ATE System Power Supplies

An automated test equipment (ATE) power supply is a specialized type of power supply used in electronics and electrical engineering for automated testing of electronic systems and components. These power supplies are an integral part of ATE systems. Engineers use them to automatically test and diagnose faults in electronic devices, from simple components like capacitors to complex integrated circuits and devices.

Consider the voltage and current requirements of the devices under test. Also, think about the required precision and accuracy, the command and programming speeds needed to achieve the desired throughput, thermal management capabilities, and overall reliability and safety features of the power supply.

Two major categories of AC-to-DC power supplies are linear and switching power supplies.

Linear power supplies employ a large transformer to convert the AC voltage down to a lower amplitude, followed by a series of rectifier and filtering circuits that produce a very clean, ripple-free DC voltage. Linear power supplies typically have the disadvantage of being much larger and heavier than equivalent switching power supplies.

In contrast, switching power supplies use a switching regulator to control high-power pass transistors that feed fully rectified and filtered AC line voltage into a step-down transformer and additional rectifying and filtering circuits.

While more complex in design, switching power supplies are more efficient, smaller, and lighter than equivalent linear power supplies. Modern switching power supplies can provide low-noise DC output equivalent to that of linear power supplies.

A modular ATE system power supply is a highly adaptable and configurable power supply system used in testing and measurement applications. It consists of multiple power supply modules in a single frame or chassis.

Users can individually select each module to meet specific requirements of the testing setup, including power levels, measurement accuracy and precision, and more. This modular design allows for a versatile and scalable solution, enabling users to customize the power supply according to the diverse and changing needs of different electronic devices under test.

Constant voltage mode is defined as an operating mode in which the DC source maintains its output voltage at the programmed voltage setting despite changes in load, AC line, or temperature. In comparison, constant current mode is defined as an operating mode in which the DC source maintains its output current at the programmed current limit despite changes in load, AC line, or temperature. For a more detailed assessment of DC priority modes and help in selecting what mode is better suited for a particular application refer to the Keysight blog, Characteristics of DC Power Source Priority Modes.