Method of making a power inductor with reduced DC current saturation

1. A method for making a power inductor comprising:

providing a first magnetic core comprising a ferrite bead core material;

cutting a first cavity and a first air gap in said first magnetic core;

attaching a second magnetic core to said first magnetic core at least one of in and adjacent to said air gap; and

forming distributed gaps in said second magnetic core to lower a permeability of said second magnetic core.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said second magnetic core includes ferrite bead core material and said distributed gaps comprise distributed air gaps.

3. A method for making a power inductor comprising:

providing a first magnetic core comprising a ferrite bead core material;

cutting a first cavity and a first air gap in said first magnetic core; and

attaching a second magnetic core to said first magnetic core in said air gap,

wherein said second magnetic core includes a second ferrite bead core material, and

wherein said second magnetic core includes distributed gaps formed within said second ferrite bead core material to lower a permeability of said second magnetic core.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising polishing at least one of said first and second magnetic cores prior to said attaching step.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein said attaching step includes bonding said first and second magnetic cores together.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein said providing step comprises molding and baking said first magnetic core.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein said providing step comprises cutting said first magnetic core from a block of said ferrite bead core material.

8. The method of claim 3 further comprising attaching said first and second magnetic cores together using at least one of adhesive and a strap.