Switching Analysis: Testing for Reliability in Power Converter Designs

White Paper Overview 

Testing power converter designs for reliability is crucial, especially in safety-critical automotive, aerospace, and defense systems. Dynamic factors like component operation points, such as the DC-bias characteristic of MLCCs, and load-dependent resonances, like those seen in body diodes, must be considered. Components also shift with aging and temperature changes. High test coverage is essential to characterize converters under various loads and environments, accounting for transient behavior. This white paper explores probing, switching analysis, and reliability testing methods in depth.