Multi-Output Power Supply PCB Design
Budget: ₹600 – ₹1,500 INR
I need a PCB design for a multi-output DC-DC power supply board for our laboratory test equipment rack. This will power various sensor boards and microcontroller modules in our research setup.
Project Overview:
We need a reliable power supply board that accepts DC input from various lab sources and provides multiple regulated outputs for different circuit boards. The board should be robust and handle different input conditions we encounter in our lab.
Input Specifications:
Input voltage range: 12-36V DC (24V nominal)
Connectors:
5.5mm x 2.1mm barrel jack (primary)
2-pin Phoenix/screw terminal (alternative input)
Protection circuits:
Reverse polarity protection (P-MOSFET or Schottky)
40V TVS diode
5A input fuse (replaceable)
Common mode choke for EMI filtering
Input capacitors (electrolytic + ceramic)
Under-voltage lockout: Cut-off at 11V
Input current monitoring: Optional test points
Output Specifications:
Output 1: 5V @ 3A (Buck converter)
Output 2: 3.3V @ 2A (Buck converter)
Output 3: 12V @ 1A (Buck/Boost depending on input)
Ripple: <50mV peak-to-peak on all outputs
Efficiency target: >85% at full load
Critical Connector - 20-pin IDC Header:
Pin 1-2: Input voltage pass-through (fused at 3A)
Pin 3-4: 5V output
Pin 5-6: 3.3V output
Pin 7-8: Ground (multiple pins for current)
Pin 9-10: 12V output
Pin 11-12: Ground
Pin 13: Power Good signal (3.3V when all outputs stable)
Pin 14: Enable input (pull high to enable outputs)
Pin 15-16: Ground
Pin 17: Input voltage monitor (divided to 3.3V max)
Pin 18: Reserved
Pin 19-20: Ground
Header position: Centered on top edge of board
Type: 2x10 IDC male header, 2.54mm pitch
Status Indicators:
Input power LED (green)
5V output LED (red)
3.3V output LED (yellow)
12V output LED (blue)
Fault LED (optional, red)
Protection & Monitoring Features:
Over-current protection on each output
Thermal protection (auto-shutdown at 80°C)
Output enable jumpers for each rail
Test points for all voltages and ground
Soft-start circuit to limit inrush current
Power-good signal when all outputs are stable
Board Requirements:
Size: 120mm x 80mm maximum
Layers: 2-layer minimum (4-layer preferred for better thermals)
Copper weight: 2oz for power traces
Mounting: 4x M3 holes at corners (4mm from edges)
Layout considerations:
Keep switching nodes small
Separate power and signal grounds (star connection)
Input/output capacitors close to regulators
Adequate thermal vias under regulator ICs
Component Preferences:
Buck regulators: LM2596, MP1584, or TPS54331 (available on LCSC)
Boost regulator: MT3608 or similar (for 12V when input <12V)
Use standard inductors (no custom magnetics)
Ceramic output capacitors where possible
All components should be LCSC basic/extended parts if possible
Special Requirements:
Board should work reliably with input voltage varying between 12V-36V
Must handle input voltage dropping to 12V without affecting outputs
Design for natural convection cooling (no fan required)
Add "INPUT_MON" test point (voltage divider to measure input)
Include footprints for optional input/output filters if EMI is issue
Deliverables:
Complete schematic in KiCad or Altium format
PCB layout files with 3D view
Gerber files in ZIP format for PCBWay/JLCPCB
Complete BOM with LCSC part numbers
Pick & place file for assembly
Basic test procedure document
Efficiency estimate for each output
Note: This is a general-purpose lab power supply for indoor use. We sometimes use different DC sources (lab supplies, batteries, etc.) so the wide input range is important for flexibility.
Please include in your proposal:
Your experience with DC-DC converter design
Which regulator ICs you recommend and why
Your approach to PCB thermal management
Timeline for schematic and layout completion
Project Overview:
We need a reliable power supply board that accepts DC input from various lab sources and provides multiple regulated outputs for different circuit boards. The board should be robust and handle different input conditions we encounter in our lab.
Input Specifications:
Input voltage range: 12-36V DC (24V nominal)
Connectors:
5.5mm x 2.1mm barrel jack (primary)
2-pin Phoenix/screw terminal (alternative input)
Protection circuits:
Reverse polarity protection (P-MOSFET or Schottky)
40V TVS diode
5A input fuse (replaceable)
Common mode choke for EMI filtering
Input capacitors (electrolytic + ceramic)
Under-voltage lockout: Cut-off at 11V
Input current monitoring: Optional test points
Output Specifications:
Output 1: 5V @ 3A (Buck converter)
Output 2: 3.3V @ 2A (Buck converter)
Output 3: 12V @ 1A (Buck/Boost depending on input)
Ripple: <50mV peak-to-peak on all outputs
Efficiency target: >85% at full load
Critical Connector - 20-pin IDC Header:
Pin 1-2: Input voltage pass-through (fused at 3A)
Pin 3-4: 5V output
Pin 5-6: 3.3V output
Pin 7-8: Ground (multiple pins for current)
Pin 9-10: 12V output
Pin 11-12: Ground
Pin 13: Power Good signal (3.3V when all outputs stable)
Pin 14: Enable input (pull high to enable outputs)
Pin 15-16: Ground
Pin 17: Input voltage monitor (divided to 3.3V max)
Pin 18: Reserved
Pin 19-20: Ground
Header position: Centered on top edge of board
Type: 2x10 IDC male header, 2.54mm pitch
Status Indicators:
Input power LED (green)
5V output LED (red)
3.3V output LED (yellow)
12V output LED (blue)
Fault LED (optional, red)
Protection & Monitoring Features:
Over-current protection on each output
Thermal protection (auto-shutdown at 80°C)
Output enable jumpers for each rail
Test points for all voltages and ground
Soft-start circuit to limit inrush current
Power-good signal when all outputs are stable
Board Requirements:
Size: 120mm x 80mm maximum
Layers: 2-layer minimum (4-layer preferred for better thermals)
Copper weight: 2oz for power traces
Mounting: 4x M3 holes at corners (4mm from edges)
Layout considerations:
Keep switching nodes small
Separate power and signal grounds (star connection)
Input/output capacitors close to regulators
Adequate thermal vias under regulator ICs
Component Preferences:
Buck regulators: LM2596, MP1584, or TPS54331 (available on LCSC)
Boost regulator: MT3608 or similar (for 12V when input <12V)
Use standard inductors (no custom magnetics)
Ceramic output capacitors where possible
All components should be LCSC basic/extended parts if possible
Special Requirements:
Board should work reliably with input voltage varying between 12V-36V
Must handle input voltage dropping to 12V without affecting outputs
Design for natural convection cooling (no fan required)
Add "INPUT_MON" test point (voltage divider to measure input)
Include footprints for optional input/output filters if EMI is issue
Deliverables:
Complete schematic in KiCad or Altium format
PCB layout files with 3D view
Gerber files in ZIP format for PCBWay/JLCPCB
Complete BOM with LCSC part numbers
Pick & place file for assembly
Basic test procedure document
Efficiency estimate for each output
Note: This is a general-purpose lab power supply for indoor use. We sometimes use different DC sources (lab supplies, batteries, etc.) so the wide input range is important for flexibility.
Please include in your proposal:
Your experience with DC-DC converter design
Which regulator ICs you recommend and why
Your approach to PCB thermal management
Timeline for schematic and layout completion