New smart motor control family offers integration and flexibility

Infineon Technologies AG has released its new IMD110 SmartDriver series. The smart motor controller family combines the iMOTION Motion Control Engine (MCE) with a three-phase gate driver in a compact package. The integrated gate driver is based on the company’s silicon-on-insulator technology, it can drive an extensive assortment of MOSFETs and IGBTs in variable speed drives. The family employs the latest MCE 2.0, which gives a ready-to-use motor and, optionally, PFC control. Applying the MCE for controlling the motor, customers can concentrate on their system design. Key target applications are motors in major home appliances as well as fans and pumps.

The company's MCE 2.0 implements highly efficient field-oriented control in sensorless or hall-based motor inverters. The wide operating voltage of the SOI gate driver addresses battery and mains powered motors and delivers market-leading robustness and reliability. An integrated voltage regulator facilitates several supply schemes and helps to deliver a reduced BOM. The devices are pre-certified for applications needing functional safety, according to UL/IEC 60730 (Class B).

The device variants are provided for motor drives with and without PFC control. Devices in LQFP-40 packages are in mass production, they are pin-compatible with LQFP-48 packages. Rapid prototyping of a drive inverter is facilitated through two new control boards for the iMOTION Modular Application Design Kit. The kit is a modular and flexible development platform offering a broad range of control and power board options for motor drive applications up to 1kW.