Development Kit aids in motor control design evaluation.

Press Release Summary:



Stellaris® Brushless DC Motor Control Reference Design Kit (RDK-BLDC) contains everything needed to evaluate and develop control designs for 3-phase brushless DC motors. Along with motor, this 4-quadrant controller is supplied with built-in CAN and Ethernet interfaces, graphical control program for Windows(TM), and 32-bit Stellaris LM3S8971 MCU with 256 KB single-cycle internal Flash. Accompanying cables, source code, and documentation are also included.



Original Press Release:



Luminary Micro's New Brushless DC (BLDC) Stellaris® Reference Design Kit Provides Networked Motion Control OEMs with a Time-to-Production Edge



Complete Kit Shows Unprecedented Integration of Brushless DC Motion Control and Industrial Networking

AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 15 -- Luminary Micro (http://www.luminarymicro.com/), creators of the award-winning Stellaris(R) family of ARM Cortex(TM)-M3-based microcontrollers (MCUs), today announced the immediate availability of a new Stellaris Reference Design Kit, the Stellaris Brushless DC (BLDC) Motor Control Reference Design Kit (RDK-BLDC) with Ethernet and CAN. Brushless DC motors offer efficient operation, excellent torque characteristics, and durability, and are particularly suited for use in factory automation, medical instruments, robotics, electric vehicles and mobility devices, pumping and ventilation systems, and small appliances. With built-in Controller Area Network (CAN) and Ethernet interfaces, the RDK-BLDC represents an industry benchmark in the integration of motion control with network-based communication, command, and control.

The Brushless DC Motor Control Reference Design Kit (RDK-BLDC) is a four-quadrant controller for three-phase brushless DC motors rated at up to 36 V, 500 W, and 60,000 RPM. Key features of the RDK include complete CAN and Ethernet network interfaces, a powerful 32-bit Stellaris microcontroller with 256 Kbytes of single-cycle internal flash memory, and embedded software to optimally control a wide range of motors in diverse applications. Reference design kits (RDKs) from Luminary Micro accelerate product development by pairing ready-to-run software and hardware with an included motor, and providing comprehensive documentation with all software source code and hardware design files. Designers without prior motor control experience can successfully implement a sophisticated motor control system using the BLDC RDK. Integrated CAN and Ethernet ports connect the RDK-BLDC to an array of network options-from dedicated industrial networks to worldwide control and monitoring over the Internet.

"Brushless DC motors are extremely popular because of their precision, quiet operation, and energy efficiency -- and the Stellaris Brushless DC Motor Control Reference Design Kit helps to streamline the complex combination of power, control, and connectivity functions for the benefit of anyone who utilizes the design," said Luminary Micro Chief Marketing Officer Jean Anne Booth. "We make it easy to adopt the Stellaris BLDC control module directly into end products for an extremely fast time-to-production advantage."

Everything Designers Need to Move from Evaluation to Fully Integrated Solution

The RDK-BLDC contains everything required to evaluate and develop brushless DC motor control designs. The kit includes a brushless DC motor control module featuring Luminary Micro's highly-integrated Stellaris LM3S8971 microcontroller with on-chip Ethernet MAC+PHY and CAN, a three-phase brushless DC motor, a graphical control program for Windows(TM), and accompanying cables, source code, and documentation. The Stellaris LM3S8971 microcontroller handles all PWM synthesis, position, and analog sensing as well as Ethernet and CAN networking. Only a few additional power ICs are necessary to complete the design. The entire circuit is built on a simple two-layer printed circuit board. The design includes an on-board braking circuit, optional power-managed fan for forced-air cooling, analog and digital control inputs, and screw terminals for all power and signal wiring. Interrupt-driven embedded software provides four quadrant operation for precise motor control using Hall effect, quadrature, or sensorless operation modes. The graphical control program allows users to experiment with varying drive parameters and observe the effect on motor performance.

Modular Design Also Available For Direct OEM Use

Luminary Micro also provides the Stellaris BLDC control module as a stand-alone product (MDL-BLDC) available in cost-effective volume quantities, providing OEMs a production-ready solution to immediately integrate BLDC motor drive controls directly into their respective end products.

Stellaris: Advanced Mechatronics MCUs with Integrated Motion-Specific Hardware

Over half of the 104 Stellaris microcontrollers available from Luminary Micro feature integrated motion-specific capabilities typically found only on costly specialty devices. In addition to a general purpose timer module that can be configured to operate as up to 8 pulse width modulation (PWM) outputs, these Stellaris family members integrate a special motion control module that provides up to six additional channels of PWM with enhancements for real-time motor control. The motion control module can generate simple PWM signals (such as those required by a simple charge pump), paired PWM signals with dead-band delays (such as those required by a half-H bridge driver), and a full six channels of gate controls (such as those required by a 3-phase inverter bridge). In addition, the motion module provides fault-condition handling to quickly shut down a motor in a low-latency situation. The motion module is complemented by up to two quadrature encoder inputs (QEI), providing precise position sensing for closed-feedback motion control. For detailed information on the features of each Stellaris family member, see the product selector guide (http://www.luminarymicro.com/psg).

Pricing and Availability

Available now through Luminary Micro's global sales channel(http://www.luminarymicro.com/sales) and online(http://www.luminarymicro.com/products/rdk_bldc.html):

-- USD 219 - Stellaris Reference Design Kit for Brushless DC Motors (RDK-BLDC)
-- USD 99 - Stellaris Brushless DC Motor Control Module (MDL-BLDC) (1Ku quantity)

Also available:
-- USD 379 - Stellaris Reference Design Kit for AC Induction Motors (RDK-ACIM) -- buy online at http://www.luminarymicro.com/products/rdk_acim.html
-- USD 199 -- Stellaris Reference Design Kit for Stepper Motors (RDK-Stepper) -- buy online at http://www.luminarymicro.com/products/rdk_stepper.html

About Luminary Micro and Stellaris

Luminary Micro, Inc. designs, markets and sells ARM Cortex-M3-based microcontrollers (MCUs). Austin, Texas-based Luminary Micro is the lead partner for the Cortex-M3 processor, delivering the world's first silicon implementation of the Cortex-M3 processor. Developed for use in embedded and industrial applications, Luminary Micro's introduction of the award-winning Stellaris(R) family of products provides 32-bit performance for the same price as current 8- and 16-bit microcontroller designs. With entry-level pricing at $1.00 for an ARM technology-based MCU, Luminary Micro's Stellaris product line allows for standardization that eliminates future architectural upgrades or software tools changes.

Stellaris and the Luminary Micro logo are registered trademarks of Luminary Micro, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. All other brands or product names are the property of their respective holders.

Luminary Micro Company Contact:
Jean Anne Booth / CMO / +1.512.917.3088 mobile / +1.512.279.8801 office / JeanAnne.Booth@LuminaryMicro.com

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