, the International Aerospace Group and NSF International. We are also qualified by UL, CSA, ETL and TUV. We have over one million of our products on various military apparatuses. Medical equipment, satellites, railroad safety and traffic control all require the highest level of quality because there simply can be no failure.

Learn More about our Quality Standards and Certifications

High-frequency transformers aren’t a new concept. In-fact they have been a staple in radio frequency circuits, amplifiers, antennas, and transmitters. However, in today’s high-tech world of internet-connected mobile devices, renewable energy, and electric vehicles, the need for high-frequency transformers has grown exponentially over the past decade. Unlike low-frequency transformers, they come with additional design considerations.

In your typical line-level transformer operating at 60hz (low frequency), it will generally use a laminated iron core as the waveform has no problem saturating through. However, as the frequency is increased, an iron core will start to experience an increase in hysteresis losses, also known as the “rubbing effect.” Essentially, the “faster” you magnetize and demagnetize an iron core, the more heat is generated, which at a certain point becomes incredibly inefficient – this is where a different material such as a ferrite core begins to make sense. Ferrite losses are significantly less; however, it comes with a tradeoff. Ferrite cores offer less mechanical strength and become more brittle the larger they become. Therefore, the type of application, as well as the power levels required, will ultimately determine whether or not a ferrite core is viable.

The good news is there are several other advanced materials other than ferrites that can be used as an alternative, but they too have their unique tradeoffs. That being said, there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to high-frequency transformers – this is where our expertise comes into play. Our engineers have been designing high-frequency transformers for decades and know how to design a product that is efficient and highly reliable. In-fact, our high-frequency designs are used in mission-critical military and aerospace applications. The next time you are in need of a complex transformer, start with Pacific Transformer.

When it comes to quality, some come close to our high standards but no one can beat us. We have spent decades devising a quality management system that ensures the highest standards possible. These quality standards have been independently audited and certified by the most demanding auditors and agencies. Organizations such as ISO, the International Aerospace Group and NSF International. We are also qualified by UL, CSA, ETL and TUV. We have over one million of our products on various military apparatuses. Medical equipment, satellites, railroad safety and traffic control all require the highest level of quality because there simply can be no failure.

Learn More about our Quality Standards and Certifications

It is well known that sourcing just about anything from Asia comes with a large cost advantage; however, what about the risks? Let’s take a quick look at some of the well-known and lesser-known risks of offshore manufacturing.

Quality:
The first and more well-known tradeoff when it comes to outsourcing is quality. We have all experienced the less than stellar quality of cheaply manufactured imported products. Magnetics are not isolated from this either. Poor connections, lack of testing, and faulty materials are not uncommon.

Inconsistent:
One of the lesser-known facts about overseas manufacturers is the factory you contract with is not always the factory that fulfills your order. Foreign manufacturers have been known to outsource orders to other factories of lesser quality. This can mean the quality of one order to the next can be vastly different in terms of quality consistency based on who actually fulfills your order.

Turn-Around Times:
Aside from production time, shipping from Asia can take 4-5 times longer than domestic shipping. The cargo ship trip alone can take 35 days from somewhere like Shanghai to New York. This doesn’t take into consideration freight forwarding from the factory to the originating port nor the logistics between the destination port to your final destination. If there is a problem with the order, the whole cycle will start over again unless you opt for air freight (which isn’t cheap for something made of copper and steel).

True Cost:
As we mentioned above, many purchasers neglect the additional time and cost of freight forwarding. The cost of the forwarding for even a short distance can often be as much as the ocean freight. You will also need to consider the cost of customs. Today, transformers manufactured in China are subject to tariffs. Don’t forget about dock fees, the freight forwarder administration fee, security fee, and customs clearance fee. This all adds to the overall cost of the project. This may work at quantities of scale but not in smaller production runs.

The Unforeseen:
Overseas logistics can be tricky, and getting it wrong can be extremely costly. A misstep in the process can result in your product getting held up at the docks for weeks, and yes, there will be fees involved. Time at the port is costly, and like the post office, they won’t hold your products forever (aka “return to sender”). The Bill of Landing, customs, and proof of payment of the supplier and freight company are just some of the hoops you will be required to jump through. Assuming you get this right, your product can still be subject to costly delays from weather, customs, or even labor strikes.

The Best of Both Worlds:
At Pacific Transformer, we have developed a tried and true hybrid manufacturing approach that solves all of the discussed offshore sourcing problems while still providing you with overseas pricing. Want to learn more? Check out this page on our website:
https://www.pactran.com/about/locations/

When it comes to quality, some come close to our high standards but no one can beat us. We have spent decades devising a quality management system that ensures the highest standards possible. These quality standards have been independently audited and certified by the most demanding auditors and agencies. Organizations such as ISO, the International Aerospace Group and NSF International. We are also qualified by UL, CSA, ETL and TUV. We have over one million of our products on various military apparatuses. Medical equipment, satellites, railroad safety and traffic control all require the highest level of quality because there simply can be no failure.

Learn More about our Quality Standards and Certifications