What are the standards for industrial-grade DC-DC power modules?

2025-11-19 09:44:07

Industrial-grade DC-DC power modules must comply with a series of stringent international, industry and corporate standards due to their harsh application environment and high reliability requirements. These standards mainly focus on four major aspects: performance, safety, environmental adaptability and electromagnetic compatibility.

1. Safety and basic specifications and standards

This is the bottom line of module design, ensuring basic electrical safety.

IEC/EN/UL 62368-1: This is an important safety standard for information technology and audio and video equipment, which has replaced the traditional IEC/EN 60950-1 and IEC/EN 60065. It is based on the concept of hazardous energy sources and stipulates the safety requirements of products in terms of electrical, fire, mechanical, thermal energy and radiation. Certification of this standard by UL, TÜV and other organizations is the basic prerequisite for products to enter the global market.

IEC/EN 61558 series: Safety standards for power transformers, reactors, power supply units and their combinations, especially applicable to isolated DC-DC modules, with detailed regulations on the structure and insulation of transformers.

2. Electromagnetic compatibility standards

Ensure that the module can work stably in a complex industrial electromagnetic environment without interfering with other equipment.

Launch standard:

CISPR 32/EN 55032: Specifies radio disturbance limits for multimedia equipment. For DC-DC modules, it is mainly necessary to meet its conducted emission and radiated emission requirements to ensure that the high-frequency noise it generates does not exceed the standard through cables or space radiation.

Immunity standard:

IEC/EN 61000-4-2: Electrostatic discharge immunity. The module is required to withstand electrostatic discharge generated when operators or objects come into contact.

IEC/EN 61000-4-4: Electrical fast transient burst immunity. Simulate the instantaneous pulse interference generated when switching inductive loads (such as relays and contactors) to test the module's transient suppression capability.

IEC/EN 61000-4-5: Surge immunity. Simulating high-energy surges in the power grid due to lightning strikes or large equipment switching is a severe test for the module's input/output protection circuit.

IEC/EN 61000-4-6: Immunity to conducted disturbances induced by radio frequency fields. Verify the module's resistance to radio frequency interference injected through power lines or other cables.

3. Environment and reliability standards

This is the core expression of the "industrial grade" identity, which defines the module's ability to survive and work in harsh physical environments.

IEC 60068-2 series: This is a family of environmental testing standards, which is the key to testing the reliability of industrial power supplies.

IEC 60068-2-1/-2: Low/high temperature storage and operation test to verify the module’s wide temperature operating capability (such as -40°C to +85°C or higher).

IEC 60068-2-6: Sinusoidal vibration test, simulating periodic vibration during transportation or operation.

IEC 60068-2-27: Mechanical impact test to test the module’s ability to withstand non-repetitive severe impacts.

IEC 60068-2-64: Random vibration test more realistically simulates complex vibrations in actual industrial environments.

MIL-STD-810: U.S. Military Environmental Engineering Guide. Although it is a non-mandatory standard, its test methods (such as high temperature, low temperature, damp heat, vibration, shock, etc.) are widely used as the reliability design benchmark for industrial-grade power supplies. Modules that can pass this standard test usually have very high robustness.

4. Specific industries and performance standards

There are more professional standards for different industrial applications.

Railway applications - EN 50155: Specifically targeted at electronic equipment on rail vehicles. It specifies its wide input voltage range, strict insulation requirements, and must be able to withstand strong vibration and shock. At the same time, it requires a wide operating temperature range and high reliability.

Road vehicles - ISO 16750 / ISO 7637-2: For automotive electronics. Electrical loads, environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, vibration) and test methods are defined. ISO 7637-2 specifically stipulates the conducted transient interference that may occur on the vehicle, such as load dump, which is a test that the vehicle-mounted DC-DC module must pass.

In summary, a qualified industrial-grade DC-DC power module is a reflection of its design, manufacturing and verification processes that fully comply with the above-mentioned multi-level and stringent standards. These standards jointly build its superior qualities in reliability, safety and environmental adaptability, thus becoming an indispensable cornerstone in key fields such as industrial automation, transportation, energy and electricity.