AC/DC adapter makers target wider DOE Level VI compliance

China companies brace for a series of tougher regulations covering external power supplies in key markets as the latest standard takes effect in the US.

China manufacturers of AC/DC adapters continue to align R&D work with the DOE Level VI regulations on external power supplies or EPS, which took effect early this year. While implementation is unilateral, companies expect other markets to follow with equivalent standards soon. The stricter requirements include a no-load consumption cap of 0.1W for <1 to ≤49W products while the limit for >49 to ≤250W EPS is 0.21W.

Almost all small to large suppliers, especially those exporting to the US, are racing to develop more compliant models. About 60 percent of Shenzhen Rising Sun Power Technology Co. Ltd's 36 to 80W models conform to the specifications. The output ratio in Shenzhen Keyu Power Supply Technology Co. Ltd and Dongguan MLF Tech Co. Ltd is now roughly 30 percent, and 20 percent in Zhongshan Kingrong Electronics Co. Ltd. China makers also follow the EU's CoC Version 5 standard.

For improved product reliability and safety, manufacturers continue to be selective in their choice of rectifiers, filters, switching components and power management ICs. They are eyeing the future trend for digital power solutions, which enable automatic adjustment of output voltage and current for higher efficiency. Current AC/DC adapters in the local selection are fixed to suit applications.

Communication, computer and consumer electronics or 3C products remain the key market of China suppliers, getting a shipment allocation exceeding 90 percent. Units for mobile phones, and tablet and notebook PCs form the bulk of deliveries. Those for digital cameras, gaming devices, set-top boxes, TVs and other applications have less than 15 percent collective share.

Manufacturers such as Zhongshan Kingrong are confident of achieving about 10 percent growth in sales in 2016. The company has monthly production capacity of 600,000 units. Shenzhen Rising anticipates a revenue boost of up to 20 percent. It can churn out more than 800,000 units each month.

In coming years, the global external AC/DC adapter line is expected to remain strong as the market grows with additional prospects in the medical products field. CAGR will be nearly 7 percent between 2014 and 2019, or from $10.7 billion to $14.9 billion, according to the Darnell Group. In volume, the rate of increase is higher at 11.3 percent based on the projected 6.1 billion units in 2019 from 3.5 million in 2014.

More than 60 percent of output worldwide comes from China. There are at least 2,000 makers of AC/DC adapters there and over 80 percent are locally owned. More than half of the pool gathers in Guangdong province. The provinces of Zhejiang and Jiangsu are the other major hubs.

See a comparison table of AC/DC adapter suppliers on GlobalSources.com