Electrical Specifications
Atlas
®
Digital Amplifier Complete Technical Reference
33
3
3.9
Connection Overview
3.9.1
Brushless DC Motors
Figure 3-8:
Brushless DC
Connections
The following table summarizes the recommended connections when connecting Atlas amplifiers to brushless DC
motors
If Atlas is used as part of a higher level position controller, as shown in the
, the Brushless DC motor
provides feedback signals to the external controller. Commonly, both Hall sensor signals and a position encoder are
used, but only one or the other is needed in a minimal configuration. In this configuration the external controller
generally consists of a PMD Magellan Motion Processor or a programmable microprocessor or DSP-type device.
Alternatively, Atlas can be operated by an external controller as a standalone device, driving the motor at commanded
voltage or torque levels and not part of a higher-level servo controller. In this configuration, the external controller
can be either a microprocessor-type device, or a logic device such as an FPGA (field programmable gate array).
Atlas functions as a power block providing amplification, current control, and safety management of the amplifier and
motor. Atlas does not directly accept Hall signals or encoder signals, so to operate with a brushless DC motor the
motor's current phase angle must be provided by the external controller through the SPI interface.
Type
Required Connections
Optional
Connections
Power
HV, Pwr_Gnd
Communication
~SPICS, SPISO, SPISI, SPIClk, GND
Motor
Motor A, Motor B, Motor C
Miscellaneous
~Enable
FaultOut
The Atlas does not support direct Hall signal inputs. To operate the Atlas with a Brushless DC motor, continuous
motor phase angle is provided by the external controller, via either Hall inputs or an encoder.
Enable
FaultOut
Motor A
Motor B
Motor C
Optional Hall Sensors
Atlas
®
Digital
Amplifier
3 - Phase
Brushless
DC Motor
External
Controller
Optional
Optional Encoder Feedback
Hall & Encoder
SPI
SPICS
SPIClk
SPISI
SPISO
Pwr_Gnd
HV
