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NFC Ferrite Sheet Cross Reference: From Industry Part Numbers to XAK Grades

Your BOM says Laird, Maruwa, TDK or 3M. Your second-source strategy says you need an equivalent that actually performs. This cross reference maps the industry's most common NFC ferrite sheet part numbers to XAK-NFC starting grades — with the honest caveat that part numbers are only the beginning of the match.

Why a Cross Reference — and Its Limits

Engineers design with one brand's part number; procurement then carries the second-source risk. A good cross reference shortens that path, but a part number alone never guarantees equivalent performance: µ′ curves, losses, thickness tolerance, and the adhesive system all matter. So this table gives you a starting grade, and our sample-verification protocol below does the proving.

The matching rule. Same µ′ at the working frequency (for NFC, 13.56 MHz), compatible thickness, then sample verification on your own fixture. “Grade matching + sample verification” is our standard answer — because permeability curves, not part numbers, decide performance.

NFC Ferrite Sheets @ 13.56 MHz: the Table

ManufacturerPart numberNominal µ′ @ 13.56 MHzXAK starting gradeStatus
LairdMSLL100≈ 100XAK-NFC 100Public datasheet value — re-confirm at PO
LairdMHLL130≈ 130XAK-NFC 130Public datasheet value — re-confirm at PO
LairdMULL150≈ 150XAK-NFC 150Public datasheet value — re-confirm at PO
MaruwaFSF131≈ 130 (per series naming)XAK-NFC 130Confirm against manufacturer datasheet
MaruwaFSF151≈ 150 (per series naming)XAK-NFC 150Confirm against manufacturer datasheet
TDKIBQ15 (Flexield)150-class (per series naming)XAK-NFC 150Confirm against manufacturer datasheet
KitagawaFFSX seriesGrade-dependentMatch by µ′ at 13.56 MHzSeries, not a single grade — confirm per suffix
XAKXAK-NFC 20 / 50 / 100 / 130 / 15020 / 50 / 100 / 130 / 150 (±20%)—Our grades; curves measured at 13.56 MHz

Values for competitor parts are nominal µ′ figures as commonly published for these series; where we have not verified the current datasheet we mark the cell instead of guessing. XAK-NFC grades are measured at 13.56 MHz with ±20% tolerance. Thickness options are per drawing — send us your outline and we confirm the available window.

Not NFC? Two Related Crosses

EMI absorber sheets: 3M AB5000HF series → XAK S-A

3M's AB5000HF series (AB5010HF, AB5020HF, …) are absorber sheets, not NFC ferrite — they dissipate EMI energy across roughly 10 MHz–18 GHz instead of guiding NFC flux. If your BOM line is an AB5000HF part, the XAK counterpart is the S-A absorber sheet series (µ′ 20–300 @ 1 MHz, 0.03–2 mm). Match by µ′/µ″ at your noise frequency, not by part number.

Nanocrystalline sheets: Laird nano / TDK Flexield IFQ → XAK F-N

For wireless-charging stacks, Laird's nanocrystalline sheet line and TDK's Flexield IFQ series sit in the same material class as our F-N nanocrystalline sheet (µ′ ≥ 13,000 @ 100 kHz, Bs 1.25 T, 0.06–0.4 mm flexible ribbon). These are matched by Bs, thickness and loss at the charging frequency — see the Qi2 MPP guide for how 360 kHz changes the spec.

The Verification Protocol Before You Switch

  • 1. Match by curve. Compare µ′/µ″ at your working frequency from both datasheets — not the part-number headline, not a single-frequency marketing number.
  • 2. Match geometry. Same thickness within tolerance, same outline, same adhesive position. Cut-edge quality changes Q more than most teams expect.
  • 3. Sample on your fixture. We cut samples to your drawing; you measure read range (NFC), coupling or temp rise (WPT) on your own reader/antenna or coil.
  • 4. Pilot the cut. Run a small pilot lot before releasing the second source to production. One sample round closes most NFC crosses.

We supply validation samples against this protocol at no charge for standard grades — the goal is that your verification costs less than the risk it removes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can XAK sheets replace Laird or Maruwa parts 1:1?
We never promise a 1:1 drop-in on a part number alone. What we promise is grade matching: pick the XAK-NFC grade whose µ′ at 13.56 MHz matches the competitor grade, cut samples to your drawing, and verify on your reader and antenna. In most NFC designs this process closes in one or two sample rounds.
Why are some competitor cells marked "confirm against manufacturer datasheet"?
Datasheets get revised, part-number suffixes carry hidden variants, and some series publish µ′ at different test frequencies or under different conditions. Where we have not verified the current public datasheet ourselves, we say so instead of copying a number that may be outdated. Send us the exact part number on your BOM and we will check it together.
Do matched µ′ values guarantee identical performance?
No — and any supplier who says yes is overselling. µ′ at the working frequency is the first-order parameter, but losses (µ″), sheet thickness tolerance, adhesive system, and cut-edge quality all shift read range and Q. That is why sample verification on your own fixture is the last step, every time.
What do you need from me to propose a cross reference?
Three things: the competitor part number (with suffix), your working frequency, and the drawing or thickness you need. With those we return a matched XAK grade, material curves, and a sample plan — typically within 48 hours.
What if there is no competitor cross for my design?
Then we match by physics instead of by part number: µ′/µ″ at your frequency, thickness budget, and size. Most XAK-NFC and S-A orders are custom-cut to drawing anyway — the cross reference table is a shortcut, not a limit.

Have a competitor part on your BOM?

Send the part number (with suffix), your working frequency, and the drawing. We return a matched XAK grade, the relevant curves, and a sample plan — typically within 48 hours.

Request a cross reference → info@xakmag.com