Microchip launches inductive position sensors for EV motor control applications

Global semiconductor manufacturer, Microchip Technology Inc. (Microchip) has launched a new inductive position sensor, LX34070 IC, for the electric vehicle motor control market.

The newly launched, LX34070 IC has been built for electric vehicle (EV) motor control applications. The sensor includes differential outputs, fast sample rates, and features that make it functional-safety-ready for ISO 26262 compliance in the Automotive Safety Integrity Level–C (ASIL–C) classification.

"The LX34070 inductive position sensor enables lighter, smaller, more reliable motor control solutions that meet stringent safety requirements, reduce overall system costs, and can operate seamlessly and precisely in the noisy environment of an automobile's DC motors, high currents, and solenoids," said Fanie Duvenhage, vice president of Microchip's mixed-signal and linear analog business unit.

"Designers can use the LX34070 to further streamline EV motor control designs by pairing it with other functional-safety-ready Microchip devices including our 8-bit AVR and PIC microcontrollers, our 32-bit microcontrollers, and our dsPIC digital signal controllers."

With LX44070 IC, the company intends to speed up the global move away from magnet-based solutions for safety-critical EV motor position monitoring.

Developers of motor control systems are rapidly replacing Hall Effect position sensors and older magnetic resolver solutions with inductive alternatives that eliminate expensive magnets and other heavy transformer-based structures so they can be integrated onto simple, compact printed circuit boards (PCBs), Microchip said in its official release. Microchip released its first volume of inductive sensors for auto and industrial applications, and the latest LX34070 IC sensor, the company notes, brings the same proven PCB materials, approaches, and simplified, low-cost packaging to EV motor control and other applications that need its high-speed and low-latency benefits.

Starting this month, the LX34070 IC sensor will be available on market from authorized worldwide distributors.