Smart Power Supply Calibration System
JPL-NASA, Iraj Vasaeli · 2019
A power supply is a device that supplies power to an electrical load. The primary function of a power supply is to convert electrical current from a source to the correct voltage, current, and frequency to power a load. As power supply technology expands, the manual calibration process has become more complex and time consuming. On average, manual calibration time is approximately 1.5 to 2 hours per individual module, however when there are 6 modules installed on a main frame the total direct labor can easily balloon to 9 to 12 hours. The process described here is a step-by-step tutorial to set up a customizable automated system to calibrate a variety of power supplies, such as the Keysight XXXXX. At JPL, one of the most hardware intensive projects is MARS 2020. This program utilizes hundreds of power supplies in different test setups and test stations. As such, the Metrology & Engineering Services Group was tasked to find a solution to calibrate the various types of power supplies in-house in a timely manner, as opposed to outsourcing or the conventional time-consuming manual method. Many OTC software options were identified and studied, however due to shortcoming in one form or another the OTC option was disqualified. At which point, the M&ES team decided to develop its own Smart Calibration System with the explicit purpose of reducing turnaround time and establishing a measurement process complaint with ISO17025.