Hi all,

I'm looking for individual halfbridges already mounted on PCBs with built-in drivers. The purpose is to have up to 8 halfbridge modules that could be interconnected in order to drive different types of motors.

The bus voltage doesn't need to be more than 40V and peak current not more than 100A.Frequency not more than 20kHz.

There are some IPMs from Semikron but they are high voltage modules. I imagine something like a small PCB with a connector for a flexcable (signals) and copper bars on each side to be able to connect them together. +a big bypass capacitor.

Anyone seen something like this?

Thanks

 

No. What you are describing would have to be a hybrid module with ICs and power transistor devices mounted on a single substrate. Nat Semi tried their hand at hybrids twice and lost massive amounts of money both times.

There is an inherent problem: hybrids are very expensive and only do one job. Including the power devices in the assembly "locks in" the design to a specific range of voltage and current. When the controller and power stages are separate, it's more flexible and can accommodate wide range of applications.

 

It doesn't need to be a hybrid. Could be a PCB with common parts already mounted on it.

I think I've seen boards with 3 half-bridges, but they are not versatile enough, since there are so many different motor combinations.

 

...but they are not versatile enough, since there are so many different motor combinations.

That was BountyHunter's point!

 

That was BountyHunter's point!

Not quite. Bountyhunters point was that HYBRIDS would not be versatile enough.
As I said I am not looking for hybrids. It could be simple off-the-shelf halfbridge modules made from commonly available components. If these are mounted on a PCB with common packages like a D2PAK MOSFETs and enough place for different capacitor sizes they would be quite versatile. The driver ICs/circuit doesn't need to be configurable since deadtime will be determined externally. Could be a simple high output current chip like a FAN7390 for example.

Anyway, the point here is not to discuss why somebody thinks such a module doesn't exist but only point me to the manufacturer in case they DO exist.

Thanks

 

Not quite. Bountyhunters point was that HYBRIDS would not be versatile enough.
As I said I am not looking for hybrids. It could be simple off-the-shelf halfbridge modules made from commonly available components. If these are mounted on a PCB with common packages like a D2PAK MOSFETs and enough place for different capacitor sizes they would be quite versatile. The driver ICs/circuit doesn't need to be configurable since deadtime will be determined externally. Could be a simple high output current chip like a FAN7390 for example.

Anyway, the point here is not to discuss why somebody thinks such a module doesn't exist but only point me to the manufacturer in case they DO exist.

Thanks

I have not seen such modules for motor drivers. The reason the hybrid design was used was so the power devices were thermally connected to the controller which could implement protection during overload.

As for modules which contain discrete components: nat Semi dabbled in that as well and lost even more money. Same problem: they work for one specific type of application, and that means 99% of the prospective buyers are saying:

"I can't use it because I need XYZ not ABC"

Also realize that the "ready to use" modular solutions are usually WAYYYY more expensive than if you build it, hence why nobody uses them.

You might be able to come up with a flexible circuit design on a PCB that you could tweak for different apps. We did a lot of that at Nat Semi, you have to define the boundaries of the applications and see what you can build that covers it.

 

Nat Semi tried their hand at hybrids twice and lost massive amounts of money both times.

While the market for general purpose hybrids is a looser, the market for custom hybrids is still active. I've worked for several companies who made massive amounts of money off these.

 

I have not seen such modules for motor drivers. The reason the hybrid design was used was so the power devices were thermally connected to the controller which could implement protection during overload.

As for modules which contain discrete components: nat Semi dabbled in that as well and lost even more money. Same problem: they work for one specific type of application, and that means 99% of the prospective buyers are saying:

"I can't use it because I need XYZ not ABC"

Also realize that the "ready to use" modular solutions are usually WAYYYY more expensive than if you build it, hence why nobody uses them.

You might be able to come up with a flexible circuit design on a PCB that you could tweak for different apps. We did a lot of that at Nat Semi, you have to define the boundaries of the applications and see what you can build that covers it.

Since this is a single unit to be built it would have probably been cheaper if it existed already. The cost for developing a single unit is higher than we would be paying for off-the-shelf. But apparently they don't exist.

Thanks