1. Identify the Complete Magnetic Item
Begin with what the owner proposes to supply. An assembled magnetic component, a loose core and a bobbin should not inherit the same identity from a warehouse heading. Record the complete manufacturer code of the actual product, keeping an internal stock reference or former assembly position as a separate identifier.
Trace that code to its original label, purchase record or applicable manufacturer document. Preserve the observed characters alongside the interpretation. If a shortened description says only inductor, retain the unresolved category until the exact reference supports a more precise statement. The missing distinction is a product-identification question, rather than a reason to estimate its function.
Keep included items visible when the stock belongs to a larger assembly. A board description may explain where the magnetic part was used, but it cannot substitute for the component identifier. If only the complete board is available for release, describe that board as the sale item instead of implying that loose components have been recovered.
2. Preserve the Manufacturer's Product Category
Vishay's inductor catalogue presents Power Inductors and Common Mode Chokes as different Type entries. Preserve that distinction when the applicable manufacturer information identifies an offered code. The catalogue provides an example of category separation; it does not classify an unidentified item solely because its package resembles a product photograph.
Retain the manufacturer's category wording with its source reference. Avoid replacing both types with a broader magnetic-parts description that removes the distinction the reviewer needs. A stock system can retain its internal category while also carrying the supported manufacturer type. Those two fields should show their different origins rather than silently contradicting each other.
Where the code leads to a family document rather than an exact variant, state the level of identification reached. Do not extend a category or construction description to every similar-looking item in a mixed tray. Terminal count and housing appearance may help locate records, but they do not establish the complete winding arrangement.
If the original pack, component marking and manufacturer reference disagree, preserve the conflict. Request clarification of the specific identifier or category instead of choosing the most familiar name. The immediate decision is which category can be supported for that group, not which circuit role an unknown magnetic part might perform.
3. Keep Specification Descriptions Separate from Lot Observations
Keep each specification heading attached to its meaning and source. Vishay's catalogue separates inductance and impedance fields rather than presenting one unexplained value column. When owner records contain either description, preserve its units and stated conditions. An inventory abbreviation should not convert impedance into inductance or erase the basis of the recorded entry.
For an exact identified item, retain available document conditions without borrowing them from a neighbouring product. If a specification field has no supporting document or readable unit, mark that limitation. This category review supplies no nominal values, winding diagram or current-rating calculation; those require evidence for the actual device and purpose.
Record physical observations independently. A photograph can show a broken terminal, damaged housing or opened packing where visible, with the group it depicts. It does not establish inductance, impedance or filtering performance. Likewise, a warehouse description copied from an earlier receipt is not a measurement made on the material now offered.
If an existing electrical report is available, retain its device identifiers, covered units, date and stated scope. Keep it separate from the catalogue classification. A report covering selected units should not become an unexplained pass statement for every magnetic item in the warehouse, especially where codes or product categories differ.
4. Offer Category-Identified Groups with Explicit Gaps
Prepare separate enquiry groups for supported power-inductor identities, supported common-mode-choke identities and unresolved magnetic items. Within each category, preserve exact codes and condition differences. Grouping by one nominal value can hide the category question; keeping that question visible lets the recipient identify what information is still needed before assessment. Confirm that the owner has authorised release of the described groups.
Give unresolved groups a specific question, such as an incomplete code or conflicting category description. State whether the source record or a lot report is unavailable. This is more useful than filling an unknown field with a guessed choke label, and allows an identification request to remain separate from a commercial offer for an established group.
For an ICULTRA magnetic-stock enquiry, provide the supported category, complete code, offered quantity and relevant condition evidence. Ask which groups can be reviewed and what further identification is needed. Manufacturer category separation does not promise an EMI result, application approval, buyer acceptance or a particular value for the surplus material.
Sources and further reading
Vishay's inductor catalogue lists Power Inductors and Common Mode Chokes as separate types. The catalogue supports category identification; it does not identify or measure an offered surplus lot.