This page contains application examples, document references, tips and tricks and so on related to STM32 motor control.
1. What is the STM32 motor control ecosystem?
From hardware tools and embedded software to training resources and documentation, the STM32 Motor Control Ecosystem[1] offers many tools to ease the development of motor control applications. STM32 MCUs are particularly suitable for the development of applications using permanent-magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs), brushless DC motors (BLDCs), and stepper motors.
2. STM32s compliant with motor-control applications
The STM32 portfolio includes devices based on Arm® Cortex®-M cores (M0, M0+, M3, M33, M4, and M7). Thanks to the MCUs' shared ecosystem, developers benefit from enhanced flexibility to move forward with their motor-control design.
Each STM32 Series MCU offers a different set of peripherals matching different motor-control application requirements:
| STM32 Series |
ARM core |
More CPU frequency |
Flash range |
Analog integration level |
MC timer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STM32G0xx | Cortex-M0+ | 64 MHz | 16-512 Kbyte | + | 1x (128 MHz) |
| STM32F303 | Cortex-M4 (DSP/FPU) | 72 MHz | 32-512 Kbyte | ++++ | 3x (144 MHz) |
| STM32F302 | Cortex-M4 (DSP/FPU) | 72 MHz | 32-512 Kbyte | +++ | 1x (144 MHz) |
| STM32F301 | Cortex-M4 (DSP/FPU) | 72 MHz | 16-64 Kbyte | ++ | 1x (144 MHz) |
| STM32G431 | Cortex-M4 (DSP/FPU) | 170 MHz | 32-128 Kbyte | +++ | 2x (170 MHz) |
| STM32G474 | Cortex-M4 (DSP/FPU) | 170 MHz | 32-128 Kbyte | ++++ | 3x (170 MHz) |
| STM32F4xx | Cortex-M4 (DSP/FPU) | 180 MHz | 256-1024 Kbyte | ++ | 2x (180 MHz) |
| STM32F7xx | Cortex-M7 | 216 MHz | 64-2048 Kbyte | ++ | 2x (216 MHz) |
| STM32H7xx | Cortex-M7 + M4 (option) | 480 MHz | 128-2018 Kbyte | ++ | 2x (240 MHz) |
The STM32G4[2] Series combines a 32-bit Arm® Cortex®-M4 core (with FPU and DSP instructions) running at 170 MHz, combined with three different hardware accelerators, rich analog peripherals and advanced motor control timers to meet all motor control application requirements. These product Series are ideal for motor control applications.
3. STM32 motor-control specific tools
ST-MC-SUITE[3] is an online solution finder that offers easy access to all STM32 and STM8 MCU resources available for motor control applications, such as application notes, brochures, presentations, and magazine articles. A software wizard is included to help developers select relevant materials, add them to their bundle, and download them in one click.
ST Motor Profiler is a software tool that automatically measures the electrical parameters of PMSM and BLDC motors. It can be used to run an unknown motor from scratch in only few minutes. ST Motor Profiler is included in the X-CUBE-MCSDK[4] software development kit for STM32 device.
STM32Cube is a free set of tools and embedded software bricks for STM32 microcontrollers and microprocessors addressing all the needs of a complete project development cycle. It includes the STM32CubeMX configuration tool, which enables the generation of C initialization code for Cortex-M cores. Motor Control Workbench (available in the X-CUBE-MCSDK[4]) is linked with STM32CubeMX. Developers can open STM32CubeMX through Motor Control Workbench during their motor-control development to change the STM32 configuration.
4. Getting started with STM32 and motor control
Getting started with MCSDK and P-NUCLEO kits:
Getting started with STM32 Motor control SDK5.0
Getting started with the STM32 Motor Control Nucleo Pack (P-Nucleo-IHM001)
Getting starting with P-NUCLEO-IHM03
Getting started with ST MC SUITE:
5. STMicroelectronics resources
Links to ST.com dedicated web page:
| Doc Number | Title |
|---|---|
| UM2374 | Getting started with STM32 motor control SDK v5.0 |
| UM2392 | STM32 motor control SDK5.x - Firmware |
| UM2380 | STM32 motor control SDK v5.2 tools |
| AN5143 | How to migrate motor control application software from SDK v4.3 to SDK v5.x |
| AN5166 | Guidelines for control and customization of power boards with STM32 MC SDK v5.0 |
More motor control related resources can be found at ST-MC-SUITE[3].
6. MCSDK feature set and examples
The Motor Control Library included in X-CUBE-MCSDK[4] (today available for PMSM/BLDC motors) enables the features listed below. Full integration/configuration in MC Workbench tools:
| STM32 Series | F0 | F1 | F3 | F4 | F7 | L4 | G0 | G4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 shunt | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| 3 shunt | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Hall sensors | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| ICS | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Flux weakening | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| MTPA | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Sensorless (PLL/ Cordic) | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Feed forward | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Single FOC | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Dual FOC | - | x | x | x | - | - | - | x |
| Position control | - | x | x | x | x | x | - | x |
List of examples available in MCSDK version 5.4.3:
| Example name | Type | Control | ST board/ kit |
|---|---|---|---|
| P-NUCLEO-IHM001 kit, 3Shunt, Sensorless | Single | FOC | P-NUCLEO-IHM001 |
| Speed-ramp with potentiometer on P-NUCLEO-IHM001 kit | Single | FOC | P-NUCLEO-IHM001 |
| Nucleo-F303RE + IHM07M1+ Bulllrunning motor, 3-shunt, sensorless | Single | FOC | Nucleo-F303RE |
| Nucleo-F303RE + IHM08M1+ Bulllrunning motor, 3-shunt, sensorless | Single | FOC | Nucleo-F303RE |
| Gimbal motor | Single | FOC | Nucleo-F303RE |
| Sawtooth speed ramp | Single | FOC | Nucleo-F303RE |
| Speed ramp and CCMRAM | Single | FOC | Nucleo-F303RE |
| Dual Drive and CCMRAM | Dual | FOC | STM32303E-EVAL |
| Power factor correction | Single | FOC | STEVAL-IHM034V2 |
| STEVAL-IHM042V inverter+ 2 Shinano motors | Dual | FOC | STEVAL-IHM042V |
| STM32G081 based, single-shunt configuration using HAL | Single | FOC | STM32G081B-EVAL |
| STM32G081 based, single-shunt configuration using HAL | Single | FOC | STM32G081B-EVAL |
| FreeRTOS on P-NUCLEO-IHM001 kit | Single | FOC | P-NUCLEO-IHM001 |
| Speed ramp with potentiometer on P-NUCLEO-IHM03 kit | Single | FOC | P-NUCLEO-IHM03 |
| Speed ramp with potentiometer on P-NUCLEO-IHM001 kit-- advanced | Single | FOC | P-NUCLEO-IHM001 |
| B-G431B-ESC1 electronic speed control | Single | FOC | B-G431B-ESC1 |
| STEVAL-ESC001V1 electronic speed control | Single | FOC | STEVAL-ESC001V1 |
| Six-step drive with P-NUCLEO-IHM03 kit | Single | Six-step | P-NUCLEO-IHM03 |
| Six-step drive with NUCLEO-G431RB, IHM07M1 and BullRunning motor | Single | Six-step | NUCLEO-G431RB |
| Six-step drive with NUCLEO-G431RB, IHM08M1 and Shinano motor | Single | Six-step | NUCLEO-G431RB |
| Six-step drive with NUCLEO-G431RB, IHM16M1 and BullRunning motor | Single | Six-step | NUCLEO-G431RB |
| Six-step drive with NUCLEO-F401RE, IHM07M1 and BullRunning motor | Single | Six-step | NUCLEO-F401RE |
| Six-step drive with STSPIN3204 | Single | Six-step | STEVAL-STSPIN3204 |
| STEVAL-HKI001v2 with STGAP1AS | Single | FOC | STEVAL-HKI001v2 |
| PositionControl on NucleoF303 with Maxon motor | Single | FOC | Nucleo-F303RE |
| NUCLEO-H745ZI- CortexM4 motor-control application example | Single | FOC | NUCLEO-H745ZI |
7. References