Issue link: https://resources.mouser.com/i/1538449
Ensuring that each machine is using power efficiently is essential to reduce overall consumption. With so many moving elements, handling motion and power control is more difficult and requires sophisticated processing. Moreover, ensuring the safety of high- voltage, sophisticated control electronics, as well as of the operator, requires a separation of the control and power circuits. This is the role of galvanic isolation in industrial environment. Isolated Gate Drivers Gate drivers, which are responsible for switching the power transistors that drive motors, are familiar components in any industrial application. However, when dealing with the high-voltage systems that are common in industrial machinery, the STGAP series of isolated gate drivers is critical to safety. These drivers separate the control circuitry from the high-power stages, protecting both the equipment and the operators. The STGAP series of isolated gate drivers for metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) and insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) provide galvanic isolation between the control part of the system, and the MOSFET or IGBT power stage. Galvanic isolation is achieved on chip, using a high- voltage micro transformer that ensures commands and diagnostics are reliably transferred back and forth from the isolated high-voltage section of the circuit. STGAP isolated gate drivers provide a large number of adjustable parameters to match specific Silicon, gallium nitride (GaN), silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs and IGBTs chosen for the power stage. Extensive diagnostic features enhance system robustness, safety, and reliability. STGAP drivers are designed to work seamlessly with the STM32N6 series of MCUs. Integrating power control directly with the power of AI processing means that supplying power is no longer passive. C h a p t e r 2 | E n e r g y a n d D r i v i n g Piercarlo Scimonelli Director of Product Marketing, STMicroelectronics When equipment isn't in optimal condition, it wastes energy. AI can support energy management, not only through predictive maintenance, but also by enhancing how we design power supplies." 14 Autonomy Meets Intelligence: Enabling the Future of Factory Automation