Actel launches motor control reference designs

The reference designs showcase one A2F500 fpga controlling up to four axes of PMSMs simultaneously using the FOC algorithm. Sufficient fpga resources and bandwidth are said to remain to allow the use of additional custom logic. SmartFusion devices integrate an fpga, a hard ARM Cortex-M3 microcontroller and programmable analogue. Actel believes the parts are suited to motor control applications, allowing designers to optimise the hardware/software partitioning for optimum motor efficiency and performance. The reference design package includes an example of FOC implementation using space vector pulse width modulation on SmartFusion while using various feedback methods such as optical encoders and Hall effect sensors. A sensorless reference design, using back electromotive force, is under development. Rich Kapusta, Actel's vp of marketing and business development, said: "SmartFusion devices offer a one chip solution, providing precision, reduced noise, smaller form factor and faster response time. These features are necessary for applications in industrial drives, factory automation, medical equipment and military applications using ac motors, brushless dc motors or PMSM."