Designing HVPS electronic modules for manufacturability

High voltage power supplies (HVPS) that are designed, developed, and manufactured for aerospace, commercial, industrial, and military applications require the use of highly reliable components. In many (if not all) designs, the high voltage circuits or networks that include these components can be assembled into highly reliable high voltage electronic modules. The use of concurrent engineering methods, quality function deployment (QFD), design of experiments (DOE), and design for manufacturing and assembly (DFMA) can result in a modular approach which can improve the manufacturability of the modules and reduce the apparent (and at times the real number) of components present in the high voltage power supplies. A modular versus a monolithic design can have several advantages: potential reductions in engineering documentation; potential reductions in inventory requirements; more efficient manufacturing (assembly, rework, repair, etc.); more efficient testing and verification procedures (fewer items, integrated evaluations, etc.); potential reliability and on-line improvements; and potential cost reductions. The author discusses the product development tools and the design criteria.<>