MoD calls for versatile nuclear-hardened PSUs

Celab has been awarded a design-and-build contract worth approximately GBP 800,000 for multi-output, multi-input power supplies by Cogent Defence and Security Networks.

Celab has been awarded a design-and-build contract worth approximately GBP 800,000 for multi-output, multi-input power supplies by Cogent Defence and Security Networks.

A key aspect of the contract is the use of Celab-designed ATE to reduce test costs.

Co-ordination of PSU and system-level requirements has also enabled overall system costs to be reduced, with the PSU even providing part of the enclosure housing for the target MOD communication system.

The PSUs provide extensive self-test, monitoring and control capabilities together with EMC, EMP and Tempest compliance.

To meet demanding cost constraints for nearly 1000 sophisticated PSUs, each with more than 12 individual outputs, Celab is using its successful in-house ATE to automatically collect data for ongoing quality analysis, as well as for dramatically cutting test time.

As MD Barry Wood observes, "Investment is crucial to ensuring that our staff can work smarter, and our customers can become more competitive.

We couldn't find what we needed on the market, so we designed the ATE ourselves, and it is already cutting between 50 and 90% from some test times".

The PSUs have 'universal' input for either 28V DC or 115/230V AC, and provide immunity to short term input disturbances.

For input interruption beyond one cycle, the unit automatically initiates an orderly host system shut down, and secures critical system activity with a built-in lithium battery automatic backup system.

Back to top