Motor Control Development Kit Handles Dc Permanent Magnet, Ac Induction Types

Based on the recently announced 32-bit STR750 microcontroller, the STR750-MCKIT motor control kit from STMicroelectronics helps designers quickly develop high-performance vector-control applications. The kit includes all the needed hardware and firmware—including a 24-V dc permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) for initial evaluation—to allow users to be up and running within minutes and to continue the development of the target application. The kit can also be used for three-phase ac induction motors operating at up to 48 V.

The kit allows real-time control and monitoring via a PC-based graphical user interface, or standalone operation using on-board pushbuttons and trimmers. Segger/IAR J-Link emulation is included. The flash programming and real-time debugging capability allows the same hardware and firmware platform to be used from evaluation through to an advanced stage of development, eliminating the need for the user to build a platform before starting work on the target system. A debugger and programmer are also included.

The STR750 MCU employs an ARM7TDMI CPU core. Its rich embedded peripheral set includes a PWM timer with three-phase motor-control features, synchronized with a high-speed analog-to-digital converter designed to simplify the implementation of complex vector-mode projects. The kit includes optimized and fully documented C firmware libraries for the control of both types of motors, ensuring that most of the motor-control section of the application is already developed. The STR750-MCKIT is available now for $895, including the PMSM. An ac induction motor for use with the evaluation board can be ordered separately. For more information, visit www.st.com.