| 1 | Safety and regulatory compliance | Model-specific safety certificates, test reports, and declarations for the intended market and application. | Confirm the exact model and end-use category are covered by applicable requirements, such as IEC 62368-1 for many audio/video and ICT products, IEC 60601-1 for medical electrical equipment, or IEC 61010-1 for measurement and laboratory equipment. Applicability depends on the product. | 20% |
| 2 | Electrical performance and compatibility | Datasheets and test results for input range, output regulation, ripple and noise, transient response, protection functions, and hold-up time. | Check performance against the actual load, system tolerances, and installation conditions. Verify the required input range; wide-range designs may, for example, specify 90–264 V AC, but this is not universal. | 15% |
| 3 | Efficiency and thermal performance | Efficiency curves across load levels, operating-temperature limits, derating curves, and thermal test conditions. | Compare units at equivalent output power, input voltage, load, and ambient temperature. Do not rely on a single peak-efficiency figure; check the load range used in the application. | 15% |
| 4 | Reliability and design life | Reliability calculations, component-life assumptions, temperature and derating guidance, failure-rate data, and field-performance information where available. | Review the calculation method and assumptions behind any MTBF figure, such as component stress and operating temperature. MTBF is a statistical estimate, not a guaranteed service life. | 12% |
| 5 | Quality management and production control | Current quality-management certificates, audit scope, traceability procedures, inspection plans, and corrective-action processes. | Check that the certificate is valid and covers the relevant manufacturing site and activities. ISO 9001 certifies a quality-management system; it does not certify the performance of a particular power-supply model. | 10% |
| 6 | EMC performance and documentation | Model-specific EMC reports, installation instructions, grounding guidance, and information about external filtering requirements. | Verify emissions and immunity performance against the standards and limits applicable to the finished product and its operating environment. Power-supply compliance alone may not establish compliance of the complete system. | 8% |
| 7 | Application fit and engineering support | Application notes, reference designs, samples, technical response process, and support for mechanical, electrical, or safety integration questions. | Assess whether the manufacturer can support the required form factor, cooling method, connectors, operating environment, and integration schedule. | 7% |
| 8 | Supply continuity and product lifecycle | Published lifecycle notices, change-control procedures, product-change notifications, lead-time information, and continuity planning. | Ask how component substitutions and end-of-life notices are managed, and whether customers receive sufficient notice and qualification information for changes. | 5% |
| 9 | Warranty and after-sales service | Written warranty terms, returns procedure, repair or replacement process, and technical-support contact channels. | Compare coverage, exclusions, response expectations, and service arrangements for the regions where the equipment will be installed. | 4% |
| 10 | Total cost of ownership | Quoted unit pricing, accessory and compliance costs, expected energy use, maintenance considerations, and logistics terms. | Compare cost over the expected operating conditions and project lifecycle rather than comparing purchase price alone. | 4% |