Full custom support case study of AC/DC Power Adapter for information technology equipment | For communication devices and gateway applications

A case study of full custom support for AC/DC Power Adapter for information technology equipment. We introduce a real example where we provided support from the design stage based on required specifications for communications equipment and gateway applications.

What Full Custom Support Means

Full custom support refers to an approach in which circuit design is optimized based on safety standard requirements, reliability conditions, and the intended operating environment. It is selected when required specifications cannot be met with semi-custom solutions.

Full Custom Case Study 1

Development of an AC/DC Power Adapter for Routers Used by a Major Domestic Telecommunications Carrier

We received a request to custom-develop an AC/DC Power Adapter for routers supplied to a major domestic telecommunications carrier.

This project required simultaneously meeting multiple conditions:

Mandatory compliance with IEC60950 despite being a product for the domestic market
The carrier's proprietary reliability standards
The equipment manufacturer's own power supply adoption criteria

All of these requirements had to be satisfied concurrently.

Response During the Hearing and Design Phases

At the initial stage, we focused on the following key points during consultations:

Thermal conditions
Policy for adjusting conducted noise
Reliability conditions assuming actual usage environments

Based on this, we implemented full custom support including:

Circuit design
Creation of evaluation jigs
Acquisition of PSE and IEC60950 certifications

Full Custom Case Study 2

Wide Temperature Range AC/DC Power Adapter for Gateway Devices

A wireless device manufacturer consulted us regarding an IoM gateway application.

Typical AC/DC Power Adapter often have a guaranteed operating temperature range of 0 to 40 C, making them unsuitable for this application, which required guaranteed operation from -20 to 60 C.

Background of Requirements and Our Response

Through our consultation, we identified the following circumstances:

Once installed, relocation is difficult
Use in high- and low-temperature environments is expected
Communication interruptions would have social impact

Accordingly, we modified the design based on an AC/DC Power Adapter with a rating margin exceeding the actual load, enabling guaranteed operation from -20 to 60 C.

This Products is currently adopted for in-car Wi-Fi services on high-speed trains.

Results of Full Custom Support

As a result of this initiative, UNIFIVE released the wide temperature range SU Series.

Full custom support goes beyond one-off solutions and represents an important initiative that also leads to future expansion of the Products lineup.

Transition to IEC 62368-1 and Its Impact on Power Supply Design

In recent years, safety standards for information technology equipment have transitioned from IEC 60950-1 to IEC 62368-1. This is not merely a simple consolidation of previous standards but a new standard based on Hazard-Based Safety Engineering HBSE.

IEC 62368-1 broadly defines safety requirements for ICT and AV equipment, requiring risk assessment at the design stage and a design philosophy that reduces potential hazards to users.

Even in custom AC/DC Power Adapter development, it is important to have a design and evaluation strategy compliant with IEC 62368-1, and UNIFIVE proposes optimal solutions based on this premise.

Key Concepts of IEC 62368-1 to Understand

With full custom support, the greater design flexibility means that safety standard requirements directly influence the design itself. IEC 62368-1 goes beyond the framework of IEC 60950-1 and is adopted as a safety evaluation model capable of addressing unknown energy sources and diversified Products designs.

Rather than simply listing safety test items, IEC 62368-1 requires that control and protection of internal energy sources within a Products be considered as part of the safety strategy from the design stage.

Design Impact Points of IEC 62368-1

Design approach based on Hazard-Based Safety Engineering HBSE
→ It is necessary to identify hazards such as high voltage or heat sources and incorporate protective measures into the Products design.
Classification of energy sources and setting of protection levels
→ IEC 62368-1 clearly categorizes required safety levels compared to previous standards.
Certification strategy for global expansion
→ IEC 62368-1 has become the de facto standard in major Western markets, and compliant design increases certainty in overseas expansion.

UNIFIVE Full Custom Support and IEC 62368-1

In UNIFIVE's full custom support:

Safety standard evaluations are conducted at the initial consultation stage
Risk analysis and protective design based on IEC 62368-1 are incorporated
Design improvement proposals are made with certification acquisition in mind

Particularly for information and communication equipment applications, design optimization according to Products use and market-specific safety requirements directly impacts competitiveness.

UNIFIVE offers optimal solutions for AC/DC Power Adapter for information technology equipment from both perspectives: rapid standards compliance through semi-custom solutions and dedicated design through full custom support.