October 10, 2023 - Vista, California - Axiom Test Equipment, an electronic test equipment rental and
sales company has published a new blog post that covers how important
DC power supplies and loads are to control energy on the workbench
and often serve as starting points for new product development. DC loads and power
supplies work together to define the behavior of a device under test (DUT) in response
to applied energy, not just in performance but in reliability and compatibility
with other electronic devices.
Power supplies are haunted by two forms of noise: normal-mode output noise and
common-mode output noise. Normal-mode noise is generated by a power supply’s internal
circuitry while common-mode noise is earth-referenced noise originating from the
power line or source. On the other hand, DC loads help evaluate power conversion
devices and systems, including power supplies and rechargeable batteries for electric
vehicles (EVs).
The simplest starting point when searching for a DC power supply is the amount
of energy it supplies. When looking for DC loads, remember that they work in different
operating modes, such as constant current (CI), constant voltage (CV), constant
power (CP), and constant resistance (CR) modes.
Learn more about the most important equipment you will need when starting a new
project by reading the full blog post on Axiom’s website: https://www.axiomtest.com/blog/Essentials-of-DC-Power-Supplies-and-Loads/.
Power consumption and conservation are vital functions for many systems and testing
these functions help determine the efficiency and productivity of an electronic
design. Power measurements rely on two workhorse units: DC power supplies and loads.
They are vital for controlling energy on the workbench and often serve as starting
points for new product development. DC loads and power supplies work together to
define the behavior of a device under test (DUT) in response to applied energy,
not just in performance but in reliability and compatibility with other electronic
devices.
The simplest starting point when searching for a DC power supply is the amount
of energy it supplies: does it provide enough power to energize a DUT of interest?
That amount of power is available in terms of the power supply’s voltage and current
ranges, how well they are regulated or controlled, how accurately a DC power supply
reports the power it is taking from an AC source and providing to a DC load, the
amounts of variations and noise in the DC power, and how efficiently it is converting
power from AC form to DC form. DC power supplies are available as linear or switched-mode
devices, each with benefits. Switched-mode supplies feature high efficiency, small
size, and low cost compared to linear power supplies, but linear supplies typically
provide higher output accuracy and resolution with less noise than switched-mode
power supplies.
Power supplies are haunted by two forms of noise: normal-mode output noise and
common-mode output noise. Normal-mode noise is generated by a power supply’s internal
circuitry while common-mode noise is earth-referenced noise originating from the
power line or source. Linear power supplies have lower normal-mode noise levels
than switched mode power supplies, but switched-mode power supplies are capable
of lower power-conversion efficiency than linear power supplies. Switched-mode power
supplies can generate higher output levels than linear power supplies for the same
size enclosure. When testing DUTs sensitive to normal-mode noise, linear power supplies
provide a more sensible choice.
Setting Voltages
Power supplies can supply low and high voltages, although usually in different
units. For example, the Tektronix PWS2185 linear power supply is not characterized
in terms of output power but is rated for output voltages of 0 to 18 VDC and output
current of 0 to 5 A when fed with a 110- or 220-VAC source at 47 to 63 Hz. The voltage
can be set with 10-mV resolution and the current with 10-mA resolution. The amount
of line regulation is within 0.1% + 5 mV of the voltage setting and 0.1% + 2 mA
of the current setting while the accuracy of the voltage and current settings are
within 0.02% + 5 mV and 0.10% + 2 mA, respectively. Peak-to-peak noise and voltage
variations or ripple are controlled to better than 3 mV.
Whatever type of testing your project requires, rent or buy quality test equipment
from Axiom Test Equipment. For over 15 years Axiom Test Equipment has rented, sold,
repaired and accepted trade-in of test equipment to support your test & measurement
needs. If you would like help selecting any type of test equipment for your next
project, contact Axiom Test Equipment's sales department at
sales@transcat.com,
call 760-806-6600, or browse Axiom Test Equipment's inventory online at
www.axiomtest.com.
About Axiom Test Equipment
Get Exactly What You Need. Rent - Buy
- Repair - Trade-In
Established in 2005, Axiom Test Equipment strives to continually improve itself
and offer the best value for its customers. We offer our customers several practical,
efficient and cost effective solutions for their business or projects' test equipment
needs. Whether you need to
rent & buy test equipment,
repair
test equipment, sell or trade equipment, we are committed to providing superior
customer service and high quality electronic test equipment.
At Axiom Test Equipment we provide several services. We
rent electronic test and measurement equipment. We also sell test
equipment. If you have a piece of malfunctioning or broken test equipment we also
have an in-house repair lab. For anyone seeking a way to offload their surplus or
obsolete equipment, we offer a trade-in program or we can buy the equipment from
you.
We stock a comprehensive inventory of equipment and can use our extensive network
to find you those hard to get items. We believe in getting equipment to you quickly
and at a competitive price.
Contacts
Fabian Garcia Marketing Coordinator Axiom Test Equipment 2610 Commerce
Way Vista, CA 92081 Phone: (760) 806-6600
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