Motor Control Platform

Flexible Multi-Axis & Communications

The development platform is based on the XS1-L2 dual core processor. It supports dual axis BLDC motor control with communication over a CAN or Ethernet interface. Each core contains 8 non-blocking threads that can be assigned to tasks such as PWM, running control loops, reading ADC values, or operating a networking stack.

Processing power is distributed evenly across active threads. Threads can be allocated to vary the number of axes, the control loop, and communications interfaces. As an example, reducing the number of active threads can increase the frequency of the current loop for an axis.

High Performance

Each core of the XS1-L2 processor can support up to 2 axes of BLDC or PMSM motors, or 4 axes of DC or stepper motor. A single core can drive the current loop for a 3 phase BLDC motor at up to 125 kHz, with a PWM resolution of only 4 ns.

Software included with the platform implements speed control in line with current control without decimation. Speed, position, or torque control algorithms can run in line with the current loop, or on their thread.

More than 250 MIPS per core is available for advanced control algorithms after accounting for software related to motor control and communications. Multiple chips can be connected to scale to a nearly unlimited number of coordinated axes for robotics and other applications.

Development Tools

Motor Control Platform developers must use Version 11.11 or later of the XMOS Development Tools.