STMicroelectronics STEVAL-IPM20B

Overview

STEVAL-IPM20B from STMicroelectronics is a compact 3-phase motor drive evaluation board built around the STGIB20M60TS-L SLLIMM™ 2nd series intelligent power module (25 A, 600 V, short-circuit rugged IGBTs), supporting up to 2000 W output power, 12 Arms nominal current, and 125–400 VDC input voltage. It enables field-oriented control (FOC) of PMSM/BLDC and AC induction motors in white goods, compressors, and high-end power tools.

For engineers reviewing the STEVAL-IPM20B datasheet, STEVAL-IPM20B pinout, STEVAL-IPM20B application, or STEVAL-IPM20B equivalent, this board delivers verified hardware-level overcurrent protection, IPM temperature monitoring, Hall/encoder interface, and dual current sensing options (on-board op-amps or MCU-based) - all critical for robust motor control prototyping and validation.

Technical Context

The board implements a complete 3-phase inverter stage with bootstrap gate driving, snubber and bus capacitance (1000 µF/400 V), and hardware fault signaling via SD (shutdown) pin tied to the STGIB20M60TS-L IPM. It supports both single-shunt and three-shunt current sensing topologies with dedicated TSV994 op-amps for signal conditioning.

Motor phase outputs (U/V/W) are routed through a 32-pin motor control connector compatible with STM32-based control boards. Hall/encoder inputs (A+/B+/Z+) and NTC-based thermal monitoring provide closed-loop feedback paths required for real-time FOC execution and thermal safety compliance.

Key Specifications

Availability

STEVAL-IPM20B is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for motor control development, FOC algorithm validation, and industrial inverter qualification requiring stable component supply and full reference design traceability.

Supply support for STEVAL-IPM20B 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, designing and manufacturing microcontrollers, power devices, sensors, and analog ICs for industrial, automotive, and consumer markets.

The STEVAL-IPM20B belongs to ST's SLLIMM™ evaluation platform family, engineered to accelerate adoption of intelligent power modules in cost-sensitive, high-efficiency 3-phase motor drives.

FAQ

What microcontrollers is the STEVAL-IPM20B designed to interface with?

The board features a standardized 32-pin motor control connector engineered for plug-and-play compatibility with ST's STM32 Nucleo and Discovery development boards, including those based on STM32G4, F3, and F4 series MCUs. Pin mapping aligns with ST Motor Control SDK (MCSDK) GPIO and timer resource assignments for PWM generation and current sampling.

Does the STEVAL-IPM20B include hardware overcurrent protection independent of firmware?

Yes - it implements dedicated hardware overcurrent protection using the STGIB20M60TS-L's integrated desaturation detection and fast shutdown (SD) pin. This path bypasses the MCU and triggers immediate gate shutdown within <1 µs upon IGBT desaturation, ensuring fail-safe operation even during software lockup or timing faults.

Can the STEVAL-IPM20B operate with a single-shunt current sensing topology?

Yes - the board supports both single-shunt and three-shunt configurations via jumper-selectable routing. In single-shunt mode, current reconstruction relies on synchronized PWM sampling and MCU-side Clarke/Park transforms, while the on-board TSV994 op-amps condition the shunt voltage for ADC input with 1.65 V common-mode offset.

What thermal monitoring capability does the STEVAL-IPM20B provide?

The board routes the STGIB20M60TS-L's internal NTC thermistor output to a dedicated analog header (TSO pin), enabling direct resistance-to-temperature conversion. An optional NTC bypass relay allows open-circuit fault detection, and the analog signal is scaled for 0–3.3 V input to standard MCU ADCs with ±2 °C accuracy over –40 to +125 °C.