The book is slightly showing its age in a few sections. It focuses heavily on traditional silicon MOSFETs and bipolar transistors. There is minimal discussion of wide-bandgap tech (GaN, SiC) which has exploded in the last 5 years. Also, digital power control (PMBus, etc.) gets a brief mention but not the deep dive some engineers need today. That said, the fundamentals of magnetics, control loops, and topology never change—you can apply Mammano’s lessons directly to GaN designs with only minor adjustments.
The Ultimate Guide to the Fundamentals of Power Supply Design
Use simulation tools (like PSPICE or LTspice) to check loop stability before prototyping, but always verify with a frequency response analyzer on real hardware.
A detailed book review covering specific chapters (Topologies, Magnetics, Stability) is hosted on EDN . fundamentals of power supply design mammano pdf link
Opens the same content in full screen. What's it about? A comprehensive guide to power supply design, covering voltage regulation, Amazon.com Safety Considerations in Power Supply Design
Occasionally, TI offers the ebook through their Education Store. As of 2024-2025, they have moved to a "Chapter by Chapter" free model, but corporate bulk licenses exist. Email ti_power_education@ti.com .
Best for low-power applications (under 100W). It uses a coupled inductor to store energy during the switch-on time and release it during switch-off. The book is slightly showing its age in a few sections
Robert "Bob" Mammano is a pioneer in the power electronics industry. In 1975, he co-founded Silicon General and designed the , the world’s first integrated pulse-width modulation (PWM) controller integrated circuit (IC). This single innovation revolutionized power conversion, making switching power supplies smaller, more efficient, and commercially viable. Mammano later spent decades leading the famous Unitrode (later Texas Instruments) Power Supply Design Seminars, which trained generations of engineers. Core Pillars of Power Supply Design
This is the heart of the text. Using clear block diagrams and waveform drawings, Mammano walks through the three basic non-isolated topologies:
For isolated applications—where the input and output must be electrically separated for safety—designers use , Forward , Push-Pull , Half-Bridge , or Full-Bridge topologies. Control Loops and Feedback Also, digital power control (PMBus, etc
Understanding why current mode control is often preferred for its inherent line feed-forward and easier loop compensation. 4. Component Selection and Stress Analysis
Have you read the book or used Mammano’s seminar notes? Share your favorite chapter or lesson in the discussion below.
Never skimp on transformer design; it dictates overall efficiency.
Robert Mammano gave the world the PWM controller and the design wisdom to use it. While the perfect does not legally exist as a single, free file, the information does.