STMicroelectronics STEVAL-IPMM15B

Overview

STEVAL-IPMM15B from STMicroelectronics is a compact 1500 W three-phase motor drive evaluation board built around the STIB1560DM2T-L SLLIMM™ 2nd series intelligent power module (IPM), featuring 15 A / 600 V n-channel MDmesh™ DM2 MOSFETs with integrated fast-recovery diodes, undervoltage lockout, hardware overcurrent protection, and NTC-based temperature monitoring. It supports field-oriented control (FOC) for PMSM/BLDC and ACIM motors in white goods, air conditioners, and power tools.

For engineers reviewing the STEVAL-IPMM15B datasheet, STEVAL-IPMM15B pinout, STEVAL-IPMM15B application, or STEVAL-IPMM15B equivalent, this board provides validated interface circuitry for STM32 MCU-based motor control-including 32-pin motor control connector, dual current sensing options (dedicated op-amps or MCU-based), Hall/encoder input, and configurable shunt resistor layouts for single- or three-shunt topologies.

Technical Context

The board implements a complete 3-phase inverter stage using the STIB1560DM2T-L IPM, which integrates gate drivers, bootstrap circuitry, fault reporting (SD pin), and thermal sensing (TSO pin). Its analog front-end includes three TSV994 op-amps for current amplification with selectable gain and filtering to support high-bandwidth FOC current loops.

Hardware-level protections include dedicated overcurrent detection via shunt resistors and comparator circuits, independent NTC-based thermal shutdown, and EM_STOP emergency stop input routed directly to the IPM's shutdown pin-enabling sub-microsecond fault response without MCU intervention.

Key Specifications

Availability

STEVAL-IPMM15B is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for motor control development, FOC algorithm validation, and industrial inverter prototyping requiring stable component supply and ST-validated reference designs.

Supply support for STEVAL-IPMM15B 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 applications.

This board belongs to ST's STEVAL motor control evaluation platform family, engineered to accelerate development of high-efficiency, sensorless or sensor-based 3-phase motor drives using STM32 MCUs and STPOWER IPMs.

FAQ

Does STEVAL-IPMM15B require an external MCU to operate?

No - it is an evaluation board, not a standalone controller. It must be paired with a compatible STM32-based control board (e.g., NUCLEO-G431RB or X-NUCLEO-IHM07M1) that provides PWM generation, current sampling, and FOC execution. The board supplies only the power stage and signal conditioning.

What cooling solution is recommended for full 1500 W operation?

ST recommends forced-air cooling with ≥20 CFM airflow over the DBC-packaged STIB1560DM2T-L IPM. Thermal testing in DB4141 shows 85°C junction temperature at 6 Arms/400 VDC with a 0.1°C/W heatsink and fan; passive cooling is insufficient above ~300 W continuous output.

Can STEVAL-IPMM15B be used with non-ST microcontrollers?

Yes - the 32-pin motor control connector exposes all critical signals (PWM-H/L, current sense outputs, fault flags, NTC, Hall/encoder inputs) with 3.3 V logic levels. External MCU interfacing requires matching voltage levels, timing constraints for PWM dead-time, and proper isolation if driving higher-voltage systems.

Is hardware overcurrent protection active during startup or only during runtime?

Hardware overcurrent protection is always active - it operates independently of MCU firmware via comparator circuits monitoring shunt voltage against a fixed threshold. The EM_STOP and SD pins trigger immediate IPM shutdown within <1 μs, regardless of MCU state or boot sequence.