Inrush Current Control Technology Boosts Power Converter Reliability

Special Feature
Power Supplies
Meet Demanding
Needs of Board and
Box-Level Systems
Even within the specific arena of military systems, power
supply needs can vary dramatically. Advanced reliable solutions
smooth the way on the board, brick and component level.
While often an afterthought in embedded military computer system designs,
choosing power supplies and power conversion electronics can become make
or break technical choices. With more and more computing stuffed into
smaller spaces, power has direct implications on the size, cooling and mobility of a
board or box-level system. Add to that the challenges of multi-voltage electronics and
the complexity of distributed system architectures, and it’s clear that military system
designers need solutions that address those needs. Often the unsung hero of a military
system design, power supplies and converters are critical enablers for meeting today’s
rugged requirements.
Vendors are smoothing the way with flexible options and robust solutions. The
good news is that military power conversion vendors are easing the burden with more
efficient products, new partitioning strategies and increased ruggedization. New solutions
continue to roll out, not just at the component or brick level, but also at the module
and board level. The recent emergence of a power supply spec for VPX, called VITA
62, has solved standards issues specifically for the VPX arena.
VITA 62 Power Supplies
Starting on the board-level side, the focus of the new VITA 62 standard is to provide
an electrical and mechanical specification that is compatible with VITA 46 and
other specifications in the VPX suite. In the past, a power supply’s form factor and pin
assignment varied from vendor to vendor because of the lack of standardization. Also
because of the nature of the power supply, many were custom designed for the chassis
that they reside in. In order for VITA 62-compliant power supplies to work in a VPX environment,
the standard needs to be compatible to both VITA 46 and VITA 48, which
most of the existing COTS VPX modules are designed to. VITA 46.11, System Management,
is also directly supported. With the advent of VITA 62 power supplies, VPX users
are no longer locked into custom, proprietary power supplies; they have the ability to
purchase interchangeable power supplies from multiple vendors.
November 2011 COTS Journal [ 11 ]