STMicroelectronics EVAL6235N

Overview

EVAL6235N from STMicroelectronics is an evaluation board for the L6235 DMOS 3-phase brushless DC motor driver IC, supporting 8–52 V supply, 5.6 A peak output current, 0.3 Ω typical R_DS(ON), 100 kHz switching frequency, and integrated hall sensor decoding logic for 60°/120° commutation. It enables rapid prototyping of BLDC motor control in industrial fans, power tools, and HVAC blowers.

For engineers reviewing the EVAL6235N datasheet, EVAL6235N pinout, EVAL6235N application, or EVAL6235N equivalent, this board provides validated hardware reference for L6235-based motor drive designs - including charge pump configuration, tachometer feedback implementation, brake function validation, and non-dissipative overcurrent protection testing under real load conditions.

Technical Context

The EVAL6235N implements the full signal chain of the L6235 IC: it routes all six power MOSFET gate drives (OUT1–OUT3, VSA/VSB, VBOOT), connects hall sensor inputs (H1/H2/H3), exposes diagnostic (DIAG), tachometer (TACHO), and PWM timing pins (RCOFF/RCPULSE), and integrates the required external charge pump components (C_BOOT, C_P, R_P, D1/D2) per ST's recommended layout. The board supports both PowerSO36 and SO24 footprint variants of the L6235.

It validates critical functional blocks: constant t_OFF PWM current regulation with blanking time (1 µs), slow-decay synchronous rectification, cross-conduction protection (1 µs deadtime), thermal shutdown response, and undervoltage lockout behavior - all using the L6235's native internal logic without firmware intervention.

Key Specifications

Availability

EVAL6235N is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for industrial motor control, HVAC system development, and power tool electronics requiring stable component supply and validated reference hardware for high-current BLDC drivers.

Supply support for EVAL6235N includes scheduled delivery planning, volume procurement assistance, BOM continuity management, traceable sourcing, and lifecycle availability coordination for OEM customers, industrial embedded developers, connected-device designers, and electronics production programs.

Manufacturer

STMicroelectronics is a global semiconductor leader headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, specializing in power management, motor control, and automotive-grade analog/mixed-signal ICs.

The EVAL6235N belongs to ST's Motor Control Evaluation Kit family, designed specifically to accelerate design-in of their integrated BLDC drivers - emphasizing ease of validation for hall-based commutation, current regulation stability, and thermal performance under real-world load profiles.

FAQ

Does EVAL6235N support both PowerSO36 and SO24 versions of the L6235?

Yes - the board features dual-footprint land patterns allowing direct soldering of either the PowerSO36 or SO24 package variant of the L6235 IC. Both footprints share identical signal routing, power plane layout, and thermal pad connections per ST's recommended PCB guidelines in DocID7618 Rev 4 Section 12.

What external components must be added to operate the EVAL6235N?

No additional components are required for basic operation: the board includes all charge pump elements (C_BOOT, C_P, R_P, D1/D2), current sense resistor (R_SENSE), hall sensor pull-ups, and tachometer RC network. Users only need to connect DC supply, motor, hall sensors, and optional logic-level control signals (EN, FWD/REV, BRAKE).

Can the EVAL6235N be used for closed-loop speed control?

Yes - the board provides a buffered, open-drain TACHO output synchronized to hall pulses, with adjustable pulse width via the RCPULSE network. This signal can feed directly into a microcontroller's timer capture input or dedicated speed controller IC to implement PID-based speed regulation as described in Section 9 of the L6235 datasheet.

How is overcurrent protection verified on this evaluation board?

The board routes the DIAG pin to an LED and test point, enabling visual and oscilloscope confirmation of non-dissipative overcurrent events. When triggered, DIAG pulls low for >200 ns (per datasheet t_OCD(ON)), allowing correlation with motor stall conditions or intentional short-circuit tests while monitoring OUTx waveforms and thermal behavior.