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MCUs Enable AI-Based Predictive Maintenance

Renesas Electronics has announced the extension of its MCU portfolio designed for motor control applications targeting smart homes, industrial automation and building automation. Featuring a rich set of peripheral functions and AI-based failure detection, the four new RA6T1 Group MCUs are the latest members of Renesas’ expanding Arm-based RA Family, and the first RA MCUs designed for the unique needs of motor control in home appliances, HVAC, solar inverters and AC drives, says Renesas.

Based on the Arm Cortex-M4 core, the new RA6T1 32-bit MCUs operate at 120MHz and feature a rich collection of peripherals optimized for high performance and precision motor control. The integrated peripheral functions with high-speed analog significantly reduce bill of materials (BOM) cost while boosting motor control performance.

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For example, a single RA6T1 MCU can simultaneously control up to two brushless DC (BLDC) motors. In addition, the Google TensorFlow Lite Micro framework for TinyML applications adds enhanced failure detection to the RA6T1 MCUs, offering customers an intelligent, easy-to-use, and cost-effective sensorless motor system for predictive maintenance. The TensorFlow AI framework detects potentially detrimental anomalies in motor systems earlier and more accurately to help embedded system developers improve their predictive maintenance processes and reduce maintenance costs.

Key Features of the RA6T1 Group

  • 120MHz Arm Cortex-M4 with floating point unit
  • Scalable from 64-pin to 100-pin LQFP packages
  • 64 KB RAM and scalable from 256KB to 512KB Flash
  • 32-bit PWM timer with advanced functions, including support for seven types of complementary PWM modes for the carrier generation
  • 250 microsecond sampling period when used with the motor control solution bundle
  • High-speed 12-bit ADC with a maximum speed of 0.4 microsecond and a sample/hold function that allows simultaneous acquisition of 3 shunt currents
  • 6-channel programmable gain amplifier
  • Supports IEC 60730 standard for functional safety in home appliances

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Renesas also offers a new Renesas Solution Starter Kit (RSSK) for developers working on a motor control solution using the RA6T1 MCUs. The RSSK offers easy motor control debugging and allows customers to immediately begin evaluating their motor control design, executing real-time analysis and tuning to accelerate development. The easy-to-use motor solution includes an RA6T1 CPU card and 48V-compatible inverter board, along with a GUI tool for motor workbench, and a sensorless vector control sample program with three-shunt method that corresponds with the Flexible Software Package (FSP).

The RA6T1 MCUs and RSSK are available now from Renesas’ worldwide distributors.

Renesas Electronics | www.renesas.com

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MCUs Enable AI-Based Predictive Maintenance

by Circuit Cellar Staff time to read: 2 min