Introduction: The Electrical Safety Imperative in the AI Server Revolution
With the rapid advancement of large language models (LLM), computer vision, and multimodal AI systems, global demand for high-density computing resources is rising at an unprecedented rate. Cloud service providers and data centers of all scales are actively upgrading toward AI server deployments. This trend is not only driving a major transformation in data-center architecture but also pushing the entire supply chain into a new era in technology, manufacturing, and compliance validation.
As the AI market accelerates, what technical upgrades do AI servers require, and what challenges arise in electrical safety testing?
The Global AI Server Ecosystem: Taiwan's Manufacturing & Southeast Asia's Data Center Boom
Under the global expansion of AI infrastructure, Taiwan and Southeast Asia are forming a complementary and strategically significant dual-core ecosystem. Leveraging its mature ODM capabilities, Taiwan accounts for over 70% of the world’s AI server manufacturing capacity, supported by strong PCB, optical communication, thermal, and mechanical component supply chains. This enables Taiwan to meet project demands from chip giants such as NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel.
Meanwhile, Southeast Asia has rapidly emerged as a new hotspot for cloud and data-center investments. Countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia, supported by policy incentives and improved power infrastructure, are drawing hyperscalers like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon to expand their footprint. Working alongside companies like NVIDIA, these regions are also pushing forward sovereign AI and localized AI infrastructure, creating fast-growing demand for high-density servers, liquid-cooling systems, high-speed optical interconnects, and AI system integration.
However, as AI servers pursue higher density, higher power, and more complex cooling technologies, compliance with stringent international safety and reliability standards has become more crucial than ever. With power levels rising and liquid cooling accelerating, safety design and compliance have become essential prerequisites for entering global markets.
How Electrical-Safety-Testing Efficiency Influences AI Server Manufacturing Competitiveness
As AI server power consumption and thermal density surpass traditional server limits, manufacturers are pushing server performance to new heights. AI servers have also evolved from standalone hardware products into complete system-level solutions, driving customers to impose much stricter requirements for compliance and auditing. As a result, the electrical safety testing required during the production process of servers continues to grow in complexity.
All AI server suppliers are moving toward higher power, greater thermal density, and rapid, stable mass production to meet emerging market demands. Amid rapid technological innovation, ensuring long-term operational stability under high-voltage conditions becomes a critical challenge. Every server must pass safety testing before it can ship, and many enterprise buyers require official test reports as a prerequisite for procurement. Therefore, the ability to pass safety tests efficiently directly affects manufacturing productivity and overall market competitiveness.
Overview of IEC 62368-1 Safety Requirements for AI Servers
International safety certification for servers is primarily based on IEC 62368-1, a hazard-based safety engineering (HBSE) standard that ensures protection across electrical, thermal, fire, mechanical, and battery-related risks.
IEC 62368-1 serves as the core regulation for ICT and AV equipment, aligning with regional standards such as: EN 62368-1 (EU), UL / IEC 62368-1 (USA), GB 4943.1 (China)
Key electrical-safety tests include dielectric withstand voltage (Hi-Pot), leakage current, insulation resistance, and ensuring adequate separation between high- and low-voltage circuits and preventing hazardous currents on accessible metal parts.
- Summary table of IEC 62368-1 international safety certification test items and pass criteria:
| Test Item | Test Voltage / Current | Duration | Pass Criteria | Common Test Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dielectric Withstand Voltage (Hi-Pot) | 1000–3000 Vac / 1414–4242 Vdc | 1–4 s | No insulation breakdown | Primary → FG Primary → Secondary I/O metal → Primary |
| Insulation Resistance | 500 Vdc | 60 s | > 2 MΩ | Primary → Secondary Primary → FG Secondary → FG |
| Ground Bond | ≤ 40 A | 120 s | 0.1 Ω | AC inlet ground → farthest metal point on chassis PE → PSU chassis PE → fan housing PE → GPU metal parts |
| Leakage Current | Operating voltage ×110% | — | ES1: 0.5 mA ES2: 5 mA | Chassis I/O shielding Fan frame DC connector housing |
Conclusion: Compliance as a Strategic Asset for Global AI Deployment
These safety items highlight that, in an era of high-power, high-density architectures and liquid-cooling adoption, risk management and safety design have become as important as performance in AI server development. Manufacturers capable of delivering comprehensive safety, reliability, and environmental testing solutions can ensure smoother global deployment and meet the compliance demands of data-center and cloud operators worldwide.
The ability to combine technological innovation with full compliance will directly shape a supplier’s position in the AI server market. As a result, safety-testing capability is no longer just a cost—it is a strategic asset that builds trust, accelerates international adoption, and enables expansion into Southeast Asian and global markets.
