Unleash the potential of your BLDC motors with MCP8063 and STM32F091RC
Synchronize and conquer with brushless
Published Feb 26, 2024
Click board™
Brushless 4 Click
Dev. board
Nucleo-64 with STM32F091RC MCU
Compiler
NECTO Studio
MCU
STM32F091RC
Our BLDC solution empowers you to achieve unparalleled motor performance, increasing efficiency and productivity
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Hardware Overview
How does it work?
Brushless 4 Click is based on the MCP8063, a 3-phase brushless sinusoidal sensorless motor driver from Microchip. This IC has many features that make it a perfect choice for driving a wide range of small to medium BLDC motors. The MCP8063 requires a low count of external components due to its high degree of integration. It provides the rotor position digital output via the FG pin, routed to the mikroBUS™ INT pin, also labeled as FG on the Click board™ itself. The rotation speed control is implemented via the PWM pin of the mikroBUS™, routed to the PWM input pin of the IC. One of the most distinctive features of the Brushless 4 click is the 180° sinusoidal drive, which provides more torque and better efficiency than the more commonly used 120° driver topology. As mentioned above, the PWM signal can be used to control the motor speed. The duty cycle controls the rotor's speed, while the PWM signal's frequency doesn't affect the rotation speed and can vary between 20 Hz and 100 kHz. When the PWM input is at the HIGH logic level, the motor's rotational speed will be at a maximum. When the PWM input stays at the LOW logic level, the motor is stopped. Toggling between HIGH and LOW logic
states will result in the rotor turning at a specific speed, which depends on the duration of the HIGH logic level state. The PWM pin is routed to the same named pin of the mikroBUS™, conveniently allowing the MCU to provide the required PWM signal. Another method of controlling the motor speed can be implemented by varying the voltage of the motor power supply, which is connected via the input screw terminal, labeled as VBAT. This voltage can range from 2V up to 14V. The power supply has to be connected to the input terminal, as this terminal provides power for both the output stage of the MCP8063, as well as for the internal logic circuit (through the internal voltage regulator). The motor's rotational speed and phase can be determined using the FG pin. This pin acts like the Hall-effect sensor output, providing information about the motor's speed and phase to the host MCU via the mikroBUS™. The FC pin is pulled up with the onboard resistor. When the lock-up or desync condition appears, this pin is set to a high impedance mode, which is pulled to a HIGH logic level - because of the pull-up resistor. When the rotor is blocked, or it loses synchronization, an internal lock-up section
detects this condition and ties the coils to GND, effectively discharging the rotor with minimal self-heating. After a time-out, another attempt is made to run the rotor. If it is still blocked, another lock-up event is detected, and another time-out period is initiated. This way, the rotor is protected from overheating. As already mentioned, the MCP8063 IC features current limit protection. The maximum current is internally limited to 1.5A. This limitation prevents overheating of the motor coils and protects the output stage transistors. A good practice is always keeping the power consumption lower than the maximum specified, ensuring enough overhead. The thermal protection protects the IC when it reaches 170°C, with a hysteresis of 25°C before the restart is attempted, meaning that the IC has to be cooled down to 145°C. The output three-pole screw terminal is used to connect the motor phases. It is labeled with A, B, and C, allowing connecting of the three poles BLDC motors which do not require more than 1.5A (when the internal overcurrent limit is triggered). Brushless 4 Click supports only 3.3V MCUs and is not intended to be connected or controlled via the 5V MCU without proper level shifting circuitry.
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
Click board™ 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
1. Application Output - In Debug mode, the 'Application Output' window enables real-time data monitoring, offering direct insight into execution results. Ensure proper data display by configuring the environment correctly using the provided tutorial.
2. UART Terminal - Use the UART Terminal to monitor data transmission via a USB to UART converter, allowing direct communication between the Click board™ and your development system. Configure the baud rate and other serial settings according to your project's requirements to ensure proper functionality. For step-by-step setup instructions, refer to the provided tutorial.
3. Plot Output - The Plot feature offers a powerful way to visualize real-time sensor data, enabling trend analysis, debugging, and comparison of multiple data points. To set it up correctly, follow the provided tutorial, which includes a step-by-step example of using the Plot feature to display Click board™ readings. To use the Plot feature in your code, use the function: plot(*insert_graph_name*, variable_name);. This is a general format, and it is up to the user to replace 'insert_graph_name' with the actual graph name and 'variable_name' with the parameter to be displayed.
Software Support
Library Description
This library contains API for Brushless 4 Click driver.
Key functions:
brushless4_set_duty_cycle- This function sets the PWM duty cyclebrushless4_pwm_start- This function starts PWM modulebrushless4_pwm_pin- This function sets the state of the PWM pin
Open Source
Code example
The complete application code and a ready-to-use project are available through the NECTO Studio Package Manager for direct installation in the NECTO Studio. The application code can also be found on the MIKROE GitHub account.
/*!
* @file
* @brief Brushless 4 Click example
*
* # Description
* This Click has many features for driving a wide range of small to medium BLDC motors.
* It provides the rotor position digital output, via the FG pin, routed to the mikroBUS INT pin.
*
* The demo application is composed of two sections :
*
* ## Application Init
* Initializes the GPIO driver
* and configures the PWM peripheral for controlling the speed of the motor.
*
* ## Application Task
* This is an example that demonstrates the use of a Brushless 4 Click board.
* Brushless 4 Click communicates with the register via the PWM interface.
* Increases and decreasing the speed of the motor demonstrate speed control.
* Results are being sent to the Usart Terminal where you can track their changes.
*
*
* @author Nikola Peric
*
*/
// ------------------------------------------------------------------- INCLUDES
#include "board.h"
#include "log.h"
#include "brushless4.h"
// ------------------------------------------------------------------ VARIABLES
static brushless4_t brushless4;
static log_t logger;
// ------------------------------------------------------ APPLICATION FUNCTIONS
void application_init ( void )
{
log_cfg_t log_cfg;
brushless4_cfg_t cfg;
/**
* 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.
brushless4_cfg_setup( &cfg );
BRUSHLESS4_MAP_MIKROBUS( cfg, MIKROBUS_1 );
brushless4_init( &brushless4, &cfg );
brushless4_set_duty_cycle ( &brushless4, 0.0 );
brushless4_pwm_start( &brushless4 );
log_info( &logger, "---- Application Task ----" );
Delay_ms ( 1000 );
}
void application_task ( void )
{
static int8_t duty_cnt = 1;
static int8_t duty_inc = 1;
float duty = duty_cnt / 10.0;
brushless4_set_duty_cycle ( &brushless4, duty );
log_printf( &logger, "Duty: %d%%\r\n", ( uint16_t )( duty_cnt * 10 ) );
Delay_ms ( 500 );
if ( 10 == duty_cnt )
{
duty_inc = -1;
log_printf( &logger, " Slowing down... \r\n" );
}
else if ( 0 == duty_cnt )
{
duty_inc = 1;
log_printf( &logger, " Increasing the motor speed... \r\n" );
}
duty_cnt += duty_inc;
}
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
