Allegro MicroSystems Announces New High Voltage IGBT Module Series
Allegro® MicroSystems, Inc. introduced a new series in its Inverter Power Module (IPM) product line. Allegro’s SCM1100M series has a 100 to 240Vac input voltage, and a 5 to 15A output current. These ICs can withstand voltages of up to 600V (IGBT breakdown voltage), providing a robust IPM for optimally controlling three-phase motor inverters used to drive motors of residential and commercial appliances. This product line was developed to address a market need toward energy-efficient technologies designed for applications in variable speed control and power inverter systems.
The SCM1100M series employs a new, small-footprint DIP package with exposed thermal pad for enhanced power dissipation capacity. The IC itself consists of all of the necessary power elements: six IGBTs, three pre-drive ICs, and six flyback diodes, needed to configure the main circuit of an inverter, as well as a bootstrap circuit (three bootstrap diodes and three boot resistors) as a highside drive power supply. This enables the main circuit of the inverter to be configured with fewer external components.
The SCM1100M series supports the 3-shunt method, in which a shunt resistor is used in each phase. This enables small currents to be detected, and highly accurate inverter control to be achieved, thus contributing to low motor noise. In addition, each of the three phases contains an overcurrent protection circuit, and a function that prevents simultaneous turn-on of both the high-side and low-side IGBTs. Overall, use of the SCM1100M series with the 3-shunt method allows a significant reduction in the quantity of components needed and in the area of the application print circuit board used for the main circuit of the inverter. With these and many other designer-friendly features, the SCM1100M series allows a highly reliable inverter main circuit to be designed using only a small number of external components.
Allegro’s new SCM1100M series is priced as follows: SCM1101M - $8.80; SCM1103M - $8.30; SCM1104M - $8.50; SCM1105MF - $9.70; SCM1106M - $8.80; and SCM1110MF - $9.70 All are priced in quantities of 1,000 and have a 12-week typical lead time to market.
