Faster switching and reduced losses are helping engineers design compact motor drive systems for robotics and electric mobility applications.
Efficient Power Conversion has introduced two 3-phase BLDC motor drive inverter evaluation platforms designed for high-power motion control applications such as robotics, industrial automation and light electric mobility systems. Supporting motor drive systems up to 5 kW, the EPC9186HC2 and EPC9186HC3 boards are built to help engineers evaluate compact inverter architectures based on 100 V eGaN FET technology.
The platforms are derived from an earlier architecture but incorporate an updated power stage using EPC2361 GaN devices, enabling improved conduction performance and support for higher current operation. Compared with conventional silicon MOSFETs, the devices offer lower gate charge and output capacitance, allowing faster switching with reduced losses and enabling higher efficiency and improved control bandwidth. The two variants differ in device configuration, with one using two devices in parallel per switch position and the other using three, enabling lower on-resistance and improved efficiency at higher load conditions.
Designed for demanding motor control environments, the boards support phase currents up to 150 Arms and switching frequencies up to 120 kHz. They operate across a DC input range up to 76 V and exhibit controlled switching characteristics, contributing to reduced torque ripple and lower acoustic noise in precision applications. Integrated functions include gate drivers, phase current sensing, voltage monitoring, auxiliary power management and protection features such as over-current detection and undervoltage lockout.
The platforms support both sensorless and encoder-based control methods and are compatible with controller ecosystems from Microchip Technology, Texas Instruments and STMicroelectronics, enabling integration into existing development environments. High-bandwidth current sensing also supports advanced control techniques such as field-oriented control for stable and responsive operation.
“GaN technology is enabling a new generation of motor drive systems with higher efficiency, faster switching speeds and improved power density compared with traditional silicon solutions,” says Alex Lidow, CEO of Efficient Power Conversion. “These evaluation boards demonstrate how such advantages can be applied across emerging electrified applications including robotics and light electric mobility.”
Click here for the official announcement.
