STMicroelectronics
The B-G431B-ESC1 Discovery kit is based on the STM32G431CB microcontroller, the L6387 driver and STL180N6F7 power MOSFETs, all from STMicroelectronics. The kit is composed of a main power board and a daughterboard with an embedded ST-LINK/V2-1 debugger.
The kit implements an electronic speed controller (ESC) which drives a single three-phase brushless motor performing a sensorless field-oriented control (FOC) algorithm and six-step control with speed regulation. It also provides an active braking function algorithm. The sensorless FOC algorithm ensures long operating time and optimal dynamic performance.
The Discovery kit accepts command signals from an external unit for driving and monitoring, such as a flight control board for a drone. The kit is equipped with several communication bus interfaces: UART, CAN, and PWM channels. A potentiometer and a user button are available for user control.
The daughterboard includes a 5 V battery eliminator circuit. The main board includes over-current, over-voltage and thermal protection.
The form factor makes this kit suitable for small and very light radio-controlled vehicles such as first-person view racing drones, while the motor-current capability fits the power requirement of larger vehicles such as prosumer drones.
The EVLPWD5T60 from STMicroelectronics is a 3-phase power board which allows engineers to evaluate the features of the PWD5T60 integrated motor driver IC.
The board supports a three- or single-shunt current sensing topology. A strip connector provides an easy interface to a microcontroller motor-control board. In addition, a 34-pin ST morpho header can be used to connect the EVLPWD5T60 board to an STM32 Nucleo MCU board through the X-NUCLEO-IHM09M1 motor-control expansion board.
Key features of the board include:
- High-voltage rail up to 400 V dc, limited by on-board bulk capacitor
- Peak output current up to 1.2 A
- Output power up to 120 W
- Input-voltage range: 9 V to 20 V
- Sensored or sensorless field-oriented control or 6-step algorithm
- Hall-effect sensor connector
- Smart shut-down over-current protection
- Bus voltage sensing