Countless consumer products use an integrated circuit power supply to protect memory chips and microprocessors. Regulating the current with an IC power supply keeps the devices from burning out, and allows the circuitry to run more efficiently.

IC power supply products differ in how they convert or regulate voltage. This impacts your products' costs, not just because of the IC power supply price, but also the cost to design and build your product to match up to that power supply. Consider three types of IC power supplies for your electronics' needs:

1. Obtain basic IC power supplies including charge pumps from an IC power supply distributor.

2. Order either linear or switching regulators from a manufacturer.

3. Obtain DC/DC or AC/DC converters from an IC power supply vendor.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Buy an IC power supply online

At the most basic level, IC power supplies adapt raw current for safe, controlled usage by electronic equipment. One step up from the most basic power supply are charge pumps that have a limited capability to increase, decrease or invert incoming current, then produce either regulated or unregulated current, depending on how the manufacturer configures their design.

I recommend: MVP Micro distributes IC power supplies to OEMs and contract manufacturers in a variety of transportation, communications and electronics industries. SemiconductorStore.com distributes IC power supplies from nearly three dozen manufacturers.

Swap up to a switching power supply IC

More precise than a charge pump, a linear regulator decreases the incoming charge to a lower, more controlled current. Use these smaller, cheaper IC power supplies in portable electronic products. Similar to charge pumps, switching regulators can increase or decrease the incoming electric charge as well as invert its polarity. However, they can handle higher voltages than charge pumps can. Compared to linear regulators, switching regulators are larger and more expensive.

I recommend: Rohm uses a proprietary production process to produce its line of linear and switching regulator IC power supplies. NEC Electronics provides linear, switching, and shunt regulators especially to automotive, industrial and consumer electronics customers worldwide.

Convert your current with an IC power supply manufacturer

Converters receive AC or DC current, depending on their specific configuration, and transmit regulated DC current for the electronic equipment in question. Use AC to DC converters for household electronics, and DC to DC converters for small computer peripherals like flash drives or automotive electronics.

I recommend: MicroPower Direct sells nearly 2,000 models of power converters and supplies. Wall Industries markets a full line of power conversion goods primarily for medical and military applications.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Know your own devices' specs before you buy a IC power supply online. Questions to answer include the device's application, size and its circuit board design, as well as electrical current level, source of electrical current and sensitivity to electronic noise.