Dc/dc bricks, most recently showing their prowess with the quickly advancing eighth-brick, have many observers (including me on occasion) thinking the future of power conversion lies there. But that's just human nature working overtime, seeking out neat and tidy solutions for what's becoming a more complex subject. The issue of seemingly new, all-powerful and/or workhorse technologies is rather akin to the question that faced military strategists (and war-gaming buffs) after nuclear arms were first introduced, and was answered thusly: New weapons don't affect the principles of war. Similarly, the dc/dc brick is a valuable tool, but it can't carry all the load. That's because dc/dc conversion gets more involved as we go from the systems level toward distributed power and powering devices at the component level.

Interestingly, going from large to small is tied in with the same recurring theme in physics: Understanding a system becomes a lot more complicated as we go from the macroworld to the microworld. Or saying it yet another way, for every golfer-engineer: There's less room for error in putting the ball in the cup as you get closer to it.

For dc/dc converters, "tougher" includes delivering higher power in less real estate and doing it cost-effectively with the best topology. Let's also not forget that designers must deal with rising thermal stress on components. How do you to handle more heat in the smallest spaces? Even more than power delivery, understanding thermal issues is at the core of electronics, not to mention the universe.

Want to know more? Check out the dc/dc session during Wescon's Power Components Conference on Sept. 24. It will be moderated by ProductWeek executive editor Marty Gold. There's a lot of ground to cover. It'll be well worth your while.