AC/DC power supply series sets new standards in power density and onboard intelligence

XP Power has revolutionised the configurable, modular power supply market with the introduction of its FLXPro series. The FLX1K3 is a 1.3kW, configurable, chassis-mount AC/DC power supply designed to simplify power systems for healthcare, industrial applications, semiconductor manufacturing, analytical instrumentation, automation, renewable energy systems, and robotics.

Housed in a compact 1U form factor, measuring 254mm x 88.9mm x 40.6mm (10" x 3.5" x 1.6"), the series delivers market-leading power levels of 1.3kW at high line conditions and 1kW at low line with market-leading power density of up to 58.9W/cm³ (23.2W/in³). Its compact size and high-power density decrease end application size and complexity, addressing application space constraints and the necessity for increased power. Designed with SiC/GaN technology and a fully digital architecture, the device achieves efficiencies of up to 93%, which lowers system operating costs and cooling requirements.

Flexibility and controllability are central to the device's design. It features up to four customer-selected, inherently flexible output modules with selectable outputs from 9VDC to 66VDC and a wide adjustment range (+10% to -40%), which can be configured under live conditions to form part of a customer's active control system. Output modules can be combined into multiple parallel and series configurations, and multiple units can also be combined in parallel for higher power applications. This inherent flexibility optimises application performance and control, addressing customer requirements for fixed and variable loads.

A key differentiator for the series is its uniquely designed, fully digital architecture, covering both the input stage and the output modules. This digital infrastructure serves as the foundation for the company's new iPSU Intelligent Power technology, which translates rich internal data into actionable information, enabling users to make informed, high-quality decisions that improve application safety and reduce operating costs.

The company's iPSU technology is improved by its latest intuitive user interface, XPInsight. Developed using human-centred design (HCD) principles, it simplifies system configuration, monitoring, and control, and features advanced capabilities such as graphing, datalogging, and simultaneous multi-unit display. This HCD-optimised UI facilitates fast, quality decisions regarding the power supply application state and provides intuitive status, health and configuration information. It also includes multi-level password protection and cybersecurity features for enhanced security. By streamlining power supply setup and customisation, XPInsight helps accelerate development timelines and reduce engineering costs.

The series provides extensive and unique diagnostics, including a new Black Box Snapshot feature that reduces troubleshooting time after shutdown events by recording in-depth system status at and before shutdown. Also, tri-colour LEDs indicate power supply health with a truth table included on the chassis for fast, simple interpretation without manuals or digital communications. Multiple internal temperature measurements enable fast status checks through extensive temperature diagnostics, which drive intelligent fan control and provide over-temperature warnings and alarms.

Inputs, outputs and firmware can be configured through the UI or directly over direct digital communications, enabling application design flexibility and tailored system integration. This enables quick adaptation to changing application needs during design, testing, and in-life operation, reducing both development timescales and system costs. It includes in-built, user-defined digital controls, signals, alarms and output controllability, which contribute to an optimised system design and application health visibility that enables reduced maintenance/testing times and operating costs.

The series supports ES1 isolated digital communications, which improves application safety while lowering integration complexity and supply damage risks. FLXPro uses PMBus over I²C for digital communications, allowing real-time control, monitoring, and datalogging. Standard external connectivity is supplied for output modules and the system chassis, including AC OK, DC OK, remote inhibit (global/module), fan fail/temp warning, sync, and current share.

Safety and compliance are critical, with the FLXPro series conforming to medical and ITE safety approvals, including 2 x MOPP isolation for medical applications. The series is SEMI F47 compliant and meets various immunity and emissions standards, including EN61000-4 immunity and EN55011/EN55032 Class B for conducted and radiated emissions. Conformance to these regulatory requirements means a single product can cover a broad variety of applications, resulting in lower design costs. It operates over a wide temperature range of -20C to +70C.