Application Watch: Upgrades in 3D printer power supplies reduce temperature rise, ripple voltage

Makers of power supplies eyeing the rapidly flourishing 3D printer market focus on boosting product reliability.

Developments in 3D printing are yielding updated designs, which require better-performance power supplies that will ensure normal machine operation for a longer time. To fill this need, manufacturers of the component in mainland China step up efforts to turn out compliant products with high reliability.

Companies explore solutions, which lower temperature rise and ripple voltage, to achieve this objective. Instead of conventional fans, a few such as Dongguan Cheng Liang are adding smart fans or those that are speed-adjustable to embedded types for enhanced ventilation.

To minimize current shock to printers and help prolong their life span, large and medium-size suppliers adopt soft-start technology and use MOSFETs. Those turning out products for entry-level printers employ NTC thermistors.

Regardless of the target market, all power supplies for desktop and industrial 3D printers from local companies have built-in protection against short circuits, and overload, -voltage and –temperature, and use flame-retardant materials.

Some emphasize a higher standard of safety, ensuring product conformity to IEC/EN 60950 and IEC/EN 60065. Interviewed Taiwan supplier Eljintek Inc. is working to meet the latest IEC/EN 62368.

Spurring these initiatives is the sustained high growth of 3D printing, which is forecast to drive up demand for power supplies by least 20 percent in 2019 and 2020.

The application has been expanding at an explosive rate and is projected to hit $13.4 billion in 2018, according to Gartner. In terms of shipments worldwide, the estimated CAGR is nearly 107 percent from 2012 to 2018. The boom is anticipated to extend to the next two years. This is reflected in China’s 3D printer segment, which will be in the scale of $2.25 billion in 2018 and go up to $8 billion in 2022, according to the Qianzhan Industry Research Institute.

At present, power supplies for 3D printers represent between 5 and 40 percent of shipments of the majority of mainland companies. This will increase amid climbing requirement locally and overseas. Shenzhen Uniwaypo Technology Co. Ltd is anticipating local and export shipments will go up by 10 percent until 2020. The line represents 40 percent of its deliveries.

More than 300 companies in the mainland offer power supplies for desktop and industrial 3D printers. Over two-thirds are locally owned and the rest with foreign investment. All turn out products for other applications, including communications and medical equipment, and LED lighting.

The production hubs are still in the coastal provinces. More than half of the suppliers are in the cities of Shenzhen, Dongguan and Zhongshan in Guangdong, and the others in Suzhou in Jiangsu and Ningbo in Zhejiang.

Switching power supplies

Switching power supplies in open-frame, encapsulated and external wall-mount types make up the mainland’s mainstream range for industrial and desktop 3D printers. These have 100 to 240VAC, 50/60Hz input, 12 or 24VDC output voltage and 25 to 500W rated power.

In addition to built-in safety, products have an anti-EMI feature. Most have CE, FCC and TÜV approval, are UL-listed and comply with RoHS requirements.

Manufacturers use locally made passive components and PCBs, while ICs come from foreign sources.

The cost of materials and components is forecast to become stable in the months ahead, and keep prices of power supplies at current levels. Competition, however, is increasing as more suppliers join the line and may result in lower quotes.

The products in this gallery have been handpicked by our mainland China-based market analyst for representing current trends in 3D printer power supplies from mainland China and Taiwan makers.

Power supply with 60W maximum output power

From Eljintek Inc., model GMPU60 switching power supply has 100 to 240VAC, 47 to 63Hz, 0.8 to 1.5A input. The maximum output power is 60W.

The model with CB, CE, CSA, EN, FCC and UL marks has a minimum order requirement of 100 units. Delivery takes 14 days.

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12V, 15A power supply

Shenzhen Soy Technology Co. Ltd’s switching power supply, Soy-244-180W-#5430 model, meets CEC, Energy Star, ErP Step 2, IEC/EN 60950 and 60065, MEPS and UL 60065 standards. It has 90 to 264VAC, 50/60Hz input, 50A inrush current at 240VAC cold start, 12V, 15A output and 180W power. The product complies with RoHS.

A minimum order of 500 units is required for delivery within 25 days.

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Power supply outputs 40A at 12V

Shenzhen Teka Technology Co. Ltd's model Teka500 power supply has 100 to 240V, 50/60Hz input and 12V, 40A output.

The maker requires a minimum order of 1,000 units. Delivery is within 15 days.

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24VDC, 2.5A power supply

This 60W power supply from Shenzhen Uniwaypo Technology Co. Ltd, UWP-60W model, has 100 to 240VAC, 50/60Hz input and 24VDC, 2.5A output.

The minimum order for this 110x62x32mm model is 1,000 units. Delivery lead time is 25 days.

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