coverstory electr april09 pp22 23:centrefold 16/4/09 12:48 ... · coverstory electr april09...
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F ujitsu Microelectronics Europe (FME) has long been well regarded in the auto- motive sector. The company, with its headquarters in Langen, Germany, also produces microcontrollers (MCUs), which are becoming an increasingly popular choice in industrial applications. The company's industrial division accounts for 15% of total sales and this success has led it to increase its market focus in this important area with the launch of a wide range of MCUs for industrial applications. These include electric motor control units, available in many different sizes, so that every customer gets exactly what is required. From automotive to industrial Around 15 to 20 years ago, MCUs launched in Europe were specifically developed for the automotive market. And since then, they have also demonstrated their potential to the indus- trial sector. These devices can now be found in white goods and small household devices such as coffee machines. However, the real demand for them has been found in manufacturing plants in Germany, par- ticularly in production line automation which, like the automotive market, has seen a growth in the number of electronic parts required. As a result, FME began to cater specifically for the demands of the industrial sector around ten years ago and has since come to be recog- nised as a key solutions provider in this critical niche market. “The MB90F497 microcontroller was the first 16bit MCU with a CAN interface that we developed for both markets,” explains Wolf Fronauer. “Although two generations have passed since the first prototype, its suc- cessors are still being sold in growing quan- tities today.” FME’s largest sales market, accounting for some 50% of its revenue, is made up of German speaking countries and regions. Around 30% of the components go to Southern Europe, mainly Italy and Spain, whilst Eastern Europe accounts for 10%, a figure that is experiencing continuous growth. Western Europe and Scandinavia account for 10% of the overall sales figure. “In Southern Europe, we are slightly stronger than the market average,” says Dr Gerhard Roos, Senior Director of FME’s Automotive & Industrial Business Unit. “This is because people in the region tend to be more willing to use new and innovative prod- ucts. And they are backed up by a strong, local, technical support team in Italy.” Understanding customers’ requirements Gaining an understanding of user problems has seen FME deliver its customers complete solutions in addition to individual modules. For example, users whose know-how focuses on machinery and not on motors, that is users for whom controlling the motor is just a means to an end, can concentrate on their core area of expertise with FME’s motor control starter kits. Rising energy costs coupled with regulations demanding lower power consumption have led to an increase in energy efficiency projects, with a trend towards three-phase motors. These elec- tronically controlled motors deliver enormous savings and FME offers special microcontrollers and starter-kits for this purpose. Depending on the type of motor, a different MCU is used: conventional motors frequently use 8bit, while 16bit controllers are used to con- trol simple three-phase drives. FME offers 32bit MCUs for particularly pow- erful motor controllers such as servo drives and some of these can control two motors simultane- ously. The starter kits also contain a CD-ROM with the relevant software environment and comprehensive documentation. In addition to the kits designed for motor control units in par- ticular, the com- pany also offers numerous other demo boards for use in the indus- trial sector: see Figure 1. For three-phase motor control units, FME offers the MB91470 series of MCUs. Two processing elements are integrated in these: a 32bit MCU and a μDSP. The latter is responsible for the specific control and filter algorithms of data that are gained through simultaneous measurement of the phase currents by the three ADCs. The conversion between the co-ordinate systems of the vector control sequence is per- formed in the 32bit CPU. Not only does the user benefit from the integration of both the CPU and the DSP on the one chip but also from the software, which is made available for all relevant units in the form of tested function blocks. This allows optimum use to be made of the resources on the controller: see Figure 2. “Offering the user optimised software rou- tines for the function blocks in question is just one of the many services that accelerate development and simplify optimum use of the microcontroller,” says Fronauer. “This APRIL 2009 Electronics 22 Advertisement Feature Cover Story Complete Industry Solutions Fujitsu Microelectronics Europe, says Industrial Marketing Manager Wolf Fronauer, is concen- trating heavily on software development in order to offer customers complete system solutions. Figure 1: Three-phase motor control unit. coverstory electr april09 pp22_23:centrefold 16/4/09 12:48 Page 22
Transcript of coverstory electr april09 pp22 23:centrefold 16/4/09 12:48 ... · coverstory electr april09...
Fujitsu Microelectronics Europe (FME)has long been well regarded in the auto-motive sector. The company, with itsheadquarters in Langen, Germany, alsoproduces microcontrollers (MCUs),
which are becoming an increasingly popularchoice in industrial applications.
The company's industrial division accountsfor 15% of total sales and this success has ledit to increase its market focus in this importantarea with the launch of a wide range of MCUsfor industrial applications. These includeelectric motor control units, available in manydifferent sizes, so that every customer getsexactly what is required.
From automotive to industrialAround 15 to 20 years ago, MCUs launched in
Europe were specifically developed for theautomotive market. And since then, they havealso demonstrated their potential to the indus-trial sector. These devices can now be found inwhite goods and small household devices suchas coffee machines.
However, the real demand for them has beenfound in manufacturing plants in Germany, par-ticularly in production line automation which,like the automotive market, has seen a growth inthe number of electronic parts required.
As a result, FME began to cater specificallyfor the demands of the industrial sector aroundten years ago and has since come to be recog-nised as a key solutions provider in this criticalniche market. “The MB90F497 microcontrollerwas the first 16bit MCU with a CAN interfacethat we developed for both markets,” explainsWolf Fronauer. “Although two generationshave passed since the first prototype, its suc-cessors are still being sold in growing quan-tities today.”
FME’s largest sales market, accounting forsome 50% of its revenue, is made up ofGerman speaking countries and regions.Around 30% of the components go toSouthern Europe, mainly Italy and Spain,whilst Eastern Europe accounts for 10%, afigure that is experiencing continuousgrowth. Western Europe and Scandinaviaaccount for 10% of the overall sales figure.
“In Southern Europe, we are slightlystronger than the market average,” says DrGerhard Roos, Senior Director of FME’sAutomotive & Industrial Business Unit. “Thisis because people in the region tend to bemore willing to use new and innovative prod-
ucts. And they are backed up by a strong, local,technical support team in Italy.”
Understanding customers’ requirementsGaining an understanding of user problems
has seen FME deliver its customers completesolutions in addition to individual modules. Forexample, users whose know-how focuses onmachinery and not on motors, that is users forwhom controlling the motor is just a means toan end, can concentrate on their core area ofexpertise with FME’s motor control starter kits.
Rising energy costs coupled with regulationsdemanding lower power consumption have ledto an increase in energy efficiency projects, witha trend towards three-phase motors. These elec-tronically controlled motors deliver enormoussavings and FME offers special microcontrollersand starter-kits for this purpose.
Depending on the type of motor, a differentMCU is used: conventional motors frequentlyuse 8bit, while 16bit controllers are used to con-
trol simple three-phase drives. FME offers 32bit MCUs for particularly pow-
erful motor controllers such as servo drives andsome of these can control two motors simultane-ously. The starter kits also contain a CD-ROMwith the relevant software environment andcomprehensive documentation. In addition tothe kits designed for motor control units in par-ticular, the com-pany also offersn u m e r o u sother demoboards foruse in thei n d u s -t r i a lsector:s e e
Figure 1.For three-phase motor
control units, FME offers the MB91470series of MCUs. Two processing elements areintegrated in these: a 32bit MCU and a µDSP.The latter is responsible for the specific control
and filter algorithms of data that are gainedthrough simultaneous measurement of thephase currents by the three ADCs.
The conversion between the co-ordinatesystems of the vector control sequence is per-formed in the 32bit CPU. Not only does theuser benefit from the integration of both theCPU and the DSP on the one chip but alsofrom the software, which is made availablefor all relevant units in the form of testedfunction blocks. This allows optimum use tobe made of the resources on the controller:see Figure 2.
“Offering the user optimised software rou-tines for the function blocks in question isjust one of the many services that acceleratedevelopment and simplify optimum use ofthe microcontroller,” says Fronauer. “This
APRIL 2009 Electronics22
Advertisement Feature Cover Story
CompleteIndustry Solutions
Fujitsu MicroelectronicsEurope, says Industrial
Marketing ManagerWolf Fronauer, is concen-
trating heavily on softwaredevelopment in order to
offer customers completesystem solutions.
Figure 1: Three-phase motor control unit.
coverstory electr april09 pp22_23:centrefold 16/4/09 12:48 Page 22
Advertisement Feature Cover Story
Electronics APRIL 2009 23
clarifies Fujitsu’s position as a supplier ofsystem solutions with added value generatedby in-house software packages.”
FME also attaches importance to these func-tions when it comes to the size of the MCUs inrelation to each other. For example, 16bit solu-tions will soon be available with peripheralfunctions compatible with 32bit MCUs, allow-ing users to purchase only those applicationsactually required to control pumps, compres-sors, linear drives, white goods, frequencyconverters or servo drives.
Meeting market demandsMCUs for building control technologies,
such as motors for lift doors, air conditionersor access control, as well as for test and mea-surement technology applications such asmobile diagnosis devices, data loggers andPoS products, are also available from FME.Mobile devices such as ATM terminals alsouse components from FME’s power manage-ment product range: see Figure 3.
End products for this market must fulfil twobasic requirements: they must feature lowpower consumption and their designs mustclearly differentiate them from the competi-
tion. Fujitsu’s latest productopens up
new methods of designing input systems. TheTouch Sensor Controller, distributed by FMEin Europe, is a capacitive sensor controllerthat can replace mechanical keypads, meaningscroll bars and several buttons can be easilyeliminated. To operate the device, the usersimply runs a finger over the printed circuitboard. The sensor recognises the position viathe change in capacitance and forwards thisinformation to the controller. Not only is thisprinciple largely independent of the surface,which can be shaped in different ways, but italso works through plastic, glass or paper and
with water on the surface. This robustness isparticularly beneficial to industrial users thatwill no longer have to set small buttons whilewearing thick gloves.
USB: simple, secure updatesFME’s USB products also make the user’s
job easier. In the past, technicians had toupdate end product firmware with their lap-tops or via a serial interface, a procedure thatinvolved certain risks. Regular updating ismuch easier and smoother if no more than aUSB stick is required. This is inserted into thedevice, which then loads and installs the up todate firmware before signalling that the stickcan be removed again: see Figure 4.
“A USB host is integrated so that you can con-trol the USB stick with our microcontrollers,”explains Fronauer. “The latest generation of16bit MCUs is called 16FX and is the first tocombine this USB mini-host with other networkinterfaces. This product has already impressedmany of our customers, thanks not only to itscombination with integrated CAN interfaces butalso to the USB sample software included in thedelivery. This software makes it much easier to
become fully acquainted with the USB.”The USB controller comes with a quick-start
kit that consists of a development board, thenecessary software development environmentand the activated USB software. In addition tothe USB driver, the kit also contains examplesfor activating the memory stick and readingthe file system. The company’s own softwaredevelopment environment, Softune Work-bench, is available as a complete, free ofcharge solution in Europe.
“Those who want to work with this systemor who just want to get an overview of its func-tions,” says Fronauer, “do not have to make aninvestment of any kind. All they have to do isrequest the CD from a distributor or fromFujitsu direct, and register. We provide thesoftware with the demo kits to support ourcustomers. However, our portfolio alsoincludes self-contained software products.FME is concentrating heavily on softwaredevelopment in order to offer a completesystem solution.” �Fujitsu Microelectronics Europehttp://emea.fujitsu.com/microelectronicsEmail: [email protected] Enter 195
Figure 2: The SK-91470-144PMC1-MC is a generalpurpose evaluation board for the MB91470 series.
Figure 3: Development kit for the Touch Sensor Controller.
Figure 4: USB controller quick-start kit.
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