DC/DC conversion in many modern products is all about power density – the amount of power that can be processed in a given space to achieve voltage level conversion and often isolation. This is particularly seen in cutting-edge products in the IoT world and in medical devices. Increasing efficiency levels of converters has certainly helped with miniaturization, and this has enabled products to evolve from bulky off-board modules to PCB-mounted components. This puts the conversion and regulation at the ideal place next to the load, where it needs to be most accurate.
Available board-mount products have, however, remained stubbornly in mechanical formats and designs that were first introduced to the market in the last century. Converters have largely been ‘mini end-products’ with an internal PCB, casing, potting, and pins, with expensive hand assembly of some internal components still common, particularly magnetics. The finished product is often only available in through-hole format, and even if it is SMT, it might have severe restrictions on allowable reflow profile, making the part difficult to solder to a user’s mother board next to other less sensitive components. As a result, engineers sometimes opt for discrete designs which are easier to handle, but occupy more board space and come with the burden of design, qualification, purchasing, stocking, handling, assembly, and test costs.
A goal for converter manufacturers and users has therefore been to realize SMT-format DC/DC converters that are as small as other modern components. They should be low cost and require no special heatsinking arrangements or restrictive reflow temperature and duration. If this is achieved, a designer would no more think of using a discrete DC/DC design than they would think of implementing an A-D converter with discrete transistors.
Available board-mount products have, however, remained stubbornly in mechanical formats and designs that were first introduced to the market in the last century. Converters have largely been ‘mini end-products’ with an internal PCB, casing, potting, and pins, with expensive hand assembly of some internal components still common, particularly magnetics. The finished product is often only available in through-hole format, and even if it is SMT, it might have severe restrictions on allowable reflow profile, making the part difficult to solder to a user’s mother board next to other less sensitive components. As a result, engineers sometimes opt for discrete designs which are easier to handle, but occupy more board space and come with the burden of design, qualification, purchasing, stocking, handling, assembly, and test costs.
A goal for converter manufacturers and users has therefore been to realize SMT-format DC/DC converters that are as small as other modern components. They should be low cost and require no special heatsinking arrangements or restrictive reflow temperature and duration. If this is achieved, a designer would no more think of using a discrete DC/DC design than they would think of implementing an A-D converter with discrete transistors.
