Last Buy — procurement window is closing
Murata has flagged this LQH3NPN680MGRL as Last Buy. Any open BOM line using this 68 µH shielded inductor should be committed now — once stock dries up in distribution, the only source will be surplus channels at a premium. The LQH3NPN680MGRL is a 68 µH ±20% drum-core wirewound inductor in a 1212 (3030 Metric) surface-mount package, shielded to contain flux in dense PCB layouts.
Current handling and saturation — which limit bites first
Rated for 280 mA continuous DC current, but the saturation current is 220 mA. In a buck converter or filter choke, once the peak current hits 220 mA the inductance starts to roll off — the effective inductance at the load may be lower than 68 µH if the ripple or transient pushes past the saturation knee. DC resistance is 2.52 Ohm max. At 280 mA that's about 0.2 W self-heating — fine in free air, but in a tight group of passives the temperature rise adds up. Self-resonant frequency is 6 MHz, so this part stays inductive up through the low-MHz switching range.
Where to buy and how to get a price
Tape-and-reel packaging (Cut Tape also available) for pick-and-place.