Advanced Motor Control Tool

May 10, 2017

Jennifer Shuttleworth

Microchip Technology Inc.'s (Chandler, AZ) advanced motor control software plug-in for MPLAB X Integrated Development Environment (IDE) features auto tuning and self-commissioning capability. The plug-in, called motorBench Development Suite, is a graphical user interface (GUI)-based tool with automatic tuning of feedback control gains and offline accurate measurement of critical motor parameters such as resistance, inductances and the back electromagnetic force constant. This plug-in collects all the information relevant to the motor control system and automatically tunes the control algorithm gains. The software then uses this information to generate MPLAB X IDE project code ready to run on Microchip’s dsPIC33EP family of digital signal controllers. The generated code can then be reviewed and edited as needed and flashed as motor control firmware. The motorBench Development Suite is currently available using Microchip’s dsPICDEM MCLV-2 development board with a dsPIC33EP256MC506 external op amp motor control plug-in-module and a 24-V 3-phase brushless DC motor with encoder.