In the world of electronics manufacturing, "Burn-in" is the ultimate stress test. It's the process where components are run at rated (or elevated) voltages for 24 to 72 hours to force early failures—filtering out the "infant mortality" of defective units before they ship to customers.
For such a critical phase, the reliability of your power source is non-negotiable. A voltage spike during an overnight test could destroy thousands of dollars worth of inventory.
This guide explains how to configure high-power variable DC power supplies for safe, unattended burn-in testing and integration into Automated Test Equipment (ATE) racks.
The Unattended Challenge: OVP and OCP
When running a 48-hour aging test on an EV battery module or a server motherboard, no engineer wants to sleep next to the rack. Trust is established through hardware protection.
OVP (Over Voltage Protection)
Industrial units from brands like eTommens feature hardware-based OVP. If the internal regulation circuit fails and voltage spikes, the power supply effectively "crowbars" the output in milliseconds, saving your DUT (Device Under Test).
OCP (Over Current Protection)
In a burn-in scenario, a short circuit in one DUT can bring down the whole bus. Configuring OCP in "Foldback" or "Cut-off" mode ensures that a failing component is isolated immediately.
Recommended Setting
Always set your OVP to 110% of your test voltage. If you are testing at 48V, set the OVP on your eTommens DC Supply to 52.8V.
Automating Stress Patterns with List Mode
Static burn-in (constant voltage) is good, but dynamic burn-in is better. Real-world devices experience voltage fluctuations. A programmable power supply allows you to simulate this without an external computer.
The List Mode Advantage
The eTommens programmable series supports internal sequence editing. You can program the power supply to:
This capability turns a standard power supply into a complex grid simulator, perfect for automotive and aerospace ATE systems.
Thermal Management in Rack Systems
When you stack ten 1000W power supplies in a standard 19-inch rack, heat becomes the enemy. Consumer-grade units often vent heat upwards or sideways, which causes "hot spots" in a rack cabinet.
Industrial Design Strategy
The rack-mount units available at VDC (VariableDCPowerSupply.com) utilize a strict front-to-back airflow design. Cool air is pulled in from the front panel and exhausted out the rear. This allows for high-density stacking (zero clearance between units) without overheating—a crucial feature for large-scale aging rooms.
Remote Monitoring via RS485/LAN
In a modern factory (Industry 4.0), data is king. You don't just want to power the device; you want to log its current consumption curve.
Using the built-in RS485 or LAN interface, engineers can connect up to 30 eTommens units to a single PC. By using standard Modbus or SCPI commands, you can:
- Start/Stop all units simultaneously.
- Log current draw every second to a CSV file.
- Receive an email alert if Unit #4 enters protection mode.
This level of connectivity transforms a passive power supply into an intelligent data logger.
Summary
Don't let a cheap power supply be the weakest link in your quality control process. For burn-in and ATE applications, you need a machine that offers hardware protection, programmable sequencing, and smart thermal design. eTommens has proven itself in 24/7 industrial environments as a reliable, cost-effective alternative to legacy brands.