At the OCP Summit 2019, the Power Stamp Alliance (PSA), which is creating collaborative solutions for 48V-to-low-voltage on-board DC-DC power converters, today published a new specification for a controller stamp that will improve the usability of satellite power stamps while reducing the component count for server manufacturers. A controller stamp includes all the control functionalities of a main stamp and, in place of the power conversion, adds bias voltage rails, eliminating the need for additional DC-DC converters on the board to provide bias voltage rails.

A controller stamp built to the PSA specification published today provides all the bias voltage rails and control signals required by satellite stamps. It is ideal for servers, storage and computing systems where space near the processor is limited. The host system would only need to provide the 48 volt source rail for the controller and satellite stamps, removing the need for any primary and secondary bias voltages.

PSA 48V direct conversion DC-DC modules – or ‘power stamps’ – primarily target advanced IT equipment and large data processing installations, many of which follow the principles of the Open Compute Project (OCP). The Power Stamp Alliance is being represented at the OCP Summit 2019 by its Founding Members, Artesyn Embedded Technologies, Bel Power Solutions, Flex, and STMicroelectronics.

The Power Stamp Alliance (PSA) has announced that LoadSlammer, has joined the Alliance to bring the option for a consistent, standardised testing methodology to users of power stamps. This is the first time that a multi-vendor alliance around DC/DC power conversion has agreed a testing methodology and tools.

Design engineers will be able to use a common, consistent, and repeatable load to significantly reduce validation and integration time, speeding their end-product to market and reducing risk in the design process. LoadSlammer estimates up to 30% saving in development time depending on the user’s specific configuration.

Power Stamp Alliance Founding Members, Advanced Energy, Bel Power Solutions, Flex, and STMicroelectronics  have created and shared a specification for a standard product footprint and functions to create a multi-vendor ecosystem.

This assures practical levels of alternate source capability to server and storage system manufacturers, while encouraging a competitive supply chain through differentiation in topology, circuitry, and performance from multiple, independent manufacturers. Power Stamp Alliance 48V direct conversion DC/DC modules - or ‘power stamps’ - primarily target advanced IT and supercomputing equipment and large data processing installations.

LoadSlammer is an innovative company that can help accelerate design and validation timescales by providing independent test tools for dc-dc power modules. Using LoadSlammer technology enables electronics design engineers to thoroughly evaluate power stamp implementations on their circuit boards quickly and independently of any power solution or semiconductor vendor.

The compact and configurable LoadSlammer Test Tool suite allows designers of DC/DC power solutions, Power IC vendors, and ASIC/CPU manufacturers to collaborate, with measurable test data in an interchangeable format.