Yueqing Jyins' model JYP-1000 pure sine wave DC/AC power inverter supports 1kW. It meets CE and RoHS.

Companies employ different technologies and high-performance components to match various requirements.

Industrial products constitute a major growth catalyst in China’s switching power supplies segment, from which it generates more than 50 percent of total output value. These cover machinery, electric power equipment, and uses in the rail, petrochemicals and metallurgical sectors. The first two fuel demand, with requirement collectively surpassing 70 percent.

To continue benefitting from this application base, local manufacturers underscore competence in turning out customized units while following the trends for enhanced efficiency and reliability.

For improved product efficiency, suppliers adopt power factor correction or PFC, high frequency, pulse width modulation or PWM and synchronous rectifier technologies. Soft-switching PWM is widely employed, including zero-voltage, -current and their combination. Some companies utilize integrated PFC and PWM.

To realize greater product reliability, makers add safety features such as overvoltage, -current, -heating and short-circuit protection, and ensure water, moisture and dust resistance in outdoor-use units. They tap high-performance inputs, including planar transformers, ICs and passive components.

In addition, suppliers stress elevated power, low noise and standby power, and intelligent control. The line is projected to remain in an upturn, with sales growth exceeding 10 percent this year and 2015.

At least 1,000 of the more than 4,000 makers of switching power supplies in China offer variants for industrial products. International players such as Meanwell, Phoenix Contact, Siemens, Schneider Electric, Omron, Puls and Delta are part of the pool. They own over 60 percent of the domestic market. The local counterparts include Shanghai Detron, Aerospace Changfeng Chaoyang, Hengfu and Shanghai Sanji. The first two companies specialize in the electric power and rail sectors, respectively.

The suppliers are based in the Pearl River and Yangtze River Delta regions and the Bohai Bay Rim Economic Region. The main areas are the provinces of Guangdong, Zhejiang and Jiangsu.

Diverse selection

China makers’ power supplies for industrial products come in variants of 5W to more than 3kW.

Releases are categorized further based on converting direction and application. Under the former are AC-DC, DC-DC and DC-AC types. The first dominates with an output share surpassing 80 percent. Such units constitute the entire yield of Shenzhen Shanjing Power Supply Co. Ltd and XP Power Electronics Co. Ltd.

By application, the range consists of enclosed, DIN rail, open-frame and modular kinds, and AC/DC adapters, DC-DC converters and DC/AC power inverters.

Enclosed products are in 15W to over 3kW, and 1 to 4-output versions. Units below 350W have a universal input range, 300VAC/5s withstand input surge, and integrate short-circuit, overload, -voltage and -heating protection. These models use natural air cooling and operate in up to 70 C. High-performance 105 C electrolytic capacitors are commonly adopted in products in this segment.

Elevated-power enclosed counterparts from 2kW come with additional attributes, including an active AC input surge arrestor, and built-in 5V/0.3A and 12V/0.8A auxiliary power supplies. DC fan cooling is employed. An integrated active PFC is an option in 75W to 3kW enclosed models.

DIN rail configurations are mostly in 10 to 960W. Slim units in 10 to 96W have no-load power consumption of less than 1W. They incorporate active PFC and overheating protection. General types usually adopt a fanless design and come in 45 to 960W. Versions above 240W feature active PFC. There are also high-voltage single- or 3-phase 340 to 550VAC-input models. High-efficiency kinds can deliver up to 94.5 percent and have active PFC.

In open-frame power supplies, the options are board and general variants. The former comes in single-output and 5 to 20W, and the second type in 1 to 4-output, 5 to 250W, and 17.8x10.8cm, 12.7x7.6cm, 10.2x5.1cm and slim units.

AC/DC adapters include wall-mount and desktop models, respectively in 5 to 36W and 25 to 280W. The first features interchangeable plugs. There are also modular types, which have built-in active PFC. These are highly customizable to suit multiple-output complex equipment or systems. The units have typical rated power of 450W to 1kW and 1.6 to 53VDC output voltage.

DC-DC converters ranging from 0.5W to 1kW are available in board-mount and encapsulated options.

The DC/AC power inverter subcategory includes true and modified sine wave output versions in 100W to 3kW. The line’s key application is new energy such as solar inverters. Yueqing Jyins Electric Technology Co. Ltd’s power supplies used in industrial products fall under this segment.

Themain components and materials used in the manufacture of power supplies are power management ICs, transformers, rectifiers, filters, thyristors, passive components, PCBs, plastic and metal. Combined, these account for about 70 percent of production costs.

China companies usually turn to foreign providers, including Fairchild, TI, National Semiconduc tor, On Semiconductor, STMicroelectronics and Infineon for power management ICs. The other inputs come from local sources.

Stable component and material outlay is expected to keep prices of China-made switching power supplies at current levels for the rest of the year.

Related report:
Intelligent and modular switching power supplies: Production expansion under way