New Poster Offers Guidance on Maximizing Power Supply Performance

April 3, 2013 - PRLog -- Keithley Instruments (http://www.keithley.com/), Inc., a world leader in advanced electrical test instruments and systems, has published a poster to help engineers and researchers utilize techniques that will enhance the performance of their power supplies in applications in research, design, and  high-speed production test (http://www.keithley.com/news/prod101512_2220_2230). To download a free copy of the “Maximize the Performance of Your Power Supplies” poster, visit http://www.ggcomm.com/Keithley/PwrSupplyPoster_LP.htm.

Although most technicians, scientists, and engineers believe they have a good understanding of power supplies because they are single-function DC devices, power supplies are still sophisticated instruments. Keithley’s illustrated poster describes five different methods for enhancing power supply performance:

·         Ensure that the Programmed Voltage Is Accurately Delivered to the Load: This section outlines how remote sensing techniques can improve voltage sourcing accuracy.

·         Extend the Range of Your Outputs Using a Multi-Channel Power Supply: Multi-channel power supplies with isolated channels allow combining the channels in either series or parallel to double the output voltage or current. They also allow connecting two channels to provide a positive output and a negative output to power bipolar circuits. Some supplies are even capable of having both channels change simultaneously (track) for testing a circuit over its voltage operating range.

·         Accurately Measure Load Currents: Do you need to measure the current that the load is drawing? Power supplies with good readback accuracy and high resolution can be used to determine load currents directly, with no need to add a sense resistor in the line and a digital multimeter (DMM).

·         Safely Power Up and Power Down Circuits in the Proper Sequence: When powering digital board designs with circuits that operate at different voltages, powering the circuits up and down in the correct order is essential to avoid stressing and damaging low-voltage circuits. Multi-channel power supplies that allow independent channel control speed and simplify this process.

·         Minimize Noise When Powering Low Power and Sensitive Circuits: The use of shielded cables is essential to keeping external environmental noise out of test circuits because even small amounts of noise current can create a large error voltage in a high impedance circuit. Ensuring the circuit is grounded at only one point to eliminate ground currents that can create error voltages in conducting pathways is also critical to minimizing noise interference.

For More Information

To download a free copy of the “Maximize the Performance of Your Power Supplies” poster, visit http://www.ggcomm.com/Keithley/PwrSupplyPoster_LP.htm. To learn more about Keithley, contact the company at:

Telephone:

888-534-8453
440-248-0400

FAX:

440-248-6168

E-mail:

publisher@keithley.com

Internet:

www.keithley.com

Address:

Keithley Instruments, Inc.

28775 Aurora Road

Cleveland, OH 44139-1891

About Keithley Instruments, Inc.

With more than 60 years of measurement expertise, Keithley Instruments has become a world leader in advanced electrical test instruments and systems. Our customers are scientists and engineers in the worldwide electronics industry involved with advanced materials research, semiconductor device development and fabrication, and the production of end products such as portable wireless devices. The value we provide them is a combination of products for their critical measurement needs and a rich understanding of their applications to improve the quality of their products and reduce their cost of test. In 2010, Keithley Instruments joined Tektronix as part of its test and measurement portfolio.

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