Toshiba Upgrades Motor Control Capabilities with its New Position Estimation Control Technology

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Source:Toshiba

March 2024 : Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation has refined motor control capabilities with the launch of two innovative tools. A new position estimation control technology for field-oriented control (FOC) has been added to the latest version of its motor control software development kit, “MCU Motor Studio Ver.3.0,” while “Motor Tuning Studio Ver.1.0” automatically calculates motor parameters.

FOC is a highly efficient motor control method, but difficult to realize because of the complexities of using proportional-integral (PI) control gain for tuning the motor driver. PI control is usually applied to position control, speed control and current control, producing three PI control gain parameters that interfere with each other. Adjustments can only be done through trial and error. Meanwhile, MCU Motor Studio performs motor control using known motor parameters, but the problem here is that there was no function for extracting the parameter from the motor.

Toshiba’s new position estimation control method is based on a flux observer and does not use PI control for position estimation, making adjustment easier during motor evaluation. This new approach realizes greater stability during high-load operation than the conventional position estimation control. MCU Motor Studio Ver.3.0 incorporating the new method also supports the conventional position control method.

The combination of MCU Motor Studio and MCU Motor Tuning Studio gives users the ability to easily derive initial motor parameters and begin evaluation.

Toshiba is advancing the realization of carbon neutrality and a circular economy, and will continue to expand its line-up of microcontrollers for FOC and motor control software development kits, and to support highly efficient motors.