Robert Mammano is widely regarded as a pioneer in the power electronics industry. As a co-founder of Unitrode and a key figure in the development of PWM controllers, his writing carries the weight of decades of practical experience. His approach in this book is distinct: he treats the power supply not as a collection of perfect components, but as a system of interacting, non-ideal parts. The 2017 edition updates this classic knowledge for the modern era, incorporating advancements in wide-bandgap devices and digital control while retaining the fundamental physics that govern power conversion.
Robert A. Mammano’s 2017 technical guide, Fundamentals of Power-Supply Design, published by Texas Instruments, serves as a practical, engineering-focused primer on the essentials of designing reliable switch-mode and linear power supplies. Aimed primarily at practicing engineers and advanced students, the work synthesizes theoretical foundations, design methodologies, and hands-on practical considerations with an emphasis on real-world constraints such as electromagnetic interference (EMI), thermal management, component selection, and regulatory compliance.
Mammano classifies circuit configurations into specific functional categories: Fundamentals of Power Supply Design - IEEE Xplore
Lowest component count for low-power consumer electronics power bricks. 50 to 500 Watts Robert Mammano is widely regarded as a pioneer
: Each chapter includes references to specific Texas Instruments Power Supply Design Seminars for further research. Fundamentals of Power Supply Design: Robert A. Mammano
The text is designed to be accessible for students while remaining a rigorous reference for seasoned designers, providing essential equations and theoretical grounding alongside historical context from the industry. Amazon.com or details on a particular covered in this book? What are Flyback Transformers ?
: From basic buck/boost converters to complex resonant and bridge designs. Component Selection The 2017 edition updates this classic knowledge for
A theoretical design must survive the real world. The final sections of the 2017 text focus on practical execution. : Fast switching edges (
For decades, power electronics engineers relied on the application notes and seminar books distributed at Unitrode's annual educational programs. When Texas Instruments acquired Unitrode Corporation in 1999, they preserved and expanded this educational legacy.
No power supply works on paper alone. This section covers component selection (MOSFETs, diodes, capacitors, inductors), gate drive circuits, and—critically—printed circuit board (PCB) layout for low noise and thermal management. Mammano provides rules of thumb for minimizing parasitic inductance, managing ground loops, and placing decoupling capacitors. The inclusion of thermal design (junction-to-ambient, heatsinking, and airflow calculations) rounds out the practical focus. Published by Texas Instruments
: Explains why Switch-Mode Power Supplies (SMPS) are preferred over traditional linear regulators due to their superior thermal management and minimized energy loss. 2. Comprehensive Topology Selection
Robert A. Mammano’s Fundamentals of Power Supply Design (Texas Instruments, 2017) is a master class from a living legend. It does not promise to make the reader an overnight expert, but it provides a systematic, reliable pathway to competence. For the hardware engineer tasked with designing a 12V-to-3.3V buck converter for an IoT device, or for the recent graduate struggling to stabilize a flyback supply, this book offers clear, actionable guidance. While technology marches on, the fundamentals—magnetism, switching loss, loop stability, and thermal management—remain eternal. Mammano captures these fundamentals with an authority and clarity that will keep this volume relevant for decades to come. It is highly recommended for every power engineer’s bookshelf and a fitting legacy for one of the field’s great innovators.
Published on January 1, 2017, by Texas Instruments, is widely considered a definitive reference for power electronics engineers. Authored by Robert (Bob) A. Mammano—affectionately known as the "Father of the PWM Controller"—the book synthesizes over 40 years of technical expertise from the renowned Unitrode and Texas Instruments Power Supply Design Seminars . About the Author: Bob Mammano
Robert A. Mammano’s Fundamentals of Power Supply Design (2017) serves as a seminal technical compendium that bridges the gap between theoretical power electronics and practical engineering implementation. Published by Texas Instruments