New STMicroelectronics BLDC Controller-STSPIN32F0B

This article focuses on BLDC controller-STSPIN32F0B from Stmicroelectronics.Not long ago STMicroelectronics released this new high-integration BLDC controller.

Before we know more about Stmicroelectronics 'STSPIN32F0B, we need to know something.

1. Types of DC MOTOR

DC motor can be divided into three categories: brushed DC motors, stepper motors, and brushless DC motors.

2.What is the DC motor

The most straightforward variety is the brushed DC motor.

If you want to make it turn,  you just need to do is provide a voltage—the polarity reversal needed to keep the motor rotatingis provided by the brushes, which produce a series of physical connections and disconnections.

3.Advantages of BLDC MOTOR 

The availability of convenient controller ICs is a good thing, not only because it makes engineers’ works a little easier, but also because it allows more systems to benefit from the superior performance provided by brushless motors. Compared to brushed DC motors, BLDC motors are more efficient, more compatible with high-precision control techniques, and more durable.

They also produce less electrical noise, because there are no brushes to create high-energy connection/disconnection transients. In some cases, using A BRUSH-FED DC motor may not be possible at all—the commutation transients create sparks that would presumably be dangerous in facilities that might contain explosive fumes (I can’t say for sure, though—I’ve never worked in an explosive environment).

4.What is the stepper motor

There is not brushes in Stepper motors；they rotate by applying a specific sequence of control voltages.

Steppers are ideal when you need to perform precise rotation with discrete steps, and they are usually limited to low-power applications.

Brushless DC (BLDC) motors combine characteristics of brushed DC motors and stepper motors. Commutation is achieved electrically, as with stepper motors, but BLDC motors, like brushed DC motors, are designed for continuous rotation of higher-power. You can read more about brushless DC motors in this article on sensorless BLDC control.

Integrated Circuits for BLDC Systems

Controlling a BLDC motor is not a particularly easy task. The drive voltages must be carefully controlled according to the information of the position sensor or the back electromotive force of the motor. It’s not surprising,  that IC manufacturers have created devices that greatly simplify the task of BLDC control.

Ok, after the introduction of the relevant motor knowledge, I think we can now introduce about the STSPIN32F0B.

The STSPIN32F0B from STMicroelectronics is a system-in-package that includes a microcontroller, a gate driver, a DC/DC converter, a linear regulator, and an operational amplifier.

HOW POWERFUL IS STSPIN32F0B

If there is an upper limit to the amount of power that can be integrated into a single motor control IC, I think STMicro is getting close. 

I’m not saying that this is necessarily fantastic, because as far as i am concerned extremely high levels of integration are sometimes a bit overwhelming, but if a system-in-package is the type of BLDC motor controller that you’re looking for, the STSPIN32F0B is a good place to start.

The device is packaged with 7mm 7 mm vfpn48, including：

1.three-phase gate drivers with integrated bootstrap diodes,

2.a 32-bit microcontroller built around an Arm Cortex-M0 core,

3.a DC/DC converter, which generates a 3.3 V supply that powers the 4.microcontroller and is available to external components,

5.a low-dropout linear regulator that powers the gate drivers,

6.a rail-to-rail-output operational amplifier that can be used for current sensing, and

7.a comparator that can provide overcurrent protection by monitoring the load current and comparing it to a threshold set by the microcontroller.

The STSPIN32F0B device also features overtemperature and undervoltage lockout protections and can be put in the standby mode to reduce the power consumption. The device provides 20 general-purpose I/O ports (GPIO) with the 5 V tolerant capability, one 12-bit analog-to-digital converter with up to 9 channels performing conversions in a single-shot or scan modes, 5 synchronizable general-purpose timers and supports an easy to use debugging serial interface (SWD).

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