Developing a flexible Power Supply

Challenge

A technology design innovator in the Irrigation industry is developing a new system that can water crops in a factory greenhouse, control the environmental temperature, humidity levels and the amount of water that specific crops need to flourish.

To achieve best performance, the power supply needed to be able to support this would need to run from a mains that gives out power from 20W – 40W with an output of 5-12V DC and an output current of 1-2A.

The Power supply would need to comply with the latest standards EN 61000-3-2, EN-61000-3-3, EN 55032, EN 55024 and must comply with CE, EMC,Reach,RoHS standards in order to be used for the European and US Market.

The main challenge that the designer was facing was finding a product where the plug and power jack must be IP67 sealed for waterproofing and locked in, to avoid the plug from being accidentally unplugged as the product will be used around liquids. The other challenge was finding an application that meets UL94 V-0 flammability standard in case of accidental fires, this was important as the device will be used in hot temperatures, so the designer needed a strong material to cope with; in case of a fire hazard occurring.

The last challenge the designer faced was that the product is going to be used across Europe and the US, meaning that the wall plugs and approvals must be compatible to achieve this.

Solution

Ideal Powers 59RKPO-EU1202000CD-5 met most of the customer’s requirements, as it met the latest approvals and safety certifications for both the European & US market.

The designer’s original request was a product that achieves IP67 waterproofing rating, the product on offer was able to go one better as it meets IP68 water proofing rating.

Although the original product recommended by Ideal Power met some of the customer’s requirements,  Where the original product came unstuck was that the product did not meet the original requirements for the flammability standard UL94 V-0 and did not offer the relevant wall plugs that the customer required.

As a result, Ideal Power worked closely with the customer utilizing the modularity of the 59RKPO platform and were able to design a bespoke product that meant the material used for the power supply met the flammability standard UL94 V-0 and the wall plugs were designed so that the customer could use both the EU and US plug on the same device.

Results

Given, Ideal Powers customisation ability and exceptional applications support, the customer was able to incorporate highly tailored features easily, leading to a fast time to market and reduced development costs.

The 59RKPO-EU1202000CD-5 gave the power system the level of performance required while meeting budget expectations. The solution offered high reliability and a history of strong performance leading to a lower cost of ownership at the system level. Despite the heavy industrial operating environment, the customised materials for the product helps to achieve long product life. The product meets the requirements of future 62368-1, ensuring no major investments will be needed to reassess the application when the new standard comes into effect in late 2020.

Conclusion

Ideal Power can offer designers and engineers bespoke services to achieve any Industrial project, ensuring the application meets the latest safety & certificate approvals. We work hard to build power supply units that fit  any product, thereby enabling a fast time to market, huge savings on engineering, qualification and certification costs.

Read more about how we develop a flexible power supply here.

Contact us today to find out how we can help you