Monolithic Power Systems Inc. EVKT820-KNOB-Q-01A

Overview

EVKT820-KNOB-Q-01A from Monolithic Power Systems is a fully assembled rotary knob evaluation kit designed for the MA820 MagAlpha magnetic angle sensor. It features an end-of-shaft diametrically magnetized NdFeB cylinder magnet (5 mm Ø × 2.5 mm H, Br = 1.2 T), pre-mounted on an aluminum shaft with adjustable mechanical zero, and supports air gap tuning via included 0.7 mm and 2.0 mm spacers to test sensor performance at 75 mT, 50 mT, and 25 mT field strengths.

For engineers reviewing the EVKT820-KNOB-Q-01A datasheet, EVKT820-KNOB-Q-01A pinout, EVKT820-KNOB-Q-01A application, or EVKT820-KNOB-Q-01A equivalent, this kit enables rapid validation of MagAlpha noise level, refresh rate, power-up time, magnetic field dependence, and angular linearity in knob-based human interface designs.

Technical Context

The EVKT820-KNOB-Q-01A implements Type 2 board architecture optimized for the MA820 sensor, featuring a 16-pin 2.54 mm pitch receptacle (CN1) with SPI interface (CS, SCLK, MOSI, MISO), TEST pin, dual magnetic field monitoring outputs (MGH/MGL), and six configurable I/O pins (IO1–IO6). The board includes 1 µF and 100 nF decoupling capacitors per MPS layout guidelines.

It supports end-of-shaft magnetic coupling with fixed nominal air gap of 1.5 mm (75 mT), scalable to 2.2 mm (50 mT) or 3.5 mm (25 mT) using supplied spacers-enabling systematic characterization of field sensitivity, noise floor degradation, and linearity drift across operating range.

Key Specifications

Availability

EVKT820-KNOB-Q-01A is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for rotary user interface development, potentiometer replacement prototyping, and appliance dial evaluation requiring stable component supply and traceable evaluation hardware.

Supply support for EVKT820-KNOB-Q-01A 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

Monolithic Power Systems (MPS) is a fabless semiconductor company specializing in high-performance power management and sensing ICs, with global design centers and ISO 9001-certified operations.

This kit belongs to the MagAlpha evaluation platform family, engineered specifically to accelerate development of contactless rotary position sensing in consumer, industrial, and appliance applications using magnetic angle sensors.

FAQ

What sensor does EVKT820-KNOB-Q-01A evaluate?

It evaluates the MA820 MagAlpha magnetic angle sensor, mounted on the EVMA820-Q-01A board. The kit is part of the EVKT-KNOB series, where the suffix "820" explicitly maps to the MA820 device, as confirmed in Table 1 of the reference document.

Is the knob mechanically adjustable for zero-angle calibration?

Yes-the aluminum shaft includes a 2 mm diameter pin hole for stabilization while rotating the knob with a 1/16″ hex key. This allows precise mechanical zero setting before final screw tightening, independent of software calibration.

Which magnetic field strengths can be tested with the included spacers?

The kit supports three calibrated air gaps: no spacer (1.5 mm → 75 mT), 0.7 mm spacer (2.2 mm → 50 mT), and 2.0 mm spacer (3.5 mm → 25 mT), enabling controlled assessment of sensor behavior under weak-field conditions.

Does EVKT820-KNOB-Q-01A include a communication interface board?

No-it is a standalone knob evaluation kit. For serial communication, it must be paired with the separate MagAlpha Communication Interface Kit (EVKT-MACOM), which provides USB-to-SPI bridging and GUI-based configuration.

What is the purpose of the MGH and MGL pins on CN1?

MGH and MGL are open-drain magnetic field level monitor outputs. They assert logic low when sensed field exceeds or falls below programmable thresholds, providing real-time feedback on magnetic coupling integrity without host MCU intervention.

Are the spacers included in the kit RoHS-compliant?

Yes-all kit components-including the 0.7 mm and 2.0 mm spacers, aluminum shaft, knob, and NdFeB magnet-are lead-free, halogen-free, and compliant with the EU RoHS directive, consistent with MPS's green status policy.