Top motor control driver considerations for DC motors

22 feb. 2023

Given the rapidly growing interest in electrification across numerous major applications, DC electric motors are becoming increasingly commonplace. In this article, get an overview of the three main DC motor types as well as appropriate motor control drivers (MCDs) for each.

Brushed DC Motors
For simpler applications, brushed DC motors are a great choice. Power is provided simply by applying DC voltage to the terminals of the motor. Speed control is achieved through the precision control of the applied voltage, and most brushed DC motors can operate with pulse-width-modulated (PWM) signals.

Brushless Motors
Brushless DC (BLDC) motors are typically used in more high-performance applications. Due to their construction, they also are more efficient than brushed motors and release less EMI as well. These benefits require more sophisticated controls, however, with ICs or motor-controller microcomputers being required.

DC Stepper/Stepping Motors
Stepper motors are so-called because they rotate in discrete “steps”. Depending on the application requirements, the motor can be programmed to rotate through varying numbers of radial locations. The most common is about 200 steps per revolution, meaning that, out of 360 total degrees, the motor will move through 1.8 degrees then stop for a desired amount of time before continuing to the next step.

Motor Control Driver Types
Brushed motors can be used in close quarters with other brushed motors, necessitating a need for a controller with numerous channels to handle different motors. The Toshiba TB67H452FTG is a great example of a controller that can handle many brushed motors at once.

The control of brushless motors is a bit more complex, usually requiring varying combinations of sensors and MCDs. Intelligent phase control and closed-loop speed control are two important features of MCDs for brushless motors.

Stepper motor controllers need to have an appropriate level of support for the amount of step resolution required by the application. It’s not uncommon to find stepper MCDs that support 1/64 or even 1/128 resolutions. A downfall to increasing the number of steps is a corresponding decrease in torque. This, however, can be remedied through the use of an MCD with active gain control measures, such as the Toshiba TB67S249FTG.

The right DC electric motor coupled with the right MCD can be a powerful combination. Toshiba offers numerous options for motor control, from simple to cutting-edge. Click through to the article to learn more about motor technology and available controller choices.