
SIP simplifies sensorless brushless DC motor control design
Renesas Electronics has launched two system-in-package (SiP) devices to simplify brushless DC (BLDC) motor control design for a wide range of cordless battery-powered applications such as power tools, drones, water pumps, vacuums, cleaning robots, fans, and other systems.
Combining multiple functions into the SiP allows the RAJ306001 and RAJ306010 motor drive ICs to provide improved low-speed or high-speed rotation and high torque control while minimising required board space and reducing system cost.
The RAJ306001 and RAJ306010 are single-package motor control ICs that control three-phase BLDC motors used in a wide range of battery-powered devices. The SIP devices integrate an RL78/G1F microcontroller (MCU) and pre-driver into an 8x8mm QFN package, as well as a charge pump, linear regulators, current detection, programmable slew rate control and BEMF detect circuitry for sensor-less operation. The input voltage range is 6 to 30V for the RAJ306001 and 6 to 42V for the RAJ306010.
The highly integrated SiP allows customers to eliminate as many as 30 external components shrinking the solution area by up to 50 percent and with lower control system costs. Integrated safety functions, including IEC 60730 safety standard support, can detect errors and halt the motor if an error occurs
The SIP devices are designed with heat management in mind with self-aligned dead time (SADT) to prevent the shoot through and offer adjustable pre-driver output current capacity up to 500mA. This can drives large capacity MOSFETs, which makes heat dissipation design easier. This also allows the controllers to drive MOSFETs at the optimum switching timing, reducing FET switching margin times to approximately 1/10 the time compared with conventional systems and enabling highly efficient motor drive control with reduced heat generation.
“Cordless devices offer many conveniences for users, and with the prevalence of motor-based devices such as power tools cutting the cord, demand is high for motor control solutions that deliver higher output levels, long-term operation, and safety improvements while adhering to size and cost constraints,” said Chris Stephens, Vice President of Communications & Motor Control, Industrial and Communications Business Division at Renesas.
“Smaller, lighter, and more reliable with long life than brushed DC motors, BLDC motors are a very effective solution to these challenges, and we are excited to introduce our new sensor-less motor control ICs, which pack the increased control, high-precision, and high-efficiency levels customers require in a smaller package,” he said.
Domel, a global supplier of electric motors, vacuum motors, blowers, and components, is integrating the new motor control IC technology into a cordless vacuum system.
“By combining Domel and Renesas technologies, we can provide customers complete, competitive and innovation solutions,” said Peter Korošec, President and CEO at Domel. “Our collaboration with Renesas allows us to offer our customers complete vacuum motor systems with best-in-class in performance, quality and reliability such as our first venture – a cordless vacuum solution with over 300W air power performance using our new BLDC vacuum motor and Renesas’ motor drive and battery management solutions that operates up to an hour at full speed between charges.”
The RAJ306001 or RAJ306010 SIP devices can be combined with Renesas’ analogue and power offerings to create comprehensive solutions for a variety of motor control applications.
A development kit (Renesas Solution Starter Kit, or RSSK) is also available for developers working on a motor control solution using the RAJ306010 ICs. The RSSK features a complete evaluation environment that includes a development board, motor, and reference firmware, simplifying motor control debugging and allows customers to immediately begin evaluating their motor control design, executing real-time analysis and tuning to accelerate development.
The RAJ306001 and RAJ306010 Motor Control IC and RAJ306010 RSSK are available now from Renesas’ worldwide distributors.
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