Renesas offers motor-control reference platform

With an integrated power module, it is designed to drive any three-phase motor up to a 2kW rating using sensorless field-oriented control algorithms.

The platform comprises two microcontroller boards that are used to drive an inverter.

One MCU board uses a SH7125 in a 48-pin package.

This is suitable for developing low-cost, low-power motor controls aimed at consumer appliances.

The other MCU board uses a SH7286 that is capable of delivering 200MIPS.

More suited to high-power industrial designs, it features a number of connectivity options including CAN 2.0, USB, five SCI, one SSU and one IC channel.

Both MCU boards provide motor-control-specific safety mechanisms.

For example, the port-output-enable (POE) pins provide a fast and deterministic response time to ensure the safe and quick shutdown of the six driving signals, according to the company.

In addition, the MTU2 can detect any wrong PWM commands that may generate shortcuts, ensuring that the bridge is always protected.

Additionally, 22 registers are write-access protected to prevent any wrong software manipulation.

Finally, an 'output read-back feature' is available to detect any short circuit on external loads or circuit.

The user is able to read back the value of the output pins and rapidly trigger the internal watchdog circuit if any unexpected value is read back.

A serial-communications interface is intended to make it possible to calibrate the motor using an attached PC.

The following key control parameters are claimed to be easily tuned: rotor constant; stator phase resistance and inductance; and transient inductance.

Also, the proportional integral module coefficients and the acceleration and deceleration ramps can be tuned to suit the application requirements.

The MCRP06 offers a board connector for the E10A-USB on-chip debugging emulator to develop, simulate and debug any software running on the SH MCU.

The on-live debugging is possible during motor rotation.

High-voltage AC motors can be calibrated and driven by the MCRP06 and have their operating parameters modified in real time.

The MCRP06 uses advanced modulation techniques to reduce the switching losses by 33 per cent.

In addition, the MTU2 includes a dead-time compensation circuit to enable higher inverter efficiency.

Efficiency is improved by 15 per cent, typically.