Discovery Kits and Firmware Kickstart Digital Power and Motor Control Projects
STMicroelectronics has extended support for STM32G4 microcontrollers, delivering digital power and motor control Discovery Kits and adding new firmware examples in the latest STM32CubeG4 software package (v 1.1.0) to help users explore control of digital power supplies and motors for applications such as race drones, prosumer drones, and small electric vehicles.
The B-G474E-DPOW1 Discovery Kit is a complete digital-power platform containing a STM32G474RE MCU, a buck-boost converter with on-board resistive loads, a high-brightness RGB LED controller for lighting-power designs, user LEDs and buttons, flexible power and data connections, and debugging support.
Users can explore the power of the MCU's filter-math accelerator (FMAC) to handle functions like 3p/3z compensation and ensure high efficiency across the load range, and digital slope compensation to free CPU cycles in lighting applications for instance. The kit can also help engineers attending digital power supply workshops, such as those presented by ST partner Biricha Digital Power, to maximize the value of the training.
The B-G431B-ESC1 Discovery Kit is a complete reference design for electronic speed control (ESC) for 3-phase BLDC and PMSM motors up to 40A. Containing a STM32G431CB MCU and a 3-phase motor-driver stage with STripFET F7 power MOSFETs, it can handle either sensor less field-oriented control (FOC) or six-step commutation. On-board features include electrical and thermal protection, interlocking high-side/low-side drivers, and support for motor sensors and three-shunt current sensing.
The small form factor allows hobbyists, for instance, to detach the STLINK daughter board and use the controller directly in their applications. The kit is supported in the X-CUBE-MCSDK v5.4.1 motor-control SDK and targets drones, small electric vehicles, and radio-control vehicles powered by up to 6S LiPo battery pack for instance.
The STM32G4 series is now also adding a new package in the STM32 portfolio: the LQFP 128 pin 14x14, the first package over 100 pins in the STM32 G4 series, which gives users more flexibility to handle I/O-intensive tasks within same foot print as current LQFP100 package. With rich analog features as well as high-resolution timers, dual-bank flash for secure live firmware upgrade, low power consumption in dynamic mode (160µA/MHz), and a 125°C maximum (ambient) temperature option, the STM32G4 MCUs are strongly featured for motor-control, digital-power, and instrumentation applications across consumer and industrial segments.
Combining a 170MHz Arm® Cortex®-M4F core with proprietary innovations such as ST's adaptive real-time ART Accelerator™, CCM-SRAM Routine Booster, and the new FMAC and trigonometric CORDIC hardware accelerators, this powerful MCU series delivers superior whole-application and real-time performance on an efficient power budget.
The B-G474E-DPOW1 digital-power Discovery Kit (RRP $59.00) and B-G431B-ESC1 for electronic speed control ($18.00) are available now at www.st.com and through distributors.
