Category Archives: Blog

Fulfilling Your Medical Power Supply Needs

October 1, 2020

Versatile Power has extensive experience designing high quality, custom medical power supply solutions. We have the technical expertise to create and manufacture power supplies  that meet your exact requirements. Our custom design team can offer solutions for a wide variety  of medical devices.

The pandemic has led to an increase in demand for medical equipment such as: ventilators, analytical instruments, electronic sterilizing systems, mask machines, and other related equipment. Our team can meet any  requirements for both non-patient and patient contact applications.

We develop products that can meet your most stringent medical requirements. The high quality of our products begins with the design: low parts count, single boards, no cables, well-defined design margins, and adherence to the highest industry standards, compliant with  ISO 9001-2015 and 13485-2016. We can work in partnership with you to provide a comprehensive solution at a reasonable price

With over fifteen  years of production experience, our shipments of critical medical surgical systems are 99.9% defect-free.

Versatile Power is ISO 9001-2015 and ISO 13485-2016 certified

What Are the Benefits of Auto-Ranging DC Power Supplies?

June 10, 2020

It is essential for businesses developing and testing electronic devices and systems to use programmable DC power supplies. More often than not, it’s imperative for functional testing to subject the device-under-test (DUT) to an array of conditions it may encounter during operation.

In some cases, the DUT may draw constant power under different input conditions—this happens mostly in DC motor drives and regulated DC/DC supplies. For these scenarios, it’s incredibly valuable for the programmable DC source to provide an increased current at a reduced output voltage.

The ability for a programmable DC source to do this is called “auto-ranging.” Any DC power supply that does not offer auto-ranging will likely require you to oversize or use multiple supplies to test the DUT under various conditions. Doing so can consume large amounts of capital and physical space.

Using an auto-ranging power supply, however, means the source with automatically provide increased current at lower voltages. This will make your testing more flexible and will allow you to use only one supply to create numerous voltage and current combinations.

Versatile Power will be at APEC 2020!

Versatile Power Will Be At APEC 2020!

January 29, 2020
Versatile Power will be at APEC 2020!

CAMPBELL, CA – JANUARY 29, 2020

Versatile Power is pleased to announce its participation at the 2020 Applied Power Electronics Conference (APEC) in New Orleans, LA.

APEC focuses on both the applied and practical sides of the power electronics industry. Enjoying its 35th anniversary, APEC spotlights the work of engineers and the many innovations they make in power electronics. Sponsored by the IEEE Industry Applications Society, Power Sources Manufacturers Association and Power Electronics Society, APEC has become one of the largest conferences of its kind in the country—this year, APEC will feature over 165 exhibitors filling 260 booths. According to its website, the APEC program “addresses a broad range of topics in the use, design, manufacture, and marketing of all kinds of power electronics equipment.”

Founded in 2002, Versatile Power designs and manufactures high-quality and robust power supplies & power delivery systems for a wide range of industries—this includes medical, industrial, military, telecommunications, semiconductor and laboratory application. With a major emphasis on quality, Versatile’s custom OEM power supplies and designs are renowned for their reliability, cost-effectiveness and modern assembly methods. Headquartered in Campbell, CA, every one of Versatile Power’s products are designed and produced in Silicon Valley.

“We’re very proud to be part of the 35th anniversary of APEC,” commented Versatile Power CEO, Jerry Price. “In a relatively short period of time, this convention has established itself as the industry leader. We’re excited to take advantage of the opportunity to showcase our products, while also interacting with other members of the power electronics community.”

APEC 2020 takes place March 15-19 and will be held at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Versatile Power will be located at Booth 1828, very close to the central APEC HUB.

To learn more about APEC, visit their website: apec-conf.org

Why Versatile Power Products Are The Right Choice

May 15, 2019

As your company begins developing its next great product, one of the biggest decisions you’ll make will involve how you’re going to perform electrical testing. Our previous article discussed the 4 Reasons Why You Need to Use Extended Range Programmable Power.  In fact, no matter what type of programmable power supply you need for your next big project, Versatile Power has the right choice for you.

So what is it about Versatile Power’s product catalog that sets it so far apart from the competition? Why should your company choose a Versatile Power programmable power supply over one from another manufacturer?

Our Products Are User-Friendly and Easy to Setup

The first reason why you should choose Versatile Power over the competition is because our products are the easiest to setup and operate.  User interfaces on the BENCH XR and RACK XR series are SCPI compliant and LXI certified with LabView drivers available on the National Instrument website.  Whether or not you use LabView, you can be sure that your product testing will go smoothly and precisely.

Furthermore, the front panel controls found on our products are the most user-friendly on the market. Each BENCH XR and RACK XR unit comes with a full digital control panel, allowing for fast programming and extremely accurate measurements. Rotary dials with digital encoders allow both fine and rapid adjustment of the output voltage and current. Also, because each BENCH XR and RACK XR unit is equipped with our patented integral digital remote sense, you don’t need to run separate remote sense wires to your product under test.

BENCH XR and RACK XR Are Compact and Lightweight

Besides being easy to use, Versatile Power programmable power supplies meet your need for saving valuable real estate. BENCH XR series is 75% smaller than the leading competitor, meaning you won’t have any wasted space on your bench or in your rack and the RACK XR is only 1U high.

We Have More Standard Features Than Anyone Else

In addition to their easy use and setup, another reason you should choose our products is because of the many features we’ve made standard. Unlike many of our competitors, Versatile Power BENCH XR and RACK XR units comes standard with inputs for analog, USB and Ethernet.  All units are LXI certified.

There are a lot of benefits to having so many system-ready standard features (like multiple standard I/O interfaces) on a Versatile Power programmable power supply. First (and most obvious), because BENCH XR and RACK XR units come standard with so many inputs, you won’t have to pay any extra money to customize your power supply. When you combine the number of features with our competitive pricing, you realize just how much bang-for-your-buck you get when you choose Versatile Power.

Secondly, our standard features mean you can get connected to LabView (and other test software programs) easier than the competition can. Doing so will simplify and accelerate system development for your R&D, design validation and manufacturing teams. This means you can get your product to the market before the competition does.

Finally, having such a wide-array of standard features means that our power supplies can do more than other leading power units. More input options means you can connect to more software suites. Increased rotary control and detailed, digital displays means more customization. Versatile Power’s programmable power supplies are, for lack of a better word, more versatile than any others.

We Take Quality Control Seriously

The final reason why Versatile Power is the right choice for your company is because we take quality control very seriously. We design all of our products with as few parts as possible, single boards, no cables and adherence to the highest industry standards.  Our goal is to utilize automated manufacturing and test processes as much as possible. We are ISO 9001-2015 and 13485-2016 certified and we have passed all of our quality and customer audits with flying colors.

Back in 2002, when Versatile Power was still a young company, the first employee we hired was a quality control manager. Less than a year later, we had already passed an ISO 9001 audit.

As a result, when you purchase a Versatile Power product, you can be sure that it’s not only user-friendly and versatile, but it’s also made to the highest quality standard.

Versatile Power Announces BENCH XR Series Programmable DC Power Supplies Have Received LXI Certification

July 24, 2018

AUGUST 1, 2018, CAMPBELL, CALIF. – – – Versatile Power, Inc. a technology leader in the design and manufacture of commercial power supplies and custom electronic subsystems, announces their BENCH XR Series of 600W Programmable DC Power Supplies have received Certification as LXI conformant. LXI is an instrument connectivity standard that allows engineers to access their instruments remotely via a built-in Ethernet interface. Five models of the U.S.A.-built BENCH XR Series offer output power to 600 Watts.

LXI (LAN eXtensions for Instrumentation) is a powerful test instrumentation platform supported by the world’s leading instrumentation companies. LXI combines the synchronization and triggering features inherent in VXIbus and IEEE-1588 devices, with the benefits of Ethernet and GPIB. LXI test and measurement modules are optimized for use in design validation and manufacturing test systems with LAN connectivity enabling modules to be accessed from anywhere in the world. The BENCH XR Series is a high-density 1U design which measures just 1.73 in. (44 mm) High x 8.82 in. (224 mm) Wide x 10.30 in. (262 mm) Deep and Weighs only 5.8 lbs. (2.6 Kg). The five (5) models of the U.S.A.-built BENCH XR Series offer output power to 600 Watts, DC output current to 33 amps and DC output voltage to 400V. The LXI connectivity is included with all BENCH XR Series power supplies at no additional cost.

“The BENCH XR Series is a direct result of our continuing development of extremely compact, digital, and low-cost programmable power supplies capable of high output voltages. With the LXI Certification customers now have LAN connectivity which enables accessibility from anywhere in the world,” commented Jerry Price, CEO of Versatile Power. He continued, “Versatile Power’s BENCH XR Series offer the widest range of 600 Watt bench-top programmable power supplies found on the market. With LXI included at no additional cost they provide the perfect solution for a variety of applications within the high-technology arena of R&D, production and testing.”

All BENCH Series power supplies are available for purchase from select distributors, representatives and through the Versatile Power Website: www.versatilepower.com.

Versatile Power, Inc., established in 2002, is a privately-owned company located in the heart of Silicon Valley. The Company offers both commercial programmable power supplies as well as custom electronic subsystems. For original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), Versatile Power specializes in custom design and manufacturing of advanced power products and subsystems for use in RF, DC, ultrasonics and laser applications. Certified to ISO 9001-2008 and ISO 13485-2003, Versatile Power has a long history of satisfying the requirements for medical surgical equipment, electronics for dental procedures, semiconductor equipment, forensic light sources and wide range of commercial applications. For additional information contact: Versatile Power, Inc., 743 Camden Avenue, Campbell, California 95008 U.S.A., Phone: +1-408-341-4604, Fax: +1-408-341-4601, e-mail: sales@versatilepower.com, Web: www.versatilepower.com.

Versatile Power Will Be At ITC 2017!

October 25, 2017

We are pleased to announce that we’ll be at the International Test Conference taking place next week in Fort Worth, Texas.

The International Test Conference—the highlight event of TestWeekTM—is the world’s premier conference dedicated to the electronic test of devices, boards and systems. ITC is a great forum for test and design professionals to identify and discuss the latest issues facing the industry. Speakers from the world of academia, design tool and equipment suppliers, designers and test engineers will all be presenting at this year’s ITC.

Versatile Power will be located at booth 217 right near the lunch area. Make sure to come by and see us!

For more information, please visit www.itctestweek.org

4 Reasons Why You Need to Use Extended Range Programmable Power

October 10, 2017

It’s finally time. Your company has chosen the next great product you’ll develop. Hours of research, testing and development will go into it and you are certain it’s going to be a success. All that’s left is for you to get to work and, in a short while, you’re going to change the world.

Simple enough, right?

Not so fast.

You may be on the cutting edge of the “next big thing,” but there is one part of your product’s development you might be overlooking: how you’re going to power and test it.

Choosing a programmable power supply for your company may seem like a simple task, but in reality, it’s anything but. Much like the world of technology, aeronautics, manufacturing and communication, the world of programmable power is rapidly changing. As such, there is a good chance your company is not using the most efficient and cost-effective option for power: extended range programmable power supply.

Why should you use an extended range unit? They’re highly customizable, they save space, they’re more economical and they’re the future of power supply.

1: Customization is Key

Technology is becoming more and more precise and having programmable power supplies that can adapt to the market is of paramount importance. While many standard programmable power supply units are adequate for uncomplicated or older equipment, the variability of an extended range unit allows greater freedom for your company. Extended range programmable power supplies offer the ability to deliver increased current at selected voltages without the need to buy more expensive higher power models.

In addition to giving you greater control, extended range programmable power supply units are safer and more reliable. When selecting an extended range programmable power supply, you should look for models that provide stable output power, built-in voltage and current measurement, and panel controls that can be locked in order to protect against any unexpected changes. To protect your investments, extended range models should provide over-temperature, over-current and over-voltage protection that will protect your product by limiting the output or automatically shutting down the unit.

2: Less Space Means Less Clutter

A common problem for all manufacturing engineers is a rack that’s packed-to-the-gills with countless peripherals and wires going everywhere. Because your extended range programmable power supply allows for a myriad of customization options, however, you no longer have to buy multiple units. As a result, you can kiss your overloaded rack goodbye.

A Versatile Power BENCH XR series programmable power supply offers the same output of other power supplies in a smaller, high-density package. In fact, the BENCH XR series is 1 U high and only a half rack wide. Because it has air vents on the top, bottom and side, you can easily stack other instruments above or below it.

A less cluttered rack is not only more organized and easier to manage, but it’s also safer.

3: They Save You Money

Possibly the most important deciding factor in choosing the right power supply unit is the price. How many times have you found the perfect product for your company only to be limited by the cost? There is absolutely no reason why you should have to sacrifice having a tailor made solution for your project because of budgetary constraints.

Fortunately, an extended range unit eliminates this problem. In fact, the customization capabilities are so in-depth, that a single Versatile Power BENCH XR unit can do what 75 different units from competing brands can.

4: It’s the Future of Power Supply

The benefits of extended range are becoming increasingly more apparent and many of the world’s top manufacturers have taken note. The 2014 Frost & Sullivan reported that, “hybrid vehicles, smart applications, and critical testing equipment often require the use of high power, which drives the demand for high power [range].” Power requirements have changed rapidly in the last decade and there is a greater need for products that offer improved power management circuitry and higher wattage, voltage and kilowatt range.

As previously mentioned, an extended range unit allows you to test varying degrees of power and voltage. This means your power supply can evolve just as fast as the market you are trying to serve.

Versatile Power Can Help

The benefits of an extended range programmable power unit heavily outweigh the costs. Their customization features mean they are the most precise solution, their “all-in-one” setup means you will save a significant amount of space, they are extremely cost-effective and they are the power supply unit of the future.

Here at Versatile Power, our BENCH XR series is the industry-standard extended range unit. For more information on how our products can power your business, please visit us at www.versatilepower.com.