STMicroelectronics X-NUCLEO-IHM04A1

Overview

X-NUCLEO-IHM04A1 from STMicroelectronics is a dual brush DC motor driver expansion board based on the L6206 DMOS dual full-bridge driver IC, designed to drive two bipolar DC motors or four unipolar DC motors in STM32 Nucleo-based development systems. It operates from 8 V to 50 V, delivers up to 2.8 A r.m.s. phase current per bridge, and integrates undervoltage lockout, programmable high-side overcurrent protection, and thermal shutdown.

For engineers reviewing the X-NUCLEO-IHM04A1 datasheet, X-NUCLEO-IHM04A1 pinout, X-NUCLEO-IHM04A1 application, or X-NUCLEO-IHM04A1 equivalent, key selection considerations include Arduino UNO R3 and STM32 Nucleo compatibility, shunt resistor mounting options for current sensing, direct output driving capability, and support for ST Morpho headers in multi-board expansion configurations.

Technical Context

The board implements two independent L6206 full-bridge drivers, each with dedicated enable (EN-A/EN-B), input control (IN1A/IN2A, IN1B/IN2B), and current sense (SENSE-A/SENSE-B) terminals. It supports both phase/enable and dual-input PWM control modes via configurable jumpers and provides separate VCP/VBOOT charge pump supplies for high-side MOSFET gate drive.

Protection features are hardware-based: undervoltage lockout triggers below ~7.5 V, thermal shutdown activates at junction temperature >150 °C, and overcurrent detection uses external PROGCL_A/PROGCL_B resistors to set trip thresholds independently per bridge.

Key Specifications

Availability

X-NUCLEO-IHM04A1 is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for robotics prototyping, industrial actuator evaluation, and educational motor control labs requiring stable component supply and rapid integration with STM32 ecosystems.

Supply support for X-NUCLEO-IHM04A1 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, analog ICs, and embedded solutions for industrial, automotive, and consumer markets.

The X-NUCLEO series is ST's standardized expansion board platform designed to accelerate development with STM32 Nucleo boards by providing validated, interoperable hardware for motor control, sensing, connectivity, and power applications.

FAQ

What microcontrollers is the X-NUCLEO-IHM04A1 compatible with?

The board is natively compatible with all STM32 Nucleo development boards (e.g., NUCLEO-F401RE, NUCLEO-L476RG) via Arduino UNO R3 and ST Morpho headers. Its logic-level inputs also support 3.3 V or 5 V microcontrollers including Arduino Uno, Mega, and compatible third-party MCUs - no level-shifting required.

Can the X-NUCLEO-IHM04A1 drive stepper motors?

No - it is designed exclusively for brushed DC motors. The L6206 dual full-bridge topology lacks the phase sequencing logic and current chopping required for bipolar stepper control. For stepper applications, ST recommends the X-NUCLEO-IHM03A1 (based on L6474) or X-NUCLEO-IHM02A1 (based on L6470).

How is current sensing implemented on this board?

Current sensing is achieved via external shunt resistors mounted at designated pads (R6, R4) connected to SENSE-A and SENSE-B pins of the L6206. The voltage drop across each shunt is proportional to motor phase current and can be read by an ADC on the host MCU - no integrated current-sense amplifier is present.

Does the board require external power for the L6206 charge pump?

No - the board integrates all necessary charge pump components (C4, C2, D1) for the L6206's VCP and VBOOT pins. When powered from VIN (8–50 V), the internal charge pump automatically generates the boosted gate-drive voltage needed for high-side MOSFET operation.