Turning to Integrated Driver Electronics for BLDC

Brushless DC motors (BLDCs) achieve commutation electronically by utilizing a permanent-magnet rotor, wound stator, and rotor-position sensing scheme instead of a mechanical commutator or brushes found in brush-type DC motor designs. With brush wear or arcing eliminated and as a result of other factors influencing brushless motor performance, BLDCs can achieve rapid acceleration and high speed, generate less audible noise and less electromagnetic interference, and promote long life with low maintenance. These features make BLDCs ideal to drive devices such as computer hard/floppy disks, fans, pumps, and countless other end-products in a wide range of industries.

Despite advantages, though, BLDCs have presented their own challenges in terms of technology, design, and capabilities. Typically, complex and bulky cabling has been required between motor and amplifier to attach discrete logic components "outside" the motor frame, which have added undesired size, weight, and cost. Traditionally expensive rare-earth magnets and rotor-position sensors further contributed to higher manufacturing costs. And, due to inherent limitations in chip technology, more chips were required in the early years to achieve desired logic control functions.