As the modular DC-DC converter industry realizes greater power densities, proper thermal management must be achieved in order to get the most usable power to the load. Efficiency, while an important element in thermal management, is not the only item to consider. Dealing with the heat generated by the conversion process should not be underestimated nor overlooked when designing or selecting a power supply. All power product manufacturers specify the maximum operating temperature of their products. Product reliability and operating life are inversely proportional to operating temperature. Assuring a robust design requires that the temperature limit not be exceeded under any operating conditions and that sufficient margin be built in. This requires careful analysis, understanding of the application and verification through experimentation that the chosen thermal management approach can deal effectively with the environmental and load induced demands. The first step in this process is to determine the worst-case power dissipation that the system is likely to develop. Use the following equations to determine the efficiency of the converter over the desired operating range and the maximum loading the device will deliver. Conversion efficiency is defined as: