What’s How2Power.com?

A website created to help electrical engineers solve real-world design challenges in power management and power conversion as encountered in the design of power supplies and power systems.

Who can benefit from How2Power.com?

Anyone interested in power electronics may benefit from the information available at this site. However, How2Power.com was developed with the following engineers in mind.

• Power electronics specialists including power system designers and FAEs working for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and power supply vendors.
• Non-power specialists such as system designers seeking help with power design challenges in their applications
• Power component designers and field application engineers (FAEs)
• Distributor FAEs who assist customers with power system design
• Power electronics specialists and non-specialists (including scientists) working for military, governmental, or scientific research organizations
• University professors and students doing research or study in the field of power electronics

What does How2Power.com Offer?

Guidance. For many engineers, Google is the first stop when searching for help with power system design problems. However, performing keyword searches in Google or other general-purpose search engines doesn’t always produce satisfactory results. Search results frequently contain loads of irrelevant links, particularly when you’re looking for technical information.

When you’re searching for help with an electronics design problem, the results you want may be buried in a sea of product information or mixed in with design information that is too basic or general for your needs. When your search involves power electronics topics, generic search engine results frequently relate to the wrong types of power such as utility-level power and other non-electronic subjects. Moreover, the sheer volume renders many of the results unusable.

How2Power.com provides an alternative to these hit-and-miss keyword searches for power electronics information. Its unique search engine and database—the How2Power Design Guide—will help you locate practical design information on dozens and dozens of power electronics topics.

Using the How2Power Design Guide, you’ll access articles, papers, presentations, and videos from many different sources—trade journals, vendors, industry organizations, consultants, conferences, and more. You’ll search for information intelligently and quickly using menu-driven searches.

The How2Power Design Guide allows you to search for design information in one of these seven major categories

• Application
• Power Supply Function
• Design Area
• Topology
• Component
• Popular Topics
• Extreme Environments

Within each of these broad categories, there are more than 70 subcategories to help you refine your search. This typically provides you with multiple routes to finding relevant design information. For example, if you’re looking for information related to motor drive design in washing machines, you could select the “Application” category and the “Appliances/White Goods” subcategory. Or you might select, the “Power Supply Function” category and the “Motor Drives” subcategory. There are many possible search combinations and these can all be refined further with keyword searches.

What Do Search Results Look Like?

Search results are derived from a unique database created by the editor of How2Power.com. The data base contains listings of relevant information sources such as magazine articles, conference papers, white papers, presentations, and videos. In the database, each information source is tagged with the relevant category and subcategory tags used by the How2Power Design Guide and descriptive information about each information source is entered along with links to the sources.

To conduct a search using the How2Power Design Guide, the user selects one of the seven major category topics and one of the subcategory topics. A keyword can also be added to the search, if desired. After the user hits “search,” a results page appears with a list of article (or other source) titles. The user can click on each title to see details about the article including unique article summaries and How To statements. After reading the article information, users can click on a link to view the full article.

How To statements describe the practical value of the article (or other source) to the user. The How To statements help the user to quickly determine whether it’s worth reading the whole article or viewing the presentation or video.

How To statements may broad in scope or narrowly focused. Some addressed basic design issues and others, more advanced topics. Here are a few examples of How To statements:

• How to measure and analyze power supply stability
• How to evaluate the durability of Trench MOSFETs operating in the linear region
• How to apply active clamp technique to reset the transformer in a forward converter
• How to build a buck-boost converter for automotive applications

By default, every search brings up the list of article titles, which then provide access to the article summaries, How To statements, and links. However, users can opt to view a list of How To statements. By browsing the How To statements, users may identify the articles that address the specific design tasks or problems they are trying to address.

Power Around the Web

Maybe you’re not looking for specific information, but want to learn more about the wide array of resources available on power electronics topics. This section of the website points you to the many websites run by trade magazines, industry organizations, vendor websites, and academic and research institutions. Descriptions of these different sites will help you locate valuable sources of information you may need to do your job.

About the Editor

David G. Morrison, Editor/Publisher of How2Power.com, is a veteran technical writer and editor. Prior to founding How2Power.com, Morrison served as Editor-in-Chief of Power Electronics Technology (PET) magazine. At PET, Morrison reported and commented on the many technical developments and trends taking place in the power electronics field while working closely with industry experts to develop practical, in-depth power design articles.

In his tenure at PET, Morrison expanded the magazine’s offerings by creating a 30-year searchable archive of the magazine, a microsite and an ASBPE award-winning supplement devoted to digital power, and unique references such as the Power Management IC Wall chart (co-developed with the PSMA) and the Power IC Packaging Wall Chart.

Morrison also authored PET’s Lifetime Achievement Award articles, which documented the contributions of power electronics industry leaders and innovators such as Eric Lidow, Bob Mammano, Bruce Carsten, Ed Bloom, and Rudy Severns.

Prior to joining Power Electronics Technology, Morrison served as a Technology Editor at Electronic Design magazine where he reported on analog & power technologies, and as an associate editor at Electronic Products magazine, where he reported on analog ICs and other components.

Before becoming an editor, Morrison worked for several years as an electrical engineer at audio and RF electronics companies. Morrison received a BSEE from the University of Rochester. Email David Morrison.

Coming Soon

The How2Power newsletter will provide new, exclusive design articles and in-depth new power product information for engineers interested in power supply and power system design. Sign up now!

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to the following individuals and organizations who provided assistance and guidance in the development of this website:

• Michel & Susan Degive, Degive Enterprises, LLC
• Ashok Bindra, Technology Writer, Technika
• Rae Morrow, Creative Director, Wall Street Communications