Actel Launches Motor Control Reference Design

Actel Corp. has announced the availability of SmartFusion intelligent mixed signal FPGA reference designs targeting motor control applications. The reference designs, implemented in a single SmartFusion device, illustrate Field Oriented Control (FOC) using various feedback methods for permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs). SmartFusion devices, which integrate an FPGA, a hard ARM Cortex-M3 microcontroller and programmable analog, are uniquely suited for motor control applications and enable the designer to optimize the hardware/software partitioning for optimum motor efficiency and performance.

The reference designs showcase a single A2F500 device controlling up to four axes of PMSMs simultaneously using the complex FOC algorithm with sufficient FPGA resources and bandwidth remaining for additional custom logic. Designers can now take advantage of the already proven reference designs, which include source code, resulting in faster time to market for their own applications.

The reference design package includes an example of FOC implementation using space vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM) on the SmartFusion device while using various feedback methods such as optical encoders and Hall effect sensors. A sensorless reference design (using back-electromotive force (back-EMF)) is currently under development and will be made available to all customers who purchase the reference design kit when it is released, at no additional charge. All the designs have the option to communicate to the host via Ethernet, enabling remote monitoring and control, as well as easy migration to Ethernet-based industrial protocols.

Key features of the reference design include complete source code in C and Verilog; torque, speed and direction control; field oriented control for 3-phased PMSM; multi-axis control; Hall effect, encoder and sensorless feedback; critical fault detection using hardware; communication via Ethernet; quadrature encoder inputs (QEI) in hardware; space vector PWM generation with dead band; hardware/software partitioned for optimum result; programmable FPGA for flexibility and upgrade; and programmable ADC for flexible triggering.

Actel has partnered with motor control experts at Power and Control Design Inc. in the development of the motor control reference designs enabling the demonstration and benchtop development of world class motor control products.

Actel motor control reference design

Actel

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