Allegro Adds Unipolar Two-Phase Stepping Motor Driver ICs

Allegro MicroSystems, Inc. has introduced the SLA7070MPR series of unipolar two-phase stepping motor driver ICs, designed to simplify peripheral circuitry design and reduce space while maintaining high reliability.

As office and factory automation equipment have become multifunctional, the number of motors mounted in the equipment has increased. As a result, saved space and high reliability are required features for driver ICs. The Series SLA7070M were developed to meet these market requirements by including a built-in resistor for current sense and a protection circuit against the load short or open operation.

A common interface signal and series pin compatibility simplify peripheral circuitry design, while a built-in sense resistor shrinks design space. The built-in motor coil, short- and open-circuit protection, and varied Iout lineout (1A, 1.5A, 2A or 3A) all contribute to increased reliability.

The series SLA7070M uses clock-in topology. The ICs are built in a logic circuit that controls excitation switching and D/A converter. As a result, driving a motor one way can be controlled with one clock signal. Consequently, clock topology makes it possible to reduce control signal wire and micro-computer load. The series has both full/half-step type and microstep type.

Pin alignments of conventional motor driver series are different between full and microstepping, but the SLA7070M series were designed with commonality so that pin alignments and interface specification are compatible. As a result, users can choose the most suitable part for the required characteristics of user applications.

Targeted at the office automation and factory automation markets, the series SLA7070M is provided in an SLA package and has a 10- to 12-week ARO leadtime. Pricing ranges from $2.801 to $5.579, depending on specifications.