In praise of the power supply

Since this is our annual power supply issue, it behooves us to examine the issue of power. As is painfully apparent in California, we never think about power until we don't have any, and then it becomes a crisis. Infrastructure is so vital to the proper functioning of a system, yet we tend to overlook such basics in favor of the more flashy aspects.

To a device, the power supply is like the air you breathe: often overlooked, yet irreplaceable. Think of the power supply as the product infrastructure.

The power supply is considered by many to be the boring part of a design. Just figure out what your requirements are, call a few suppliers, and order.

But one of the most serious considerations in designing the next generation of products should be the power supply, as it determines the capabilities of the rest of the system. Supply size, power, heat management, and reliability are critical in today's designs. These factors are becoming the design bottleneck, determining how every other aspect of the device performs. Some promising developments are coming in the field of power supplies, but the onus is on the design engineer. Constant communication with the power industry is key in developing new power supplies, form factors, output voltages, and thermal control requirements. Proper design integration will enable us to go to the next level in consumer, business, and military electronics. As California found out to its displeasure, proper consideration when setting up how the power is created, managed, and delivered is key to the proper functioning of a system. The same considerations go into the mix every time you design an electronic device. Alix L. Paultre, Associate Editor

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