Stepper motor controllers near chip scale

Two new devices from AMI Semiconductor are billed as the industry's smallest single-chip stepper motor controller ICs.

Two new devices from AMI Semiconductor (AMIS) are billed as the industry's smallest single-chip stepper motor controller ICs.

Supplied in micro leadframe (MLF) packaging, the green AMIS-30621 and AMIS-30622 mixed-signal ICs provide miniature, highly integrated solutions for remote and multiple axes positioning applications requiring LIN and serial connectivity, respectively.

Both the AMIS-30621 and AMIS-30622 integrate a bus connection, positioning and control electronics and a motor driver in a single 32-pin: "near chip scale" NQFP package with a profile of under 1mm and a footprint of just 7 x 7mm.

As a result, they require eight times less volume than previous devices and can be mounted on just a third of the PCB area.

Small package size also facilitates direct mounting onto the motor for further space saving and reduced circuit complexity.

By employing an exposed die pad design that significantly improves thermal resistance, the new AMIS ICs also offer more efficient heat dissipation from IC to PCB than was previously possible.

Providing 800mA two-phase motor control, the AMIS controller ICs are ideal for small-positioning automotive applications such as headlamp levelling and swivelling, cruise control, idle control and HVAC systems.

The devices also suit industrial applications such as x, y, z tables, robots, climate control and process control, and security and surveillance systems requiring camera positioning.

Designers of medical electronics will find the devices useful in areas such as fluid control and laboratory equipment.

The AMIS-30621 with LIN interface is ideally suited to remote, single or multiple axes positioning applications.

The device can be used in dedicated mechatronics solutions that are connected remotely to a LIN master.

compared with solutions with centrally placed drivers, the bus-system (LIN) not only saves wiring cost, but also has better EMC performance, which is key for applications in harsh environments such as automotive systems.

The AMIS-30622 with serial interface is able to act as a peripheral device next to a microcontroller on a single PCB, and is ideally suited for positioning multiple axes.

This smart driver chip with high-level command interface and integrated positioner allows modular hardware and software design.

Flexibility of motion parameters like maximum speed, acceleration and driving current, allow the on-chip position controllers to work with different motor types, load conditions and positioning ranges.

Both the AMIS-30621 and AMIS-30622 also feature hold current and very low standby current.

"The market trend towards mechatronic solutions is challenging engineers to improve integration levels and save space", said Bart De Cock, Product Manager of AMI Semiconductor's motor control product line.

"As the only available products that integrate all of the features required for bus connectivity and stepper motor control into such a small package, the AMIS-30621 and AMIS-30622 allow engineers to address this challenge without performance or cost compromise".

Available for sampling now, the AMIS-30621-ANA and AMIS-30622-ANA will be priced for budgetary purposes, under $4.50 per piece in 10,000-unit volumes.

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