Software for motor-drive development supports faster time-to-market

Toshiba Electronics Europe has updated and extended its design framework for BLDC and Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM) drives, adding new features that automatically capture motor parameters and simplify optimising settings. By easing these notoriously tough challenges when starting a new project, the latest tools accelerate application development and reduce time to market for energy-efficient variable-speed drives.

To help optimise the settings for FOC, the latest version of Toshiba's MCU Motor Studio (MMS v3.0) introduces a new technique for estimating rotor position based on flux observation. The flux observer combines the estimatedα and β-axis flux components to compute the rotor electrical position and reduces the complexity of the initial PI gain settings, as required for conventional position estimation methods used in PI control loops. This enables users to progress quickly in developing the motor application.

Accompanying MMS 3.0, the company has revealed a new tool, Motor Tuning Studio (MTS v1.0), which simplifies capturing motor and drive control parameters. MTS comprises firmware loaded on the motor MCU and an accompanying PC-based tool. The firmware calculates the rotor resistance, the d/q axis inductance, the moment of inertia, and magnetic flux. Created for the company's TMPM4K and TMPM3H MCUs, it also supports software vector control in normal motor-drive operation.

The companion MTS PC tool handles flux observation and calculates the PI gain parameters for current control, speed control, and position estimation. It creates a C header file containing these tuned parameters and generates the XML initialisation file needed for motor evaluation and drive development using MMS 3.0.

To accelerate drive development with the latest tools, the company has teamed up with MikroElektronika to provide the cost-effective Clicker 4 for the TMPM4K board, the Clicker 4 for the TMPM3H board and an inverter shield. The kit comprises a compact development board for the TMPM4K or TMPM3H MCU and the inverter shield. It requires no additional hardware to connect to a sensorless motor and begin evaluation.