Inductive position sensor for motor commutation

The sensor allows customers to cost effectively tailor sensor design for their applications and maximise the performance of the sensor’s accuracy.

“Inductive position sensing is changing the game for industrial motor commutation as demands for high accuracy, high efficiency, and cost efficiency increase, particularly for multi-pole pair motors and off-axis applications,” said Christian Wolf, Vice President, Automotive Sensor Business Division at Renesas.

“With the IPS2200, we are excited to offer a solution that takes customers from concept to PCB layout, enabling them to design their own resolver replacement and achieve lighter, better performing motors for their industrial, robotic, consumer and medical applications. Moving forward, Renesas will also explore the inductive sensors for use in automotive applications.”

The IPS2200 is designed around the motor, allowing customers to match the number of sectors to pole pairs of the motor to maximise accuracy, accommodating both off-axis (through shaft and side shaft) and on-axis positioning. The magnet-free IPS2200 is up to ten times thinner and up to 100x lighter with up to 250krpm electrical speeds compared with traditional resolvers.

The sensor’s thin and light form factor and total stray field immunity enables easier motor integration and provides the standard materials required for customers to manufacture their own resolver replacement - reducing bill of materials costs.

With its four- or six-wire operation, the IPS2200 provides up to ten times faster speeds and very low latency compared with resolver- or magnetic-based solutions.

Key features of the IPS2200 include:

• Industrial qualified, with stable operation in harsh environments and -40° to +125°C ambient temperatures
• Interface: Sin/cos single ended or differential
• Voltage Supply: 3.3V ±10% or 5.0V ±10%
• Rotational Speed: Up to 250.000rpm (electrical)
• Propagation delay: Programmable, <10µs
• Sin/cos gain mismatch and offset compensation
• Overvoltage, reverse polarity, short circuit protected
• Digital programming interface: I²C or SPI

In addition, Renesas offers off-the-shelf tools that can be used to create tailored and customised sensing elements, as well as custom tools that can achieve coil optimisation sets within about 30 minutes.

The IPS2200 is Renesas’ first inductive position sensor for industrial markets, joining the company’s robust portfolio of devices for industrial motor commutation, which includes microcontrollers, power management, and drivers.

Availability

The IPS2200 is available now with prices starting at $4.22 per unit in 1,000-unit quantities. The IPS2200STKIT evaluation kit is also available now. (Pricing and availability subject to change).