Microchip brings advanced control to cost-sensitive designs with new PIC® MCUs & dsPIC® DSCs

Microchip announces a new series of 16-bit PIC® microcontrollers (MCUs) and dsPIC® Digital Signal Controllers (DSCs) that bring advanced control to cost-sensitive general purpose and motor-control designs. The new devices enable low-cost, sensor-less motor control designs, with support for a wide range of motor-control algorithms, plus an on-chip Charge Time Measurement Unit (CTMU), 10-bit Analogue-to-Digital Converter (ADC) and mTouch™ capacitive touch sensing to enable intelligent sensor applications. The devices are supported by three new Plug-In Modules (PIMs) and a single-board Motor Control Starter Kit that includes capacitive-touch sliders and an onboard BLDC motor. This makes it easy for designers to create high-performance appliances, such as washing machines, medical products such as infusion pumps, and industrial AC-induction motors, as well as other cost-sensitive applications. With specialised features and peripherals optimised for general purpose and motor control applications, the dsPIC33FJ16 ‘GP', dsPIC33FJ16 and PIC24FJ16 ‘MC' devices enable designers to create higher-performing products at lower costs. In addition to their on-chip CTMU and ADC peripherals, the general-purpose dsPIC33FJ16 ‘GP' DSCs include a real-time clock/calendar and up to 21 general-purpose output pins, making them ideal for driving intelligent sensors. The dsPIC33FJ16 and PIC24FJ16 ‘MC' devices include a 6-channel Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM) peripheral with synchronised outputs for 3-phase operation, enabling support for a wide range of motor-control algorithms and applications. These range from simple sensored motors, to advanced sinusoidal Field-Oriented Control (FOC), Brushless DC (BLDC), permanent magnet, and synchronous AC-Induction Motors (ACIMs), to enable designers to achieve benefits such as higher efficiency, quieter operation, smoother torque and higher reliability. …./… To speed development using the new DSCs and MCUs, Microchip has released the Motor Control Starter Kit with mTouch Sensing (DM330015), priced at $89.99, containing a single board with a BLDC motor, capacitive-touch sliders and a built-in debugger. Plug-In-Modules (PIMs) for the dsPIC33FJ16GP102, PIC24FJ16MC102 and dsPIC33FJ16MC102 are available for use with the Explorer 16 (DM240001), which is priced at $129.99, and the $150.00 dsPICDEM™ MCLV (DM330021) development boards. The dsPIC33FJ16GP101 DSC is available in 18-pin PDIP and SOIC packages, as well as a 20-pin SSOP packages. The dsPIC33FJ16GP102 and dsPIC33FJ16MC102 DSCs, and PIC24FJ16MC102 MCU, are available in 28-pin QFN-S, SDIP, SOIC, and SSOP packages, as well as a 36-pin VLAP package. The dsPIC33FJ16MC101 DSC and PIC24FJ16MC101 MCU are available in 20-pin PDIP, SOIC and SSOP packages. For more information, visit Microchip's Web site at www.microchip.com/get/PFG6. A video demo of the kit can be viewed on YouTube at: www.microchip.com/get/RUBM.