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Writer: STMicroelectronics
The STSPIN32G4 integrates a three-phase gate driver, an STM32G431, and an influence administration system beneath one package deal to unravel main engineering challenges, thus enabling new purposes. Whereas ST continues to supply STSPIN motor drivers, we additionally realized that engineers nonetheless face a number of conundrums. Designers wish to run extra highly effective purposes however should additionally shrink their PCBs and scale back prices. Equally, purposes demand extra effectivity, however enhancing it by a number of decimal share factors stays a wrestle. ST engineers thus launched the STSPIN32G4 as a result of no different built-in motor controller provided such a robust mainstream MCU and such a versatile energy administration system.
STSPIN32G4 and the primary problem: The right way to make issues extra highly effective in a smaller design?
Extra energy beneath one roof
Let’s take the instance of an engineer engaged on a high-end vacuum cleaner with a high-speed motor. The MCU contained in the STSPIN32G4 will stand out, on this occasion, due to its computational throughput. A lower-performance CPU core means a decrease conversion fee when designing a field-oriented management (FOC) sensorless utility. The engineer within the vacuum cleaner instance must use two or three shunt resistors to compensate for the MCU’s decrease efficiency. However, the higher computational throughput means a single shunt is ample. Consequently, utilizing the STSPIN32G4 permits the creation of a robust utility with fewer elements.
Extra peripherals in a single system
A workforce engaged on a collaborative robotic or a guided car would additionally respect the MCU within the STSPIN32G4 for causes apart from the bump in DMIPS. On this occasion, engineers should drive two units of wheels, however conventional motor controllers don’t have sufficient analog-to-digital converters to deal with such a activity. Consequently, engineers find yourself utilizing two motor drivers. The STSPIN32G4 is exclusive as a result of it offers two units of PWM timers and 12-bit ADCs, amongst different issues. It, subsequently, turns into attainable to drive two motors with only one built-in system.
Saving 65% house
Whereas it’s inconceivable to enumerate all of the options within the STSPIN32G4, the fact is that its built-in nature is likely one of the greatest methods to unravel the house problem. Motor management purposes are more and more smaller, whether or not for comfort, prices, or to face out higher. Because of its built-in nature, the STSPIN32G4 helps scale back the general design dimension by 65% in comparison with discrete options. Virtually, it permits engineers to place the management system in the back of the motor and design a a lot smaller e-bike, vacuum cleaner, or energy software, amongst different issues.
STSPIN32G4 and the second problem: the way to make issues extra power environment friendly whereas preserving prices down?
A extra environment friendly energy administration
In keeping with our benchmarks, utilizing the brand new system lowers the general energy consumption by 3% to five% in comparison with a system that makes use of exterior elements. A saving of only a single p.c already has a big impression. ST supplied such energy effectivity by bringing the everyday standby consumption to solely 15 µA due to a really low-quiescent regulator. Therefore, we anticipate engineers to create considerably extra compact designs while not having an exterior cooling system, thus reducing the BoM.
The motor controller additionally helps a provide voltage of as much as 75 V, in comparison with solely 48 V beforehand. Moreover, the STSPIN32G4 comes with an over-current safety mechanism and a drain-source voltage (VDS) monitoring system that acts as a redundancy. It displays the exterior MOSFETs and turns all gate driver outputs off if it detects an over-voltage situation. Consequently, we anticipate engineers to make use of the STSPIN32G4 in home equipment. Certainly, a white good related to a grid typically suffers from large voltage variations from the mains. The higher provide voltage vary and safety options of the brand new system will higher deal with these irregular situations.
A extra versatile energy administration
Engineers typically shrink back from built-in options, fearing they could prohibit their optimization capabilities. Therefore, ST ensured a excessive degree of customization. As an illustration, builders can program registers by an I2C interface to make use of the STSPIN32G4’s VCC buck converter. Furthermore, we revealed an utility be aware displaying the way to use the buck regulator in a buck-boost configuration by including a number of exterior elements. Lastly, engineers can bypass the buck and LDO regulators to depend on solely an exterior Vcc provide.
Groups that designed a extremely exact energy provide to fulfill the stringent necessities of their utility can, thus, ignore the STSPIN32G4 regulators. In distinction, others can simplify their designs by utilizing its VCC buck converter to energy a number of exterior elements, like a reminiscence module. Equally, builders can select to allow or disable the standby mode. Such a characteristic is significant for merchandise like energy instruments. When customers choose a drill after months and even years, they need to use it instantly. In such a case, engineers will wish to utterly disconnect their system from the battery to maximise its utilization.
Engineers additionally get much more flexibility in how they drive a motor. They may use a 6-step driver circuit or a field-oriented management, each with or and not using a sensor and with one, two, and even three shunts. It offers builders the power to regulate how a lot measurement information they collect. Consequently, it additionally turns into attainable to qualify an STSPIN32G4 and use it in many various purposes, which can assist an organization shorten its time to market and optimize its operations.
The right way to get began
ST launched two growth boards to allow groups to check and experiment with the STSPIN32G4. The EVSPIN32G4 makes use of STL110N10F7 energy MOSFETs and a warmth sink to permit an output present of as much as 20 A RMS. Consequently, groups can push the brand new gadgets to develop extra highly effective designs. Nevertheless, ST can be aware that not each designer will use the STSPIN32G4 in high-powered programs. Therefore, we’re additionally launching the EVSPIN32G4NH, the same growth board with out passive cooling; NH on the finish of the nomenclature stands for “no warmth sink”. We additionally up to date the X-CUBE-MCSDK to help the brand new boards and gadgets.
Extra not too long ago, our groups launched two reference designs. The EVLSPIN32G4-ACT drives a three-phase brushless motor supporting as much as 5 ARMS and may handle a provide enter of 48 V for a shocking 250 W complete energy in a board measuring solely 62 mm x 50 mm. Moreover, it may well hook up with the STWIN.field (STEVAL-STWINBX1) to quickly create a high-speed information logger. Because of our FP-IND-DATALOGMC software program pack and Fast Begin Information, engineers have a step-by-step course of to attach each boards and run purposes that may collect information from the sensors on the STWIN.field and the motor itself. We even provide a GUI to assist visualize the data.
The opposite board is the EVSPIN32G4-DUAL, which mixes the STSPIN32G4 and the STDRIVE101, a triple half-bridge gate driver. Consequently, the board can drive two three-phase brushless motors for as much as 10 ARMS output present and a provide of 74 V thanks to 2 energy phases. Because of the operational amplifiers of the STSPIN32G4, it’s attainable to have a sensor-less system with a single shunt present sensing or use Corridor sensors and encoders with the embedded MCU. Put merely, the reference design reveals the way to create a robust twin motor utility in a small issue for house home equipment, e-mobility, pumps, instruments, and extra.
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