Motor Control Technology
Robotics & Motors
This project is launching soon.
The U100 BLDC Motion Module is an open-source, advanced, single axis motion controller to run a brushless DC servo motor in velocity, torque, or position control mode for robotics, automation, advanced equipment, and more.
BLDC servo motors offer smoother motion than stepper motors and better reliability and efficiency than brushed DC motors, making them the best choice for a wide range of applications. The U100 BLDC Motion Module makes using these electronically commutated motors, which are typically only found in high-end and expensive applications, accessible.
It is capable of driving a broad range of three phase brushless DC motors in a closed-loop position, velocity, or torque control mode using an ABN encoder or Hall sensor feedback and field oriented control (FOC). With its programmable run-time and trigger features, users can create custom motion profiles that are easily imported from a .CSV file.
Driving a BLDC motor sets a machine builder ahead of their competition. However, it comes with its fair share of challenges. The U100 BLDC Motion Module goes easy on the user, and simplifies the complexity of motion.
You’ll be able to drive your motor with straightforward digital and analog inputs, or with serial commands. Or you can easily create a run-time motion profile that’s triggered via serial or digital input. Either way, you can configure and load your settings simply by using our free uMotion software.
What you see is what you get, which means you’ll get up and running quickly and you’ll know exactly how to interface, command, and control your axis and capture the advantages that BLDC motors offer.
Machine builders create devices that go anywhere, and they need electronics that can go with them. We will offer an aluminum enclosed module destined for on-machine mounting in harsh environments or a high-density PCBA module for protected environments. Both will use common connectors so cables won’t require expensive tooling making interfacing easy.
Whatever the application, the U100 BLDC Motion Module offers a performance driven controller with advanced motion control that is easy to use.
While BLDC motors offer generous advantages (which are making them more and more popular), they are complicated to control and run efficiently. As we iterated and designed motion controllers with various approaches, the U100 BLDC Motion Module came out of the mix: a hardware set that has a state-of-the-art servo controller, a powerful micro-controller that offers every kind of interface, and a sound design.
In addition to wanting to create a robust solution to the problem of BLDC motors being exclusive to expensive applications, we wanted the U100 BLDC Motion Module to be dynamic and accessible. The design is not static, and shouldn’t be. The hardware design was created using low cost software, the IDE for firmware development was completely free, and so were the software tools.
We believe that open-source hardware benefits us all, and that the old business model of scarcity deters a lot of good machine building imagination. We started this project because a lot of creative machines can be built with the U100 BLDC Motion Module, or be derived from it, and we’re excited to see those projects.
Links to schematics:
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I am an avid power electronics enthusiast and believe that brushless dc motors ought to be more accessible. I have 7+ years of motion control experience that was derived from time spent designing and building industrial automation and unmanned vehicle systems.
