Regulation Measurements (Plots)

DESIGN PHASE:       measurement
SUB ELEMENT NAME:   regulation measurements (plots)
VARIABLE NAME:      [HEMR]
DATE:               REVISION LETTER:     REVISION DATE: 
APPLICABILITY:      regulator circuits

ACTIVITY:  Make room temperature regulation plots.  These are
plots of the regulated output (voltage in the case of voltage
regulators) as a function of one other parameter with the others
set a nominal.  Examples are load regulation, line regulation,
bias voltage regulation, and in the case of multiple outputs
controlled with one feedback loop, cross regulation.  Power loss
or efficiency versus load is also a desired measurement
for regulator circuits.

Regulation plots are made with a multimeter and oscilloscope (to
verify circuit is not oscillating and to measure ripple and noise
if present).  Automatic equipment may also be used.  Regulation
measurements consist of:

line.regulation
bias.regulation
load.regulation
cross.regulation
power.loss.vs.load

OUTPUT:  Measurements recorded in a laboratory notebook along
with plots for comparison to specifications and analysis.

ALGORITHM:

[HEMR] = [HTMR]
0.0+                set up time
0.5*                splits time between engineer and technician
0.0*                time for each regulation plot
[NR]                number of regulation plots

[NR] =              number of regulation plots
[NIR]+              number of input regulation plots including
                    cross regulation
[NOR]               number of load regulation plots including
                    cross regulation
+1                  power loss versus load plot

[NIR] =             One output plot for each output is required
                    for each input
[INPUT COUNT]
*[OUTPUT COUNT]

[NOR] =
[OUTPUT COUNT]+     Output regulation for nominal inputs
2*                  Approximates factorial for output cross
([OUTPUT COUNT]-1)  regulation

DISCUSSION:

Time per measurement is estimated as being done by the engineer
alone and then time is split between engineer and technician and
set up time is added for both.

Author: Jerrold Foutz, foutz@smpstech.com

Original: Foutz, J., Power Supply Circuit Development Estimating Aid - An Expert System Application, IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference Record, New Orleans, February 1-5, 1988. Revised 21 February 2001