Motor-control MCUs include AI-based failure detection, predictive maintenance

Renesas Electronics Corporation announced the extension of its microcontroller (MCU) portfolio designed for motor control applications targeting smart homes, industrial automation, and building automation. Featuring a rich set of peripheral functions and AI-based failure detection, the four new RA6T1 Group MCUs are the latest members of Renesas’ rapidly expanding Arm-based RA Family, and the first RA MCUs designed for the unique needs of motor control in home appliances, HVAC, solar inverters, and AC drives.

Based on the Arm Cortex-M4 core, the new RA6T1 32-bit MCUs operate at 120 MHz and feature a rich collection of peripherals optimized for high performance and precision motor control. The integrated peripheral functions with high-speed analog significantly reduce the bill of materials (BOM) cost while boosting motor control performance. For example, a single RA6T1 MCU can simultaneously control up to two brushless DC (BLDC) motors. In addition, the Google TensorFlow Lite Microframework for TinyML applications adds enhanced failure detection to the RA6T1 MCUs, offering customers an intelligent, easy-to-use, and cost-effective sensorless motor system for predictive maintenance. The TensorFlow AI framework detects potentially detrimental anomalies in motor systems earlier and more accurately to help customers improve their predictive maintenance processes and reduce maintenance costs.

Key Features of the RA6T1 Group include: 120 MHz Arm Cortex-M4 with the floating-point unit; Scalable from 64-pin to 100-pin LQFP packages; 64 KB RAM and scalable from 256 KB to 512 KB Flash; 32-bit PWM timer with advanced functions, including support for seven types of complementary PWM modes for the carrier generation; 250 uses sampling period when used with the motor control solution bundle; High-speed 12-bit ADC with a maximum speed of 0.4 usec and a sample/hold function that allows simultaneous acquisition of 3 shunt currents; 6-channel programmable gain amplifier; Supports IEC 60730 standard for functional safety in home appliances

Renesas also offers a new Renesas Solution Starter Kit (RSSK) for developers working on a motor control solution using the RA6T1 MCUs. The RSSK offers easy motor control debugging and allows customers to immediately begin evaluating their motor control design, executing real-time analysis and tuning to accelerate development. The easy-to-use motor solution includes a RA6T1 CPU card and 48V-compatible inverter board, along with a GUI tool for a motor workbench, and a sensorless vector control sample program with a three-shunt method that corresponds with the Flexible Software Package (FSP). Using the RA Family FSP makes it easy for customers to port the sample code to their program.

The RA6T1 MCUs and RSSK are available now from Renesas’ worldwide distributors.