I am building a 3D printer as a way to learn more about electronics. Most plans use the 12VDC rails of an ATX power supply. Since I am not in a hurry and would like to learn and apply electronic concepts, I plan to build my own power supply. I can build a 120VAC->{1.2 to 32}VDC power supply with a step-down transformer, full-wave bridge rectifier (diodes), a filter (big capacitor), and a rectifier (eg LM338 with potentiometer and heat sink). It seems like ATX power supplies are much more complicated than this. There are extra transformers, ICs, and bifilar inductor(s). Are these other components necessary?
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