Matthew BoyleRenesas unveils the RA8T1 microcontroller family, tailored for real-time control in business, building automation, and intelligent homes. Powered by the Arm Cortex-M85 480MHz processor and leveraging Arm’s Helium technology, these MCUs boast unparalleled processing power for advanced DSP and ML applications. Features like PWM timing, high-speed comparators, and versatile communication interfaces ensure seamless integration. Safety and security are prioritized with Arm TrustZone technology and Renesas RSIP-E51A security IP. Extensive memory options and support for Renesas’ flexible software package (FSP) streamline application development. Daryl Khoo, Vice President at Renesas, emphasizes performance in high-speed motor control applications, highlighting the MCUs’ efficiency in delivering complex algorithms. Supported by flexible development kits and comprehensive software packages, Renesas sets a new standard in motor control solutions, catering to the evolving needs of the automation industry.
Features of the RA8T1 Microcontrollers
To address real-time control of motors, power supplies, and other products frequently used in business and building automation, as well as intelligent homes, the Japanese electronics company Renesas has introduced a microcontroller family.
The next group in the company’s RA8 series, which all deliver 6.39 CoreMark/MHz, is made up of the Arm Cortex- M85 480MHz processor and the R8T1 microcontrollers (MCUs ). They implement digital signal processor ( DSP) and machine learning ( ML) implementations over the Cortex-M7 core using Arm’s Helium technology, which offers up to a four-time performance boost. As a result, they can be used for Artificial tasks that can forecast motor maintenance needs, lowering downtime.
The devices ( renesas.com/RA8T1 ) have PWM timing features like a double-buffer compare match register, three-phase complementary output, 0 % and 100 % duty output capability, and five phase counting modes. High-speed comparators used in voltage and current measurement and over-current protection are among the analogy capabilities, along with 12bit ADCs and DACs.
SCI, SPI, I2, I3, Can, Can-FD, Ethernet, and USB-FS are just a few of the communication options. The switch output shutdown capability is a crucial safety feature in motor control for the detection of anomalies. Users can create complete, low-power motor control by combining these capabilities with the timers and power management.
According to Daryl Khoo, vice president at Renesas, the company now dominates the market for motor control with the largest MCU portfolio for clever home, building, and factory automation systems. ” High-speed electrical motor control requires complex algorithms and application software to run in a reliable, secure, and safe manner, so the performance of these MCUs is crucial.” With the addition of Helium technology and unmatched CPU horsepower, the RA8T1 MCUs give our customers the extra flexibility to deliver intelligent AI and ML without the need for extra hardware.
Arm TrustZone technology, Renesas RSIP-E51A security IP, safe boot with primary stage bootloader in unchanging storage, PACBTI pointer authentication, and branch target identification security extension are all part of security.
On memory, they have integrated 128kbyte TCM and 512mbyte ECC protected dual-bank flash and 1MbyteSRAM.
They are supported by Renesas ‘ FSP flexible software package ( www. ) and are available in 100-, 144- and 176-pin LQFPs as well as 224- pin BGAs. By offering all the infrastructure software required, including many RTOS, BSP, external drivers, middleware, connectivity, networking, security stacks, while also as reference software to build complex AI, motor control, and cloud options, renesas.com/us/en/software- tool/flexible-software-package-fsp), it enables faster application development. Flexible application development is made possible by users ‘ ability to integrate their own legacy code and choice of RTOS with FSP. The FSP should make it simpler to move existing designs to the devices.
The Motor Control Development Kit
Renesas flexible motor control development kit, which supports the MCUs, enables the evaluation of motor controls with the help of permanent magnet synchronous motors and the motor workbench development tool. This development kit enables IP to be transferred between devices by providing a popular design platform with many motor control MCUs from the RA and RX families.
