When creating a new product, all of the testing and designing comes down to the moment you turn on the power source and see it all come to life. The components responsible for this consistent power delivery facilitate safe use and easy maintenance through standardized machining and designs.
There are five primary electrical power source components to consider when creating a product, so let’s take a look at each.
1. Power Supply Cords and Units
The most commonly used option for consumer and commercial products alike is power supply units or PSU. It follows a simple design of a power supply cord connecting from an outlet to the end product with the type of plug and inclusion of a thermal block depending on the application.
Power supply components don’t use a traditional switch to dictate whether or not power is flowing and require manual disconnection to terminate the connection. Deciding what type of cable and whether or not it can detach will be where customizing for your target audience and manufacturing needs will be done.
2. Fuses for Protection
Fuses as a power source component act as a dampening tool to prevent the amount of energy disbursed when a circuit overloads. It’s typical for there to be dozens and even hundreds of fuses on large networks of machinery, each one protecting a specific portion of the operation.
The reason fuses burn out during a circuit overload is that the metal strip connecting the fuse to the rest of the power supply delivery simply melts, causing an instant disconnect and loss of power to the equipment. Standards for fuses are based on how long they can withstand a certain power load before the circuit opens.
3. Manual Power Entry Modules
When there is a hazardous amount of power being used for machinery, it’s wise to include a power entry module for safer maintenance and adjustments during operation. Incorporating a power entry module requires that power be manually disconnected through the power cord assembly.
4. Power and Isolation Transformers
Two types of transformers make up a majority of this power source component and those are power and isolation. Power transformers carry energy between circuits while maintaining the frequency of the power while isolating transformers are used in the grounding of large power systems.
Safety is the primary consideration when transformers are being evaluated. They must be adequately insulated and have as little risk as possible when it comes to them overloading or overheating.
5. Circuit Varistors
Similar to fuses, varistors help to monitor the amount of energy being passed through a circuit. High transient energies are absorbed and brought down to a safe level within the varistor. They offer protection against power surges and transient energy often found in low-voltage lines.
Depending on the final application of your product, each of these components may be included in the design. If you need help determining what’s required to get your product approved and on the market, schedule a free risk assessment with Compliance Testing today.