Low-cost, brushless motor development in the palm of your hand

Texas Instruments has sponsored the following story

Traditional sensorless motor control development is complicated and unattainable for most developers due to cost, time and the constraints of dealing with real world applications.

The Texas Instruments' InstaSPIN™-FOC (Field-Oriented-Control) technology, with the key software sensor algorithms embedded in on-chip ROM, alleviates a lot of the system complexity for designers.  It also reduces design time by identifying, tuning and efficiently controlling any type of 3-phase, synchronous or asynchronous motor in just minutes. By including InstaSPIN-FOC technology in the on-board Piccolo™ F28027F MCU, the new $17 USD C2000 InstaSPIN-FOC LaunchPad dramatically reduces the barriers to entry for motor control development.

This new technology reduces system cost by removing the need for a mechanical motor rotor sensor.  TI's new software encoder (sensorless observer) software algorithm, FAST™ (flux, angle, speed and torque), is embedded in the read-only-memory (ROM) of Piccolo devices to improve operation. This enables premium solutions from RC cars to HVAC systems, and even electric vehicles. TI's software encoder improves motor efficiency, performance and reliability in all variable-speed and load-motor applications.

The TI's InstaSPIN motor control solutions have software architectures designed with the flexibility to allow for a variety of configurations including: using the library only for feedback; a fully abstracted sensorless FOC torque or torque and speed loop with only minor user control adjustments; or a fully customizable control system.

The BoosterPack
The BOOSTXL-DRV8301 BoosterPack is ideal for designers who need to learn about sensorless brushless control techniques and drive stage design. The BoosterPack provides a complete 3-phase drive stage to evaluate motor applications, such as those in an assembly robot or a 3D Printer. It is a 10A, 3-phase brushless DC drive stage based on the DRV8301 pre-driver and CSD18533Q5A NextFET™ power MOSFET. This kit was designed to work with any TI MCU 40-pin LaunchPad, with primary software support using MotorWare™ to support the InstaSPIN-FOC sensorless control solution.

The module has 3x low side current sense amps (2 internal to DRV8301, 1 external). It also has a 1.5A step down buck converter, is fully protected with short circuit, thermal, and shoot-through protection, and is easily configured via a SPI interface.

The BOOSTXL-DRV8301 boosterpack brings out a combination of power, control, and feedback signals to the TI MCU LaunchPad headers. 

Breakthrough motor control technology with TI's InstaSPIN™-FOC LaunchPad and BOOSTXL-DRV8301 motor drive BoosterPack can provide efficient and high- performance sensorless FOC motor design that is affordable and easy.

Texas Instruments has sponsored promotion of their industrial communications solutions on ENGINEERING.com. They have no editorial input to this post - all opinions are mine. Sarhan Musa