Programmable Power Supplies for Test, Validation and Production

TMG Test Equipment supplies programmable power supplies from Regatron and Kepco Dynatronix to laboratories, test fields and production lines across Australia. The range covers DC sources, regenerative bidirectional DC systems, electronic loads and four-quadrant AC grid simulators. Output scales from benchtop units to systems above 5 MW, with DC voltage ranges up to 3000 VDC. TMG has partnered with both manufacturers for more than ten years.

Why programmable power supplies matter for power supply validation

A device under test rarely sees steady power in service. Batteries sag under load, PV arrays shift with irradiance and AI server racks move between idle and peak demand in fractions of a second. A programmable source reproduces those conditions on demand. As a result, engineers can repeat a test exactly, log the response and prove performance before a product ships or a site is energised.

Regenerative systems add a further advantage. Instead of burning absorbed energy as heat in a resistive load, they return it to the supply. Therefore long-duration cycling and burn-in tests become practical in facilities with limited cooling capacity.

Where programmable power supplies are used

• Battery and EV: cell, module and pack cycling with the Regatron G5.BT, plus battery emulation for BMS and charger testing with the G5.BAS.
• Solar and inverters: PV array simulation with low output capacitance for MPPT efficiency testing (G5.SAS and TC.P).
• Grid simulation: four-quadrant AC with the TC.ACS for smart grid, grid impedance and inverter compliance testing, from 30 kVA to beyond 2 MVA.
• Fuel cells and drivetrains: fuel cell simulation and testing with the G5.UNV and G5.RLD, plus drivetrain inverter testing with the G5.DT.
• Production and ATE: Kepco Dynatronix linear supplies where switching noise would interfere with the load, bipolar source/sink supplies for four-quadrant work and programmable DC for integration into automated test systems.

AI data centre power testing and HVDC testing

AI workloads are changing how data centres distribute power. Rack architectures are moving to higher DC voltages, including 400 VDC and 800 VDC systems, and server loads now swing hard and fast. In addition, each power supply unit and power shelf must be validated against those load profiles before deployment.

Regatron specifies its G5.RSS series for AI server power testing. It validates PSU efficiency, voltage stability and transient response, and simulates rack-level load profiles at the power shelf. Transient response is rated at 50 to 100 µs, with ripple modulation up to 10 kHz. Because the G5 platform extends to 3000 VDC, the same system also supports HVDC testing at current and emerging data centre bus voltages.

Power validation sits at the construction phase of the data centre lifecycle. Network and fibre certification follows at commissioning. TMG supplies both, so one partner covers power infrastructure validation through to network certification. See our DCI & Enterprise solutions for the network side.

Local supply, calibration and support

Every system is supplied and supported from our Clayton South facility in Victoria, with business development staff in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. Our team helps specify the right topology, power rating and control interface for the test, however simple or complex the configuration. After installation, the Calibration & Repair Centre keeps equipment in service.