When designing a motor control circuit, it is vital to determine how to deliver the high current required to drive the motor. Designers must choose whether to use monolithic integrated circuits that have internal power devices, or gate driver ICs and discrete external power MOSFETs. This article discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each approach and provides guidance on when to choose eit...

MPS recently released an integrated, compact gate driver circuit with six power MOSFETs. This article discusses the MP6540 series, including the MP6540A, MP6540H, and the MP6540HA. The MP6540 is a 3-phase, brushless DC (BLDC) motor driver that integrates three half-bridges consisting of six N-channel power MOSFETs. Conventional motor driver architecture combines a motor driver chip and the power ...

The use of small electric motors to automate basic mechanical functions has proliferated in recent years as consumers come to expect and appreciate “smart functionality” in their everyday appliances. These motorized mechanisms can be grouped into the category of actuators, and are found in a diversity of applications including consumer appliances, home and industrial automation, and ve...