Options for Switch-Mode Power Supply Design

Driving multiple high-power LEDs in switch mode is no easy task, assuming uniform brightness, dimming capability, and power factor correction play any sort of role. With renewed demand for LED lighting solutions in recent years, there are several options to get started with building a power supply.

Consider the following tips, specific to electrical power supply:

Go off-the-shelf
Engineers who decide to go this route have some great choices. Mean Well's offline LED power supply is well-equipped with dimming features, integrated protections, universal AC input, and PFC -- all nicely packaged for both indoor and outdoor applications. Though feature-rich, there are simpler alternatives available for engineers who prefer them.

Go with proven designs
Those new to power supply design are best left to proven designs. Semiconductor companies like Texas Instruments, STMicroelectronics, and Linear Technology publish comprehensive reference designs that include original schematics, bills of materials, application notes, and even Gerber files. For those not limited by proprietary designs, these online guides are a great resource. Be mindful, though, when modifying a supplier's reference design, and keep them on the bill of materials through design, prototype, and production.

When researching designs, your best bet is to start with the suppliers. TI offers design assistance with block diagrams and an online PowerLab Reference Design Library. Linear Technology offers application and design notes and reference circuits on its website. Similar resources from STMicroelectronics, NXP, and On Semiconductor can help with LED power supply design.

Go all in
Designing a supply from scratch doesn't mean you have to go all in, all alone. Find a community of peers and experts, such as element14, to ask questions and share ideas. For professional engineers and makers alike, this is often the most enjoyable part. With more access to a global knowledge base, affordable circuit design software and advanced prototyping facilities, there has never been a better time to be your own ODM. So LED there be light!

David Finch is technical marketing manager for Newark element14.

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