Tektronix oscilloscopes help engineers efficiently complete power supply timing measurements

Engineers test and measure systems that rely on multiple power rails, and the power-on and power-off sequences are critical. If the power-on and power-off sequences are incorrect, or if the power rise time is too fast or too slow, the system may fail and components may be damaged. This is where an oscilloscope can help.

The traditional method of measuring power supply timing is to use a 4-channel oscilloscope to measure the timing between supplies. When more than 4 signals need to be verified, multiple captures must be made, or two oscilloscopes must be used, the latter usually triggered on a common Power Good/Fail signal. In either case, the measurements must be synchronized and combined to get a complete picture.

So how to complete power supply timing measurement efficiently?

How do you measure the startup and shutdown delays when controlling power by connecting and disconnecting the AC mains input?

How to measure the startup and shutdown timing when controlling the power supply via a remote on/off signal?

How can I automate timing measurements between multiple point-of-load regulated power supplies?

How do you overcome these testing difficulties?

Antai Test tells you!

During the startup process of computers and server platforms, the various working power supplies of the system need to be powered on in sequence. If the power-on implementation does not meet the design specifications, the system may not be able to enter a normal working state after startup or wake-up, causing serious reliability problems.

We lead out 8 key power supplies or power control signals from a circuit board and connect them to the new five-series MSO oscilloscope of Tektronix.

During the startup process, various power supplies with different voltages will be turned on in sequence, and corresponding power control signals will be sent out. The measured multi-channel waveforms can be displayed in a stacked or separate manner.

We can also use cursors to measure the timing of different power ons, or open the menu to add automatic measurements for more precise timing.