Back to News & Events Frequently Asked Questions
Whether you’re sourcing a custom MIL-STD power supply, an IEC 60601-1 compliant power supply for a medical device, or a custom industrial power module for an OEM platform, these are the questions our engineering and procurement contacts ask most often, organized around how a program actually moves from initial requirement to qualified production.
About Horizon PSS
What does Horizon PSS do? Horizon PSS designs, manufactures, and supplies power supplies and power conversion systems for mission-critical and regulated industries: military, medical, space, and industrial. We work as both a manufacturer of custom and semi-custom power systems and, for select product lines, an authorized reseller of established off-the-shelf products. Most engagements start with a program requirement, not a catalog number.
How is Horizon PSS different from a catalog power supply distributor? Distributors sell what’s on the shelf. Horizon PSS takes design ownership: architecture-level compliance integration, mechanical and electrical adaptation to your program, and qualification support from prototype through full-rate production (FRP). Where an off-the-shelf unit is genuinely the right fit, we’ll say so, but our core value is solving the problems standard modules can’t.
What industries does Horizon PSS serve? Military (airborne, naval, and ground systems), medical devices, space and aerospace, and industrial applications including 3D printing, robotics and automation, CNC and machinery, and laser systems. Each vertical has distinct standards, environments, and qualification paths, and our engineering approach is built around those differences rather than a one-size-fits-all product line.
Does Horizon PSS only build custom hardware, or do you also sell standard products? Both. We manufacture custom and semi-custom power systems as our primary focus, and we also resell select standard product lines from established manufacturers where a proven off-the-shelf solution meets your requirement. We’ll help you determine which path, custom, semi-custom, or standard, actually fits your program’s technical and budget requirements.
Custom vs. Semi-Custom vs. Off-the-Shelf
When does my project need a custom or semi-custom power supply instead of an off-the-shelf unit? Custom or semi-custom makes sense when your form factor, environmental envelope, EMI/safety standard, or lifecycle requirement falls outside what a standard module supports, which is common in military, medical, and space programs. Semi-custom (adapting an existing platform’s mechanical, thermal, or interface characteristics) is often the fastest path when a fully custom NRE program isn’t justified. We’ll assess your requirement against existing platforms before recommending a build-from-scratch design.
What’s the difference between “semi-custom” and “fully custom” in practice? Semi-custom starts from a proven baseline design and modifies specific elements, such as connector interface, mechanical footprint, input/output range, or a targeted compliance addition, with lower NRE and shorter lead time. Fully custom starts from your requirements document and builds architecture, topology, and mechanical design from the ground up. Both paths carry the same qualification rigor; they differ in starting point, cost, and schedule.
Can you adapt an existing design to fit a new mechanical envelope or connector interface? Yes: this is one of the most common semi-custom requests we receive, particularly for form-fit-function replacements and legacy system upgrades. We evaluate the baseline platform’s electrical margins first to confirm the adaptation won’t compromise performance or compliance before quoting.
Do you support drop-in replacements for obsolete or discontinued power supplies? Yes. Form-fit-function replacement for obsolete units is a standing capability, particularly for military and industrial platforms where the original supplier has discontinued a part. We reverse-engineer the electrical and mechanical interface and can often deliver a semi-custom replacement without requiring a redesign of your host system.
RFQ, NRE, and the Procurement Process
What information do you need from us to issue an RFQ? At minimum: input/output requirements, environmental conditions (temperature, altitude, vibration, shock as applicable), relevant compliance standards, mechanical envelope or connector constraints, expected volumes, and program schedule. The more of your requirements document you can share upfront, the more accurate the initial quote and schedule will be. If you don’t yet have a complete spec, we can help scope it during the RFI stage.
What is included in your NRE (non-recurring engineering) costs? NRE typically covers design engineering, prototyping, EMI/environmental pre-compliance testing, documentation (schematics, BOM, test reports), and first-article qualification support. We scope NRE transparently against your specific requirement rather than quoting a flat fee. Ask for an NRE breakdown with any custom quote so you can see exactly what’s covered.
How long does a typical custom or semi-custom program take, from RFQ to first delivery? Timelines depend heavily on scope: semi-custom adaptations of an existing platform are generally faster than fully custom designs, and programs requiring full military or medical qualification testing add schedule. We provide a realistic program timeline, including qualification milestones, as part of every custom quote rather than a generic lead time.
Do you provide a defined compliance pathway as part of the quote, or is that scoped separately? It’s part of the quote. For regulated programs, we outline the applicable standards, the qualification test plan, and expected documentation deliverables (test reports, DHF-supporting documentation for medical, qualification data packages for military) alongside the technical and pricing proposal, so procurement and engineering can evaluate schedule and compliance risk together, not after award.
What are the most common mistakes companies make when submitting an RFQ for a custom power supply? The most frequent issues are incomplete environmental specs (temperature range without altitude or vibration data), unclear compliance scope (naming a standard without the specific test level or class), and underestimating qualification schedule. Sharing your full requirements document, even in draft form, and flagging your compliance authority (military program office, FDA, launch provider, etc.) early prevents rework later in the quoting cycle.
Can you support both low-volume prototype runs and full production-rate volumes? Yes. Our engagement model is built around program lifecycle, prototype, pilot, and full-rate production (FRP), under the same design and qualification baseline, so you’re not re-qualifying a different product when volume scales up.
Military
What military standards does Horizon PSS design to? Common standards include MIL-STD-461 (EMI/EMC) and MIL-STD-810 (environmental conditions), along with program-specific requirements for airborne, naval, and ground applications. We take qualification ownership across the lifecycle, from prototype through FRP, rather than handing you a datasheet and leaving compliance verification to your team.
What’s the difference between DO-160 and MIL-STD requirements for airborne power systems? DO-160 is the civil/commercial airworthiness standard for avionics equipment, while MIL-STD-461/810 are the defense environmental and EMI standards; airborne military programs may require compliance to one, the other, or both depending on the platform and procuring authority. We assess which standard (or combination) applies to your specific airborne program during the RFQ stage, including altitude derating considerations.
Do you support naval and ground military systems as well as airborne? Yes, our military capability spans airborne (UAVs and avionics), naval, and ground systems, each with distinct environmental and EMI qualification requirements that we account for in the design phase.
Can Horizon PSS manage EMI risk and qualification documentation for a military program, or do we need a separate compliance vendor? We manage EMI risk and qualification documentation as part of the program, including configuration control and PCN (Process Change Notification) discipline through the product’s operational life. The goal is to remove compliance ownership as a burden on your program team.
Medical
What medical compliance standards does Horizon PSS design to? Primary among them is IEC 60601-1 for medical electrical equipment safety, including MOPP/MOOP (Means of Patient/Operator Protection) requirements and leakage current limits. We also align documentation practices with ISO 13485 to support your quality system and audit needs.
What is MOPP/MOOP, and how does it affect my power supply selection? MOPP and MOOP define the isolation and protection levels required between a medical device’s power source and the patient or operator, based on the device’s intended contact and use environment. Getting this classification wrong early can force a redesign later in your device’s regulatory submission, so we work through the MOPP/MOOP requirement with you during initial scoping rather than after a unit is built.
Do you provide documentation that supports our FDA submission (DHF)? Yes, we provide audit-ready documentation aligned with Design History File (DHF) needs for medical device submissions, including test reports and traceability records generated during qualification.
Can you build custom medical-grade power systems, or only supply standard IEC 60601-compliant modules? Both. We design custom and semi-custom medical power systems for devices with non-standard form factor, isolation, or performance requirements, in addition to supporting standard compliant modules where appropriate.
Space
Does Horizon PSS design power systems for space and aerospace applications? Yes. Space program work factors in radiation considerations, thermal vacuum environments, launch vibration loads, and long mission-lifecycle planning, requirements that differ substantially from terrestrial military or industrial designs.
How do you address radiation tolerance and thermal vacuum requirements in space-rated designs? These are addressed at the architecture stage: component selection, derating, and thermal design account for the vacuum environment and mission radiation profile from the start, rather than being retrofitted onto a terrestrial design. Specific tolerance requirements are scoped against your mission profile and orbit/duration during RFQ.
Industrial
What industrial applications does Horizon PSS support? 3D printing, robotics and automation, CNC and precision machinery, and laser systems: applications where continuous operation reliability, dynamic load stability, and production scalability matter more than the lowest unit cost.
Why would an industrial OEM need a custom power supply instead of a standard module? Standard modules often can’t handle the dynamic load profiles of robotics and automation, the precision power stability CNC and laser systems require, or the mechanical integration constraints of embedded OEM designs. Custom and semi-custom designs let us match the power system to your actual load profile and enclosure rather than making your mechanical design accommodate a generic module.
Can you support production scalability as our industrial program grows from prototype to volume manufacturing? Yes, production scalability is a core part of our industrial engagement model, with the same design and qualification baseline carried from initial units through full production volume.
Lifecycle, Obsolescence & Ongoing Support
What happens if a component in our power supply is discontinued mid-program? We manage this through configuration control and PCN (Process Change Notification) discipline: component and process changes are tracked, evaluated for impact, and communicated proactively rather than surfacing as a surprise. Where a redesign is unavoidable, our obsolescence management process is built to minimize requalification scope.
How does Horizon PSS handle long-term production continuity for programs with multi-year lifecycles? Long-term continuity is planned for at the design stage: component selection, sourcing strategy, and documentation are built around your program’s expected lifecycle, not just initial production. This is particularly important for military and medical programs where the fielded system may need supported power hardware for a decade or more.
Do you provide ongoing engineering support after a design is qualified and in production? Yes, our lifecycle responsibility model covers qualification ownership, EMI risk management, and compliance documentation support that continues through production, not just through initial delivery.
What is a PCN, and will I be notified before a change affects my qualified design? A PCN (Process Change Notification) is formal notice of a material, process, or component change that could affect form, fit, function, or compliance status. Configuration control and PCN discipline are standard practice on our programs, so customers are notified and given the opportunity to assess impact before a change is implemented in production.
Still Have Questions?
If your program has requirements this page doesn’t address, our engineering team can review your specification directly and scope a compliance pathway and quote. [Contact Horizon PSS’s engineering team] to get started, or submit your requirements for an RFQ.
