1. Overview

Bench power supplies are adjustable DC or AC power sources designed for testing, troubleshooting, and development in electronic engineering. They provide stable, precise, and controllable electrical power to devices under test (DUTs) in laboratory, production, and field service environments. Their importance lies in ensuring product reliability, validating circuit performance, and supporting R&D workflows across industries.

2. Major Types and Functional Classification

3. Structure and Components

Typical bench power supplies include:

• Metallic enclosure with ventilation slots
• AC/DC power module (linear/regenerative topology)
• Control panel with digital/analog interfaces
• Output terminals (banana jacks, binding posts)
• Active cooling system (fan/heat sink)
• Communication ports (USB/LAN/GPIB)

4. Key Technical Specifications

5. Application Fields

• Electronics manufacturing (IC testing, PCB validation)
• Telecom equipment (5G base station power simulation)
• Automotive R&D (ECU power cycling tests)
• Aerospace (avionics power quality analysis)
• Educational labs (student project prototyping)

6. Leading Manufacturers and Products

7. Selection Recommendations

Key considerations:

• Match output specs to DUT's maximum power requirements
• Choose appropriate control interface (analog/digital)
• Assess thermal management needs for continuous operation
• Prioritize calibration features for traceable measurements

Example: For battery simulation applications, select a bidirectional power supply with dynamic profiling capabilities.

8. Industry Trends

Current development trends include:

• Integration of AI-based predictive maintenance
• Higher power density (3-5W/cm ) through GaN technology
• Adoption of PMBus for smart power system management
• Expansion of 800V DC test capabilities for EV applications
• Cloud-connected power supplies for remote monitoring