Texas Instruments Debuts InstaSPIN-FOC Solution for Motor Control
Texas Instruments launched their InstaSPIN-FOC (field-oriented-control) solution. InstaSPIN-FOC enables designers to identify, tune and fully control (through variable speeds and loads) any type of three-phase, synchronous or asynchronous motor in five minutes or less. InstaSPIN-FOC is available now on the production-ready, 90 MHz, 32-bit floating point Piccolo F2806xF microcontrollers. Prices start at $6.70 USD per 10 Ku. InstaSPIN-FOC will be featured on several other Piccolo microcontrollers in the near future.
Texas Instruments’ InstaSPIN-FOC technology removes the need for a mechanical motor rotor sensor to reduce system costs and improves operation using TI’s new software encoder (sensorless observer) algorithm, FAST (flux, angle, speed and torque), embedded in the read-only-memory (ROM) on TI’s 32-bit C2000 Piccolo microcontrollers.
TI InstaSPIN-FOC Features and Benefits
- Save months of design time with nearly fully automated identification and control tuning, allowing designers to differentiate their products with capabilities beyond full motor torque
- Near encoder performance with embedded on-chip FAST observer algorithm calculating a reliable and robust estimation of flux, angle, speed and torque across use conditions. Accurate, sensorless estimator performance eliminates the need for a physical encoder in most cases
- Accommodate all three-phase motors, synchronous (BLDC, SPM and IPM) and asynchronous (ACI) with the same solution
- Identify and tune with off-line motor commissioning that identifies the needed electrical parameters of the motor, tunes the FAST algorithm, and initializes the current controllers for stable operation. An optional online resistance re-estimation mode which tracks changes for robust observer performance in the harshest use cases is also offered
- Eliminate start-up challenges of other sensorless techniques with built-in start-up modes and observer angle lock in less than one electrical cycle
- Slow speed performance with angle integrity preserved at steady state below 1 Hz (typical) with full torque, reversals through zero speed and stall conditions with smooth stall recovery
- Gain flexibility with the ability to implement a single function call FOC torque controller (supports up to two motors from the same ROM) or a completely custom control system with FAST as the motor sensor
- Allow most efficient motor sizing with built-in field control, providing manual or automated field-weakening (higher speeds) or manual field-boosting (higher torque) applications
- Gain massive energy savings for induction motors using the PowerWarp mode, eliminating energy waste during times when torque is not immediately required
- Develop easily and evaluate quickly using the new motor control library (modules, drivers, system examples, documentation) through MotorWare, which offers latest in C object-oriented and API-based coding techniques. Conduct lab instrumentation through TI’s free, new GUI Composer tool
More info: Texas Instruments InstaSPIN Motor Control Solutions
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