STMicroelectronics STEVAL-IHM029V1

Overview

STEVAL-IHM029V1 from STMicroelectronics is an evaluation board for the STM8S103F3 8-bit microcontroller, designed to demonstrate motor control using a single-shunt inverter topology with space-vector PWM (SVPWM) and current reconstruction. It integrates the STM8S103F3 MCU (16 MHz core, 8 KB Flash, 640 B EEPROM, 10-bit ADC, UART/SPI/I²C), a dual low-side gate driver (L6387ED), and power stage components for driving 3-phase BLDC motors up to 300 W. Target applications include fan controllers, small appliance motor drives, and industrial pump demonstrators.

For engineers reviewing the STEVAL-IHM029V1 datasheet, STEVAL-IHM029V1 pinout, STEVAL-IHM029V1 application, or STEVAL-IHM029V1 equivalent, this page provides verified hardware architecture, validated SVPWM timing implementation, on-board current sensing calibration, and direct firmware compatibility with ST's X-CUBE-MCSDK v5.4.1 for rapid motor control prototyping.

Technical Context

The board implements a sensorless field-oriented control (FOC) reference design using the STM8S103F3's advanced control timer (TIM1) for precise 3-phase PWM generation with dead-time insertion, synchronized ADC sampling triggered by TIM1 update events, and real-time current reconstruction from a single shunt resistor. The L6387ED dual gate driver delivers matched 1.5 A peak source/sink current per channel with programmable dead time and UVLO protection at 12 V supply.

Hardware-level features include isolated analog current feedback (±5 A range, ±1% accuracy), optocoupled enable/control signals, onboard 5 V/3.3 V regulation, and jumper-selectable operation modes (open-loop speed, closed-loop FOC, or torque control). All firmware is pre-flashed and compatible with ST-LINK/V2 for debugging via SWIM interface.

Key Specifications

Availability

STEVAL-IHM029V1 is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for industrial motor control validation, BLDC fan development, and embedded motion control education requiring stable component supply and full firmware/toolchain support.

Supply support for STEVAL-IHM029V1 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 microcontrollers, power management, sensors, and automotive ICs with over 40 years of industrial-grade product experience.

This evaluation board belongs to ST's IHM (Intelligent Motor Control Hardware) series, engineered specifically to accelerate adoption of cost-optimized, sensorless BLDC and PMSM motor control in resource-constrained 8-bit systems.

FAQ

What firmware is preloaded on the STEVAL-IHM029V1?

The board ships with ST's official X-CUBE-MCSDK v5.4.1 firmware pre-flashed, implementing sensorless FOC for 3-phase BLDC motors using single-shunt current reconstruction. It supports real-time parameter tuning via UART terminal and includes built-in safety features like overcurrent shutdown and thermal fault detection.

Can the board drive motors above 300 W?

No - the STP55NF06L MOSFETs and PCB layout are thermally rated for continuous 300 W at 24 V with adequate heatsinking and airflow. Exceeding this requires external power stage redesign, as the onboard gate drivers and current sense circuitry are not rated for higher current or voltage.

Does it support encoder or Hall sensor feedback?

No - the hardware lacks dedicated encoder or Hall sensor input circuitry. It is strictly optimized for sensorless operation using back-EMF estimation. Adding external position sensors would require custom PCB modifications and firmware adaptation outside ST's supported SDK scope.

Is ST-LINK/V2 required for programming?

Yes - the board uses SWIM (Single Wire Interface Module) for programming and debugging, which is natively supported only by ST-LINK/V2 or compatible debuggers. Standard USB-to-UART adapters cannot program the STM8S103F3 MCU on this board.