Optimizing Next-Generation Embedded Systems Test: Overcoming Complexity with Fine-Tuned Power Control

Benchtop power supplies are among the most commonly used instruments in test and measurement (T&M) laboratories, providing regulated DC voltage or current to devices under test (DUTs) for verification, validation, and troubleshooting. In straightforward test scenarios such as evaluating individual discrete components like amplifiers or SPDT switches the DUT may require only a single, stable input voltage. In contrast, modern embedded systems are significantly more complex, often integrating multiple sensors, interfaces, and I/O subsystems. Each of these elements may require its own clean, isolated power rail with strong immunity to noise, transients, and voltage fluctuations.

Although power supplies are sometimes treated as secondary components in T&M setups, their performance can directly influence measurement accuracy and test reliability. Careful consideration of power-supply specifications is therefore essential when evaluating advanced electronic designs. This article examines the evolving requirements placed on benchtop power supplies for testing and validating next-generation electronic devices. It also highlights why Kikusui’s PWR-01 Series benchtop power supply is well suited for modern systems that combine sensitive analog circuitry with high-speed digital blocks. Finally, the article discusses how the PWR-01’s Virtual Multichannel Bus (VMCB) function simplifies complex power-up and power-down sequencing while ensuring DUT protection and operational safety.

The Growing Complexity of Embedded Systems

Embedded systems perform narrowly defined functions within larger, complex platforms such as automotive, medical, industrial, and military equipment. Although the specific use cases differ widely, a consistent trend across embedded design is the rapid expansion of onboard processing capabilities coupled with an increasing number of sensors and input/output interfaces (I/Os) (Figure 1).

The ever-increasing compute demands on embedded systems are, in turn, growing the complexity of these systems. Often calling for heterogeneous compute architectures with a mix of processing technologies, e.g., GPUs, CPUs, TPUs, NPUs, etc., to run machine learning (ML) inference and perform tasks at speed. The increase in processing power also aims to support the stream of information coming in from many analog inputs, i.e., sensors, in real-time.

Figure 1: Modern analog, digital, and interface circuitry pushes the boundaries, often calling for specific power supply functions.

Aspects Of The DUT That Impact The Selection Of The Benchtop Power Supply

Several characteristics of the DUT influence the configuration and performance of a programmable benchtop power supply, including its power requirements and noise tolerance.

Increase In Current Consumption

As these designs evolve, their power architectures expand correspondingly, often incorporating multiple power rails to support critical circuits. Many systems also feature human-machine interfaces (HMIs), such as touchscreen LCDs or heads-up displays (HUDs), which require high-resolution imagery and real-time processing. Higher pixel densities increase current demands for LEDs and their associated peripheral circuits, including display data acquisition and transfer circuits, as well as analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). As a result, overall power consumption rises, placing additional stress on the current delivery capabilities of benchtop power supplies.

Sensitivity to Noise and Higher Clock Speeds

Many analog and digital circuits are particularly sensitive to power supply noise, as voltage ripples at certain interfering frequencies can degrade circuit performance and cause signal integrity issues. The ongoing trend toward miniaturization further increases circuit susceptibility to voltage fluctuations, potentially affecting both performance and overall system operation. Furthermore, higher operating speeds amplify the effects of power supply noise. At the DUT level, engineers must carefully evaluate potential power integrity (PI) issues affecting sensitive circuits. These concerns also extend to the testing of systems that incorporate high-speed or high-precision components. Selecting a power supply with adequate voltage and current ripple suppression is essential to minimize the impact of noise on analog circuitry and I/O interfaces.

Load Variations

Benchtop power supplies used to test DUTs with CMOS circuitry often need a fast transient response and remote sensing capability. These features help prevent voltage droops or overshoots that occur when the load current changes quickly. This requirement is especially important for battery-powered DUTs, which switch between multiple operating modes such as deep sleep, sleep, wake-up, and transmit to conserve power.

Ideally, a power supply would maintain a constant output voltage regardless of the load current. In practice, however, an increase in load current causes a temporary voltage dip until the supply’s feedback loop restores the programmed value.

Remote sensing is a technique used to stabilize a power supply’s output and maintain tight voltage control at the DUT. This is achieved through dedicated sense lines that connect directly to the load’s power input, minimizing voltage drops caused by resistance in the load cables.

Power-Up Sequencing

These DUTs often include analog power, digital, and I/O circuits that must be powered up in a defined sequence to ensure safe operation. In addition, inrush currents during power-up and power-down are typically staggered to reduce stress on the DUT. Shown in Table 1, each circuit may also require its own startup sequence and inrush-current control. This necessitates the use of multiple benchtop power supplies that support sequencing, delay, and soft-start/soft-stop functions.

Table 1: Common DUT subsystems with example supply voltages and currents for previous- and next-generation variants, along with their corresponding maximum inrush current values.

Measurement Variations

Load fluctuations and unexpected transient events can compromise test reproducibility and traceability, making troubleshooting and diagnosis more difficult. Benchtop power supplies with an embedded data logger can capture key voltage and current measurements over time, thereby eliminating the need for a separate instrument and simplifying the process of identifying the causes of measurement variations.

Driving Multiple Systems in Parallel

At the DUT level, the analog, digital, and I/O circuits may operate in parallel, requiring not only power-up sequencing but also simultaneous ON/OFF control from the benchtop power supply. In a production test environment, this capability must be scalable to allow multiple power supplies to be interconnected and operated, either simultaneously or individually, in an automated manner.

Table 2 summarizes the challenges associated with testing next-generation electronics and the corresponding benchtop power supply functions needed to address them. It also identifies the Kikusui PWR-01 features that support these requirements.

Table 2: The challenges of testing next-generation electronics, the respective functions necessary from the benchtop power supply, and the compatible functions in the Kikusui PWR-01 power supply.

A Dive into the PWR-01 Benchtop DC Power Supply

The PWR-01 series is a multifunction DC power supply offering a wide output range and high reliability. Its precise start-up accuracy, low ripple performance, and unique VMCB capability make it particularly well-suited for testing a wide variety of modern electronic systems.

Sequence Settings

A key requirement for benchtop power supplies in modern circuits is the ability to perform startup sequencing with configurable delay functions. Sequence control allows engineers to accurately simulate DUT behavior during power-up and power-down conditions.

Precise sequential ON/OFF control is essential: the ON delay defines how long the DUT waits to activate after the sequence begins, while the OFF delay specifies the delay before the DUT powers down at the end of the sequence. The PWR-01 supports programmable output ON/OFF control for sequential operation and can be fully automated. Depending on the test setup, microsecond-level timing can be achieved through system-level integration using VMCB in combination with NI-DAQ and analog signals. This capability helps mitigate inrush currents, prevent DUT malfunctions, and ensure safe operation across a wide range of circuit types.

Multi-Channel Control

While sequencing is essential for accurately testing modern electronics, it can be challenging to replicate at scale. Timing discrepancies between evaluation and mass production tests, such as variations in startup order across iterations, can reduce product yields. Additional issues may arise when switching control stations, requiring users to manually adjust settings and spend time reconfiguring the system.

The PWR-01 enables control of up to 31 units per group across 254 test stations. In total, up to 7,874 units can be synchronized for production testing using the VMCB function (Figure 2). This functionality includes extensive protection features and fully supports on-site requirements, including sequencing, presets, and remote sensing. Bulk ON/OFF automation is supported, which streamlines evaluation procedures and enhances test reproducibility by minimizing errors. Figure 2 illustrates the VMCB function in action, where a single PC can control up to 31 PWR-01 units, effectively creating a virtual multi-channel power supply system.

Figure 2: The VMCB function is practical for matching the control timing of multiple PWR-01 units, ensuring test uniformity. Source: Kikusui

During development, evaluation of jigs and PCs are frequently replaced. Replacing conventional power supplies in this process is burdensome, as they typically require drivers and dedicated software, resulting in higher costs and longer setup times. In contrast, the VMCB function requires no drivers, connects via LAN, and can be restarted immediately without additional configuration. This ensures that on-site operations continue uninterrupted in the event of an issue. Moreover, the VMCB function delivers consistent results regardless of operator variation, thus standardizing workflows and reducing training requirements. As production needs to evolve, future line expansions and configuration changes are easily managed through reconfiguration of the central unit. This approach helps future-proof the power supply installation for mass production environments.

Other Multi-Channel Control Options

The PWR-01 also supports industry-standard multi-channel control options, including SCPI and VISA, as detailed in Table 3. While VMCB provides the greatest testing flexibility at scale, some customers may prefer not to be tied to a single vendor’s ecosystem. The PWR-01 supports widely used VISA and SCPI control methods with established VISA libraries. Hybrid control combining VMCB and SCPI is also possible, simplifying the management of a testing infrastructure that incorporates instruments from multiple T&M vendors.

Table 3: The various PWR-01 control methods for flexibility in scalable deployments.

Automatic Log Acquisition

Lastly, automatic log acquisition of ON/OFF timing and channel responses enables immediate troubleshooting. If an abnormality occurs during evaluation, users can review the data. This capability enhances test reproducibility, strengthens quality assurance, and provides a valuable audit trail for reporting and reference.

Conclusion

Next-generation embedded systems introduce complex challenges in power delivery, particularly during testing phases. With a wide range of circuit blocks each requiring precise voltage levels, noise suppression, and coordinated power sequencing, modern benchtop power supplies must meet increasingly stringent demands. The Kikusui PWR-01 series is engineered to address these needs through an advanced feature set tailored for both development and high-volume production environments. Offering high-precision sequencing, rapid transient response, low ripple output, and scalable multi-unit control through its Virtual Multichannel Bus (VMCB) architecture, the PWR-01 stands out as a versatile and dependable solution for testing sophisticated electronic systems. Furthermore, its compatibility with industry-standard automation protocols ensures seamless integration into diverse test setups while supporting long-term scalability.

As embedded technologies continue to evolve in complexity and integration, the role of intelligent, programmable power delivery systems will become increasingly critical. Instruments such as the PWR-01 are paving the way for this transition empowering engineers to enhance performance validation, improve operational safety, and maintain efficiency across every stage of electronic product development and manufacturing.

For more information on the PWR-01 benchtop programmable power supply, please visit Kikusui’s PWR-01 product page.

References:

1. Kikusui Electronics Corporation. PWR-01 Product Overview. https://kikusuiamerica.com/products-index/dc/pwr-01/
2. Kikusui Electronics Corporation. PWR-01 Series Datasheet. https://global.kikusui.co.jp/w2-2/dc-power-supply-en/pwr-01-en/
3. Kikusui Electronics Corporation. Application and Technical Resources. https://kikusuiamerica.com/resources/
4. Kikusui Electronics Corporation. Programmable DC Power Supplies – General Information. https://kikusuiamerica.com/products-index/dc/