Feature: Power supplies


Figure 2: ARB function in the DP2031 generates different current steps However, with IoT devices it is not


Figure 3: Current pulse measurement with the DP2031


Tis instrument has outputs on its


front and back, so it can easily be used in automatic test equipment in a production environment. It can be controlled via LAN, RS-232, USB or an SCPI command set. Te power supply’s outputs on the


back allow implementation of a sense connection for each channel. Using additional sense lines, one each on the plus and minus side, the voltage that is input to the power supply is applied to the DUT; see Figure 1. Tis is achieved because the voltage drop at the DUT is measured directly with a high-impedance voltmeter via the sense wiring. Due to the high resistance, almost no current flows through the sense lines, so the voltage drop is essentially 0V – this way, the exact voltage drop can be determined directly on the DUT. It is recommended that the measuring


cables are twisted and the sense cabling is also twisted, separately. In addition, the sense wiring should be kept as short as possible and have a small resistance.


Built-in arbitrary generator Te DP2031 power supply has a built-in arbitrary generator (ARB) to provide currents or voltages in arbitrary


waveforms. Tere are also built-in templates like a sine wave, for which the increment and frequency can be separately set. Alternatively, any PC-generated signal can also be input into the device. Te minimum increment is up to


1ms between individual output points, allowing voltage or currents to be changed at high rates: up to 512 points can be defined here. For example, the DP2031 can create a power profile that outputs the same voltage at different current steps, to accommodate the current needs of a circuit when switching different functionalities – like an IoT device reporting via Wi-Fi. Te transmission temporarily requires more power (Figure 2), and the ARB output can be used to implement a continuous or one-off test. Te ARB signal can be saved and exported for analysis. To output the current and voltage


values optimally, it’s important to bring the setting, display and back measurement accuracy to a very low value. Te increments of the output values can thus be made very precise. Te minimum setting and display for the DP2031 is 1mV and 0.1mA, so fine parameter changes are possible, with specified accuracy.


just the current or voltage values that are important during operation; many of them only work at a certain point in time, yet must always be ready for operation. Tis means the devices sleep until they are awakened for their function. For example, to avoid putting too much strain on battery- powered IoT devices in sleep mode, a very small current can flow here to avoid unnecessarily rapid discharge of the battery. Te DP2031 optionally offers a low-current mode for this purpose, which can be used up to a current value of 11mA.


Current pulse analysis Te DP2031 power supply offers various analysis functions, including measuring current pulses, where the pulse’s number and width can also be determined. Only the current pulses that exceed a set threshold value are counted here; see Figure 3. In addition to current pulse


measurements, one of the three channels can also display a trend graph of the current/voltage or power. Te measured values can also be displayed via a real- time graph, with the current graph seen in ‘roll mode’. Te last measurement point is removed from the plot with every new measurement point. Te power representation can show its output over time. Te instrument comes with 20Mbyte


memory but, if that is insufficient for the application, data can be saved on an external USB stick. In addition to the DP2031, Rigol also


has three other power supply models with different performance classes and specification features: the DP932A, DP932E and DP932U. Te DP932U was specially developed for the education sector.


www.electronicsworld.co.uk June 2023 21


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44