Producing Smaller Power Supplies with a Power Supply Manufacturer

Power Supply Manufacturers Technology

All technologies are regularly getting smaller, from MP3 players to industrial equipment, product designers and engineers are constantly trying to make products more size-convenient. This includes power supply design through the assistance of an experienced power supply manufacturer.

AC/DC Power Supply Design

While many knowledgeable in power supply design like to stick with power supply designs that have been used and well-tested for years, power supply designs are constantly evolving to reduce size and improve performance and life-span.

For example, by adjusting the soldering point of power semiconductors can reduce assembly costs, reduce the size of the power supply and run on average ten degrees Celsius cooler. Additionally, thermal performance of the newly-designed power supply will be more predictable and consistent. When power supplies can run cooler, designers can increase the Mean Time between Failures (MTBF). The standard MTBF doubles with ever ten-degree Celsius reduction in temperature, or conversely, push the power supply’s power level higher without reducing or altering the originally-calculated MTBF.

Another power supply design change is related to converter designs. By replacing power diodes with silicon carbide diodes, reverse current spikes are reduced. When high reverse currents are present, wasted power is produced in the diode. Because almost no power is lost due to a reverse current, the efficiency of the power supply is significantly improved.

Power Supply Design with a Power Supply Manufacturer

These are just two examples of the intricacies related to power supply design and the overall power supply manufacturing process. These changes are critical to improving the efficiency, power density, safety and life-span of equipment’s power supplies as well as continually advancing technology. Each power supply manufacturer needs to stay up-to-date on these types of design changes and improvements, and how they affect the overall manufacturing process.

When an equipment manufacturer considers making a power supply design change, they need to communicate those proposed changes to the power supply manufacturer they work with to ensure all potential changes work properly. If not, it could alter the life-span as well as the safe use of the equipment.