Achieve the most efficient brushless motion control with L6229Q and STM32F091RC
Drive smarter, not harder!
Published Feb 26, 2024
Click board™
Brushless 17 Click
Dev Board
Nucleo-64 with STM32F091RC MCU
Compiler
NECTO Studio
MCU
STM32F091RC
Fully integrated three-phase BLDC motor driver with overcurrent protection
A
A
Hardware Overview
How does it work?
Brushless 17 Click is based on the L6229Q, DMOS fully integrated three-phase BLDC motor driver with overcurrent protection from STMicroelectronics. It combines a three-phase bridge, which consists of 6 power MOSFETs. Switching patterns are generated by the PWM current controller and the hall-effect sensor decoding logic, representing a combinatory logic that provides the appropriate driving signals for the three-phase bridge outputs (1, 2, and 3). Drive signals are coming from the three hall sensors, H1, H2, and H3, appliable on the upper-left header reserved for the Hall sensor connection. These hall sensors detect rotor position in a 3-phase BLDC motor. The L6229Q can perform PWM current control with an analog reference voltage at its VREF pin. This control can be achieved using a PWM signal from the mikroBUS™ socket or applying an external reference voltage. When using the PWM signal from mikroBUS™, leave the R10 resistor
populated. This is a straightforward way of obtaining a variable voltage without using a DAC, using a low-pass filter to filter the PWM signal. Alternatively, an external voltage supply on the VREF pin can obtain a fixed reference voltage. This board also provides a tachometer function, a TACH output signal, which can be used to implement a simple frequency-to-voltage converter (speed loop control). Brushless 17 Click communicates with MCU using several GPIO pins. The Enable pin, labeled as EN and routed to the CS pin of the mikroBUS™ socket, optimizes power consumption used for power ON/OFF purposes (performs Start and Stop controls of the motor operation), while the AN pin labeled as BRK allows users to implement the brake function. The F/R pin, routed on the RST pin of the mikroBUS™ socket, is used to select the direction of motor rotation (forward/reverse). Besides, it is possible to detect operational irregularities, such as
overcurrent and thermal detection, where an indication of such a condition is performed using the red LED indicator labeled as ERROR routed on the INT pin of the mikroBUS™ socket, labeled as DIA. This board supports an external power supply for the motor, which can be connected to the input terminal labeled INPUT and should be within the range of 8V to 52V, while the BLDC motor coils can be connected to the terminals labeled 1, 2, and 3. This Click board™ can operate with both 3.3V and 5V logic voltage levels selected via the VCC SEL jumper. This way, it is allowed for both 3.3V and 5V capable MCUs to use the communication lines properly. However, the Click board™ comes equipped with a library containing easy-to-use functions and an example code that can be used, as a reference, for further development.
Features overview
Development board
Nucleo-64 with STM32F091RC MCU offers a cost-effective and adaptable platform for developers to explore new ideas and prototype their designs. This board harnesses the versatility of the STM32 microcontroller, enabling users to select the optimal balance of performance and power consumption for their projects. It accommodates the STM32 microcontroller in the LQFP64 package and includes essential components such as a user LED, which doubles as an ARDUINO® signal, alongside user and reset push-buttons, and a 32.768kHz crystal oscillator for precise timing operations. Designed with expansion and flexibility in mind, the Nucleo-64 board features an ARDUINO® Uno V3 expansion connector and ST morpho extension pin
headers, granting complete access to the STM32's I/Os for comprehensive project integration. Power supply options are adaptable, supporting ST-LINK USB VBUS or external power sources, ensuring adaptability in various development environments. The board also has an on-board ST-LINK debugger/programmer with USB re-enumeration capability, simplifying the programming and debugging process. Moreover, the board is designed to simplify advanced development with its external SMPS for efficient Vcore logic supply, support for USB Device full speed or USB SNK/UFP full speed, and built-in cryptographic features, enhancing both the power efficiency and security of projects. Additional connectivity is
provided through dedicated connectors for external SMPS experimentation, a USB connector for the ST-LINK, and a MIPI® debug connector, expanding the possibilities for hardware interfacing and experimentation. Developers will find extensive support through comprehensive free software libraries and examples, courtesy of the STM32Cube MCU Package. This, combined with compatibility with a wide array of Integrated Development Environments (IDEs), including IAR Embedded Workbench®, MDK-ARM, and STM32CubeIDE, ensures a smooth and efficient development experience, allowing users to fully leverage the capabilities of the Nucleo-64 board in their projects.
Microcontroller Overview
MCU Card / MCU
Architecture
ARM Cortex-M0
MCU Memory (KB)
256
Silicon Vendor
STMicroelectronics
Pin count
64
RAM (Bytes)
32768
You complete me!
Accessories
Click Shield for Nucleo-64 comes equipped with two proprietary mikroBUS™ sockets, allowing all the Click board™ devices to be interfaced with the STM32 Nucleo-64 board with no effort. This way, Mikroe allows its users to add any functionality from our ever-growing range of Click boards™, such as WiFi, GSM, GPS, Bluetooth, ZigBee, environmental sensors, LEDs, speech recognition, motor control, movement sensors, and many more. More than 1537 Click boards™, which can be stacked and integrated, are at your disposal. The STM32 Nucleo-64 boards are based on the microcontrollers in 64-pin packages, a 32-bit MCU with an ARM Cortex M4 processor operating at 84MHz, 512Kb Flash, and 96KB SRAM, divided into two regions where the top section represents the ST-Link/V2 debugger and programmer while the bottom section of the board is an actual development board. These boards are controlled and powered conveniently through a USB connection to program and efficiently debug the Nucleo-64 board out of the box, with an additional USB cable connected to the USB mini port on the board. Most of the STM32 microcontroller pins are brought to the IO pins on the left and right edge of the board, which are then connected to two existing mikroBUS™ sockets. This Click Shield also has several switches that perform functions such as selecting the logic levels of analog signals on mikroBUS™ sockets and selecting logic voltage levels of the mikroBUS™ sockets themselves. Besides, the user is offered the possibility of using any Click board™ with the help of existing bidirectional level-shifting voltage translators, regardless of whether the Click board™ operates at a 3.3V or 5V logic voltage level. Once you connect the STM32 Nucleo-64 board with our Click Shield for Nucleo-64, you can access hundreds of Click boards™, working with 3.3V or 5V logic voltage levels.
Brushless DC (BLDC) Motor with a Hall sensor represents a high-performance motor from the 42BLF motor series. This motor, wired in a star configuration, boasts a Hall Effect angle of 120°, ensuring precise and reliable performance. With a compact motor length of 47mm and a lightweight design tipping the scales at just 0.29kg, this BLDC motor is engineered to meet your needs. Operating flawlessly at a voltage rating of 24VDC and a speed range of 4000 ± 10% RPM, this motor offers consistent and dependable power. It excels in a normal operational temperature range from -20 to +50°C, maintaining efficiency with a rated current of 1.9A. Also, this product seamlessly integrates with all Brushless Click boards™ and those that require BLDC motors with Hall sensors.
Used MCU Pins
mikroBUS™ mapper
Take a closer look
Schematic
Step by step
Project assembly
Start by selecting your development board and Click board™. Begin with the Nucleo-64 with STM32F091RC MCU as your development board.
Track your results in real time
Application Output via Debug Mode
1. Once the code example is loaded, pressing the "DEBUG" button initiates the build process, programs it on the created setup, and enters Debug mode.
2. After the programming is completed, a header with buttons for various actions within the IDE becomes visible. Clicking the green "PLAY" button starts reading the results achieved with the Click board™. The achieved results are displayed in the Application Output tab.
Software Support
Library Description
This library contains API for Brushless 17 Click driver.
Key functions:
brushless17_set_duty_cycleThis function sets the PWM duty cycle in percentages ( Range[ 0..1 ] ).brushless17_switch_directionThis function switches the direction by toggling the DIR pin state.brushless17_get_diagnostic_pinThis function returns the DIAG pin logic state.
Open Source
Code example
This example can be found in NECTO Studio. Feel free to download the code, or you can copy the code below.
/*!
* @file main.c
* @brief Brushless17 Click example
*
* # Description
* This example demonstrates the use of the Brushless 17 click board by driving the
* motor in both directions at different speeds.
*
* The demo application is composed of two sections :
*
* ## Application Init
* Initializes the driver and performs the click default configuration.
*
* ## Application Task
* Controls the motor speed by changing the PWM duty cycle every 500ms.
* The duty cycle ranges from 40% to 80%. At the minimal speed, the motor switches direction.
* Each step will be logged on the USB UART where you can track the program flow.
*
* @author Stefan Filipovic
*
*/
#include "board.h"
#include "log.h"
#include "brushless17.h"
static brushless17_t brushless17;
static log_t logger;
void application_init ( void )
{
log_cfg_t log_cfg; /**< Logger config object. */
brushless17_cfg_t brushless17_cfg; /**< Click config object. */
/**
* Logger initialization.
* Default baud rate: 115200
* Default log level: LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG
* @note If USB_UART_RX and USB_UART_TX
* are defined as HAL_PIN_NC, you will
* need to define them manually for log to work.
* See @b LOG_MAP_USB_UART macro definition for detailed explanation.
*/
LOG_MAP_USB_UART( log_cfg );
log_init( &logger, &log_cfg );
log_info( &logger, " Application Init " );
// Click initialization.
brushless17_cfg_setup( &brushless17_cfg );
BRUSHLESS17_MAP_MIKROBUS( brushless17_cfg, MIKROBUS_1 );
if ( PWM_ERROR == brushless17_init( &brushless17, &brushless17_cfg ) )
{
log_error( &logger, " Communication init." );
for ( ; ; );
}
if ( BRUSHLESS17_ERROR == brushless17_default_cfg ( &brushless17 ) )
{
log_error( &logger, " Default configuration." );
for ( ; ; );
}
log_info( &logger, " Application Task " );
}
void application_task ( void )
{
static int8_t duty_cnt = 4;
static int8_t duty_inc = 1;
float duty = duty_cnt / 10.0;
brushless17_set_duty_cycle ( &brushless17, duty );
log_printf( &logger, "> Duty: %d%%\r\n", ( uint16_t )( duty_cnt * 10 ) );
duty_cnt += duty_inc;
if ( 8 == duty_cnt )
{
duty_inc = -1;
}
else if ( 3 == duty_cnt )
{
duty_inc = 1;
duty_cnt = 4;
log_printf( &logger, " Switch direction\r\n\n" );
brushless17_switch_direction ( &brushless17 );
}
if ( !brushless17_get_diagnostic_pin ( &brushless17 ) )
{
log_info ( &logger, " An overcurrent or overtemperature event has occured " );
}
Delay_ms ( 500 );
}
int main ( void )
{
/* Do not remove this line or clock might not be set correctly. */
#ifdef PREINIT_SUPPORTED
preinit();
#endif
application_init( );
for ( ; ; )
{
application_task( );
}
return 0;
}
// ------------------------------------------------------------------------ END
