Motor Drivers Mobilize Mid-Power Applications

STMicroelectronics’ STSPIN830 and STSPIN840 single-chip motor drivers promise to simplify the design of low-to-mid-power motor controls in the 7V to 45V range. Both drivers provide flexible control logic and low-RDS(ON) power switches for industrial applications, medical technology, and home appliances.

 

The STSPIN830 for driving 3-phase brushless DC motors has a mode-setting pin that lets users control the three half bridges of the integrated power stage with direct U, V, and W pulse-width modulated (PWM) inputs, or by applying signals to each gate individually for higher control flexibility. A dedicated sense pin for each inverter leg simplifies setting up three-shunt or single-shunt current sensing for Field-Oriented Control (FOC).

 

The STSPIN840 can drive two brushed DC motors or one larger motor leveraging ST’s well-known, market-proven paralleling concept, which allows the integrated full bridges to be configured as two separate bridges or as a single bridge using the two sets of MOSFETs in parallel for lower RDS(ON) and higher current rating.

 

Both drivers contain include PWM current-control circuitry with adjustable off-time, a standby pin for power saving, and protection circuitry including non-dissipative overcurrent protection, short-circuit protection, under-voltage lockout, thermal shutdown, and interlocking. The integrated power stage of each device features ST-proprietary MOSFETs with an on resistance of 500 mΩ.

 

The STSPIN830 and STSPIN840 are both in production now, available in 4 mm x 4 mm QFN packages. Pricing for both starts from $1.25 each/1,000. Two STM32 Nucleo expansion boards are available: X-NUCLEO-IHM16M1 for the STSPIN830 and X-NUCLEO-IHM15A1 for the STSPIN840, both priced at $16. For further information, hit the STMicro motor-driver page.