DSPs cut the cost of industrial control

Low-cost DSP-based controllers deliver a clear path to innovative and cost-effective industrial control applications like digital power conversion, motor control and advanced sensing.

Delivering a clear path to innovative and cost-effective industrial control applications like digital power conversion, motor control and advanced sensing, Texas Instruments has announced volume availability of four low-cost TMS320F280xx digital signal processor-based controllers.

The TMS320F28015 and F28016 digital signal controllers offer 60MHz of performance starting as low as $3.25 (in 1000-unit quantities); TMS320F2801-60 and F2802-60 controllers also offer 60MHz of performance and are based on the current TMS320F2801 and F2802 devices.

As designers consider upgrading existing microcontroller (MCU) based designs, TI's F280xx controllers now offer a portfolio of eleven software and pin-for-pin compatible devices with 32bit DSP performance combined with the peripheral integration and ease-of-use of an MCU.

All F280x-based devices feature a 32bit wide data path for superior performance and mixed 16/32bit instruction set for improved code density.

These devices offer extraordinary system integration by providing complete control system capabilities from signal input through the on-chip,12bit analogue to digital convertor (ADC), quadrature encoder pulse (QEP) interfaces, and timer captures and compares through signal output with up to ten independent pulsewidth modulation (PWM) channels.

Depending on the device, communication interfaces include CAN, I2C, UART and SPI ports.

The TMS320F28016 device is the lowest cost digital signal controller with integrated CAN communications.

Long used in automotive networks, CAN is ideal for industrial applications that are susceptible to high noise levels and offer error detection and error handling for highly reliable communications within a system.

F280x controllers' patent-pending 150ps resolution high resolution PWM (HRPWM) provides 16bit accuracy in a 100kHz control loop and 12bit at 1.5MHz, resulting in designs with cleaner power output, higher power density, smaller magnetics and more compact, cooler supplies.

These benefits are vital in applications such as AC/DC rectifiers requiring high tolerances and faster transient response with small ripple amplitude.

For motor control applications like white goods and automotive, overall system costs can be reduced through integration and lower device cost while leveraging the 32bit performance necessary to implement advanced control techniques.

Processor-intensive, sensorless vector control helps developers reduce the power electronics required and the size and cost of a system's motors.

For TI customer Adaptive Networks, adopting TI's TMS320F28x controller platform provided a cost-effective means bring to their powerline communication (PLC) technology to new networked industrial, utility, and commercial control and monitoring applications in industrial and other rugged environments, including utility metering and lighting control.

"The F28x controller-based PowerConnect product line offers our customers greater flexibility and the ability to integrate their applications with our field-tested PLC technology for robust network communications through powerlines over distances up to 50 kilometres", said Michael Propp, President and founder of Adaptive Networks.

"The F28x device's control-optimised signal processing performance and system-level integration open up a new range of control, monitoring and metering applications at the right price point".

All four controllers are AEC Q100 automotive qualified in 100-pin LQFP packaging and are available in production quantities.

Developers can use the TMS320F2808 eZdsp Development Kit (TMDSEZS2808) to program all four of the controllers.

It is available today for $495 from TI authorised distributors.

To ease development of digital power supplies, designers can take advantage of TI's digital power development kit, consisting of the TMS320C2000 digital power supply (DPS) software library and a series of hardware modules from Tier Electronics that provide off-the-shelf platforms for two-phase boost topology power factor correction (PFC) and DC/DC applications.

The DPS library provides free reference software that helps engineers who are unfamiliar with digital control of power supplies to translate their analogue experience into the digital realm.

Back to top