There are a vast array of power supplies on the market, and the variety of resistor applications in those designs broaden the selection dramatically. So, for the purpose of this article, power supplies will be referred to as devices that have fixed DC outputs up to several kV.

 
Whatever the application, power supply designers must be aware of specific regulations on safety or the environment that apply to the area, as well as the actual electrical performance. Resistors play an important role in regulating the supply output and protecting the supply from faults.
 
The nomenclature of power supplies is often taken from whether the input is AC or DC, and what type of regulation is used to provide the correct DC output – normally switched mode or linear. Mains voltages usually power AC-DC supplies, while a DC-DC supply could be powered from a battery or any other DC power source. These DC-DC converters use switched mode technology to change the input voltage to a higher (boost) or lower (buck) output voltage.

 
Off-the-shelf power supplies are available for many markets and for general use, but in some cases a custom design is needed. Resistor manufacturers and suppliers such as Microhm Electronics has many years of experience in helping customers choose the correct component for every application. Microhm Electronics' FL-2 seires can be customized to fit all kinds of power supply applications.