BLDC motors are highly efficient and growing in use in various applications such as robotics, electric vehicles, and drones. However, to extract optimal performance from these motors, the correct commutation technique is crucial. Commutation is the process of changing the direction of the current in the motor windings, which generates torque and rotates the motor. […]
Motor and Motion Control
SoC motor controllers incorporate 4 x 500 mA outputs
TDK Corporation has expanded its Micronas embedded motor controller portfolio with the first members of the new HVC 5x family of programmable system-on-chip (SOC) motor controllers for driving small stepper, brushed (BDC) and brushless (BLDC) motors in automotive and industrial applications. The new HVC 5x family represents an application-specific evolution of the popular HVC 4x […]
DC motor control family includes embedded gate driver and MCU engine
onsemi introduced its new ecoSpin family of brushless DC (BLDC) motor controllers. By combining the control and driver functions in a complete system-in-package (SiP) solution, onsemi simplifies the development of high-voltage motor control systems in applications such as HVAC, refrigeration, and robotics. The first member of the ecoSpin family to be launched is the ECS640A, a […]
IGBT-based power modules target 3-phase motor control, medium-power VFDs
Infineon Technologies AG has launched the IM523 series of the CIPOS Mini family. The highly efficient IPMs (intelligent power modules) are based on the new 600 V Reverse Conducting Drive 2 (RCD2) IGBT technology and come with an open emitter. The CIPOS IM523 series enables the integration of various power and control components to increase […]
GaN 3-phase BLDC motor drive delivers 20 A
EPC announces the availability of the EPC9176, a 3-phase BLDC motor drive inverter using the EPC23102 ePower Stage GaN IC with embedded gate driver function and two GaN FET with 5.2 mΩ typical RDS(on). The EPC9176 operates from an input supply voltage between 20 V and 80 V and can deliver up to 28 Apk […]
Single-package gate-driver/MCU targets battery-powered three-phase BLDC motors
Due to their numerous advantages, three-phase brushless DC (BLDC) motors are becoming the preferred choice for designing modern battery-powered motor products. However, reducing their size and weight to enhance ergonomics and extended battery life leads to design challenges. To help designers meet the end-market objectives, Infineon Technologies has launched the fully programmable motor controllers MOTIX IMD700A and […]
Torque sensor houses sensing head and electronics separately
Sensor Technology has extended its new range of torque sensors with a model that has the sensing head and electronics in separate housings. This has two advantages: the sensing head can fit into very confined spaces, and the electronics can be located in a position where they are protected from physical damage, dust, dirt, moisture, […]
Unipolar vs. Bipolar drive for stepper motors, Part 2: Tradeoffs
Stepper motors can be configured for unipolar or bipolar drive; each approach has different performance attributes and tradeoffs. The previous part of this article presented the basics of different coil windings and connections for unipolar and bipolar stepper-motor configurations. As in most engineering situations, the next questions are: what is the impact of these differences? […]
The brushed DC motor: Still a very viable option, Part 3: Drivers
Brushless DC and stepper motors may get more attention than the classic brushed DC motor, but the latter may still be a better choice in some applications. The attractiveness of brushed DC motors for some applications and the challenges of optimizing their performance has attracted vendors of special driver ICs which are well-suited for this […]
The brushed DC motor: Still a very viable option, Part 1: Operation
Brushless DC and stepper motors may get more attention than the classic brushed DC motor, but the latter may still be a better choice in some applications. Most designers looking to choose a small DC motor – a sub- or fractional-horsepower unit, typically – usually look initially at just two options: the brushless DC (BLDC) […]
