by Sebastiano Grasso, Leonardo Agatino Miccoli, Giusy Gambino, Filippo Scrimizzi, STMicroelectronics, Catania, Italy The automotive landscape constantly evolves, driven by the increasing demand for automation, safety enhancements, and power efficiency. Within this dynamic environment, the deployment of DC motors in automotive body applications has gained significant prominence. These versatile motors find application in both traditional combustion…

Today’s industries are increasingly demanding process automation in all sectors. Automation results into better quality, increased production an reduced costs. The variable speed drives, which can control the speed of A.C/D.C motors, are indispensable controlling elements in automation systems. Depending on the applications, some of them are fixed speed and some of the variable speed drives.  The variable speed drives, till a couple of decades back, had various limitations, such as poor efficiencies, larger space, lower speeds, etc., However, the advent power electronic devices such as power MOSFETs, IGBTs etc., and also with the introduction of micro -controllers with many features on the same silicon wafer, transformed the scene completely and today we have variable speed drive systems which are not only in the smaller in  size but also very efficient, highly reliable and meeting all the stringent demands of various industries of modern era.