SMC01B controlling VNH3SP30

VNH3SP30 motor driver carrier MD03A
SMC01B Motor Controller PIC

Has anyone had any experience using the SMC to control the MD03A?
What I’m wondering is if the MD03A can except PWM through the motor direction inputs. Can I hold the PWM inputs on the MD03A high and pulse the motor direction pins?

Hello,

I don’t think it will work very well. I don’t remember the exact numbers, but I remember there being a fairly long delay for switching directions. You would likely get better results with the VNH2SP30, which has much better switching characteristics, and even that might not work that well.

Have you considered the TReX dual motor controller, which has much better features than our original dual serial motor controller and has the VNH2SP30 motor drivers built in?

- Jan

Hey jan,

Will the VNH even switch directions correctly if the directional inputs are being PWM’d?
Will it work at all as Its only 600hz of PMW
or will it fail to show any output on M0/M1?

The Tdel parameter on page 6 is what you’re after. It could be as long as almost 2 ms, so PWMing the direction lines probably won’t be practical. It’s possible that that parameter is for a full direction change, so PWMing just one side might be better, and the datasheet doesn’t differentiate between the different kinds of delays, so if they’re symmetric, you might be fine, too. I don’t recommend it, but if you try it, please let us know how it goes.

- Jan

Jan:
I have tested it, and have not found any problems and get a full range of PWM using the SMC. Thought you may like to know, as well as everyone else.

Thanks,
Dalton Swan

Cool! Thanks for letting us know.

- Jan