Accredited Power Supply Calibration Services
A reliable power supply is the foundation of every electronic test bench. At DRS Technologies, we provide expert power supply calibration services to ensure your DC and AC sources deliver stable, accurate, and noise-free power to your sensitive components. Our laboratory verifies that your equipment’s internal displays match the actual output, preventing over-voltage conditions that can damage expensive prototypes and ensuring your manufacturing test data is valid.
Why Stability and Ripple Verification is Critical for Electronics
Power supplies often drift over time due to component aging, thermal stress, and capacitor degradation. An uncalibrated unit may indicate 5.0V while outputting 5.5V, or it may exhibit excessive “ripple and noise” that causes intermittent failures in digital circuits. Regular calibration by DRS Technologies ensures your equipment meets original manufacturer specifications and complies with ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 17025 quality standards.
Our Technical Power Supply Calibration Process
Our technicians follow a rigorous multi-point protocol to verify both the sourcing and monitoring capabilities of your unit:
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Visual and Load Safety Audit: We inspect the output terminals for arcing or wear and verify that the cooling fans are functioning to prevent thermal shutdown during high-current testing.
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Voltage and Current Accuracy: Using high-precision reference multimeters, we verify the output across the full range (e.g., 0V to 60V) at various load conditions to ensure linearity.
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Load Regulation and Line Regulation: We measure how well the power supply maintains its output voltage when the load changes or when the input AC mains voltage fluctuates.
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Ripple and Noise (PARD) Analysis: Using wide-bandwidth oscilloscopes, we measure the Periodic and Random Deviation (PARD) to ensure the output is clean and free from high-frequency switching noise.
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Certification and NIST Traceability: Every unit is returned with a comprehensive calibration certificate featuring “As-Found” and “As-Left” data, ripple measurements, and documented NIST traceability.
Specialized Expertise for All Power Sourcing Equipment
We offer professional calibration for a broad spectrum of power technology:
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Benchtop DC Power Supplies: Single and multi-output programmable units.
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AC Power Sources: Frequency converters and programmable AC supplies.
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High-Voltage Power Supplies: Precision units used in labs and medical devices.
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Electronic Loads: Verifying the “sinking” capability and measurement accuracy of DC loads.
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Modular PXI/LXI Power Systems: Specialized units for automated test environments.
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Power Supply Calibration
What is “Ripple and Noise” in power supply calibration?
Ripple is the residual AC component from the rectified input, while noise is the high-frequency interference generated by switching components. Excessive ripple can interfere with sensitive analog signals. DRS Technologies verifies these levels against the manufacturer’s spec to ensure your output is “clean.”
How often should a programmable power supply be calibrated?
The industry standard for lab-grade power supplies is twelve months. For units used in continuous 24/7 production lines or high-reliability aerospace testing, a six-month interval is recommended to monitor for drift in the internal voltage references.
Is “Readback Accuracy” different from “Sourcing Accuracy”?
Yes. Sourcing accuracy is the precision of the actual voltage/current coming out of the terminals. Readback accuracy is the precision of the meter on the front panel. We calibrate both to ensure that what you see on the display is exactly what your device under test (DUT) is receiving.