Renesas' inductive motor position sensing technology combines high accuracy, high stability and high cost performance

【Lansheng Technology News】On October 25, 2023, Renesas Electronics announced today the launch of new inductive position sensor technology for high-precision motor position sensor ICs used in robotics, industrial and medical applications. This position sensing technology utilizes non-contact coil sensors to replace expensive magnetic and optical encoders currently used in motor control systems that require absolute position sensing, high speed, high accuracy, and high reliability.

Renesas' proprietary IPS technology uses sensing elements consisting of copper coils etched on a printed circuit board (PCB) to detect the position of metal targets. Unlike heavy-duty magnet-based sensors, IPS products are capable of operating at 600 Krpm (electrical) and detect position instantly on start-up with a propagation delay of less than 2μs, making them ideal for high-speed rotating motors. In addition, the sensor technology supports automatic calibration and linearization to ensure consistent performance throughout the motor's service life.

Based on the vernier principle, the dual-coil sensor technology supports up to 19-bit resolution and up to 14-bit accuracy, which makes it superior to similar products available on the market. Robust sensor technology operates reliably in harsh environments such as heat, dust, moisture, vibration and electromagnetic interference (EMI). Inductive sensors are not affected by stray magnetic fields, require no maintenance, and are less error-prone than magnetic sensors. These advantages make inductive position sensors a more attractive option than heavier and more expensive traditional optical or magnetic encoders.

Inductive position sensor technology will support common UART, ABI and I²C communication interfaces, ensuring seamless integration into industrial networks for real-time monitoring and data analysis. In addition, the new sensor technology will be supported by a complete tool chain, including dedicated software for user customization and accuracy optimization. Renesas plans to combine the new sensor with the many compatible devices in its portfolio to create a broad "success portfolio" that works seamlessly together to bring optimized, low-risk designs to users and accelerate time to market.