Texas Instruments has introduced an innovative 3-phase, gallium nitride (GaN)-based inverter reference design. This would aid engineers to build 200-V, 2-kW AC servo motor drives and next-gen industrial robotics with fast-current-loop control, higher efficiency, more accurate speed, and torque control. 

 

The innovative reference design features TI’s newest LMG3410 600-V, 12-A GaN power module with an integrated FET, gate driver and protection, announced last year. The GaN module enables the design to switch up to 5 times faster than silicon FETs while achieving efficiency levels greater than 98% at 100 kHz and higher than 99% at 24 kHz pulse width modulation (PWM) frequency. 

 

 

The designers are free to use the module to optimize switch performance and reduce power loss as well as downsize the heat sink to save board space. Besides, operating the inverter at 100 kHz significantly helps in improving torque ripple when used with low-inductance motors.

Moving on, the company has also introduced its new DesignDRIVE Fast Current Loop software with innovative sub-cycle PWM update techniques. It helps push current-loop performance in servo drives to less than 1 microsecond thereby potentially tripling motor torque response.

 

In addition to the GaN module, the reference design relies on TI’s AMC1306 isolated delta-sigma modulators with current sensing to increase motor control performance. TI’s ISO7831 digital isolator also provides reinforced isolation between the MCU and the design’s six PWMs.

 

 

• High-efficiency power stage

• High pulse width modulation (PWM) frequency

• Fast switching transition

• Fast and easy PCB layout 

• Small form-factor design

 

 

Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) is a global semiconductor design and manufacturing company that develops analog integrated circuits (ICs) and embedded processors. By employing the world’s brightest minds, TI creates innovations that shape the future of technology. TI is helping approximately 100,000 customers transform the future, today.