When starting a DC motor, large currents can be required that place a burden on the motor driver and power supply. This article will discuss using the current regulation function integrated into many motor driver ICs, while using examples from Monolithic Power Systems (MPS) to address high-current conditions. In many cases, using current regulation can allow designers to use a smaller motor drive...

Many motion control applications use permanent magnet DC motors. Since it is easier to implement control systems using DC motors compared to AC motors, they are often used when speed, torque, or position needs to be controlled. There are two types of commonly used DC motors: Brushed motors, and brushless motors (or BLDC motors). As their names imply, DC brushed motors have brushes, which are used...

Solenoid drivers are used in many applications to provide linear or rotational actuation in mechanical systems. Although driving solenoids can be as simple as switching the current flow on and off, oftentimes better performance can be obtained using a dedicated IC to drive them. In this article, we will examine how drive circuitry affects the electromechanical performance of solenoids. Two differ...