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Programmable Power Supplies are used wherever variable dc voltage and current are required. They are found in automated test systems, test departments, research and development departments, and laboratories, hence they are often referred to as "laboratory power supplies", "bench power supplies", or "variable power supplies".

These units have control knobs on the front to vary both the dc voltage and current at the output, and in addition to these front panel controls, programmable power supplies are often used where remote control and monitoring facilities are needed. Therefore, all the units supplied by CP Power & Automation Ltd have analogue remote control and monitoring as standard, along with the option for an installed IEEE488.2 (GPIB) interface card with LabVIEW driver, for networking and linking to a PC. Some units also have RS232 or RS485 built in as standard.

Important features include overvoltage protection, and adjustable current limit to inhibit accidental setting of levels which might damage the equipment being powered. Many units can also be set to the correct levels "offline" and then the output switched on once the levels are correct.
An area of growth at the moment for programmable power supplies is the Automotive sector where consideration of increased voltages in Vehicles (e.g. 42Vdc) has prompted investment in test equipment to research and test at these increased voltage levels. All units can be provide as bench top units or as rack mounted units with front plates for incorporation into a cabinet.

CP Power & Automation provide units with voltage ranges from 0 - 6Vdc up to 0 - 600Vdc, and with current ranges from 0 - 0.5A up to 0 - 1000A. In terms of power these range from 30W units up to 32kW units which can also be operated in parallel or master/slave modes up to 2MW.