How does this evaluation kit allow for a fully functioning motor system to be running in less than an hour?

The iMotion Modular Application Design Kit (MADK) from Infineon Technologies AG is a compact, flexible evaluation system for 3-phase motor drives in the 20 to 300W range. It includes a controller and power boards (with optional sensors), and provides designers with the ability to create a fully functioning motor system in less than 60 minutes.

Designers will be pleased with the simplicity of getting the motor running: simply pug the cards into the PC, motor and grid, and then install and parametrize the software. 

While there are four MADK kits offered (to match different motor designs), each one includes a control card with debug interface, as well as complete power storage features, including rectifier and EMI filter. The motor control software is preloaded in the kit, but can also be downloaded through the company’s site. It features simple GUI software for parameterization and tuning. Numerous combinations of control and power boards can be matched up for the purpose of meeting different application needs by way of the standardized M1 20-pin MADK Platform Interface connector. 

Specifically, the system’s Field Oriented Control software supports sensor-free motor control based on the XMC1302 microcontroller. This particular hardware is also supported by Hall sensors or 3D magnetic sensors, and includes a debugger based on Segger J-Link technology. Worth noting—the software support for it includes an easy-to-use μC-Probe based GUI. For those interested, additional software development can be implemented with major ARM IDEs (e.g. IAR, Atollic, or Keil) or Infineon’s DAVE – a free-to-use IDE.

An additional control option is available with the IRMCK099M, a motion control ASIC with hardware-based, sensor-less FOC control. The company’s available kits combine the XMC1302 control card with one of four power boards from theμIPM IRSM836 series or μIPM-DIP IRSM505 series (500 or 250V). Worth noting —this particular line comes with a separate debug interface card. 

To learn more, check out Infineon’s MADK site.