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Content archived on 2024-05-14

On-chip system for a servo-valve

Objective



Until now, a lot of work has been done on microprocessors and their associated macrocells. But only few of them were done for the systems which include all the analog, digital and power cells on a single chip. Thanks to the new BCD technology from SGS-THOMSON which integrates microcontroller and power, it is possible to study a component applicable to the large market of mechatronic systems.

Based on Thomson-CSF patent and with the co-operation of Citroën for its low cost hydraulic technology, a new type of proportional servo-valve has been developed. It contains a hydraulic spool, a housing, a torque motor and its electronic control. To decrease the price of the electronic part for large quantities, the partners of the project intend to develop an on-chip microcontroller based system. This one runs the inner command/control loop of the servo-valve.

The component contains a microcontroller, an oscillator, a timer, memories, an analog to digital converter to process the sensor input, digital I/O and a serial peripheral interface, a pulse width modulator and a power full bridge to drive the torque motor of the servo-valve, and a voltage regulator to supply the chip and the sensor.

The end user, STILL, one of the main European manufacturers for handling, provides requirements concerning the type of control, the performances, ... Thomson-CSF specifies the needed characteristics of the on-chip system: i.e. timing, computational power, memory sizes, ...

The design phase of the component is managed by SGS-THOMSON Microelectronics. The most difficult work is to find the best trade-off for the combination of the digital and analog parts of the on-chip system, specially in the use of emerging smart power technology which combines both microcontroller and power components. The CAN macrocell is studied by Silicon Systems Design.

At the same time, and to assess the design choices, the simulation of the VHDL model, delivered by SGS-THOMSON, of the chip in its physical environment is conducted by Thomson-CSF.

During the manufacturing phase, a mock-up of the designed system is realised to validate the application software.

After a stand alone validation of the servo-valve controlled by the chip, the whole device is put up on a lift-truck to control the hydraulic actuating cylinders. Then, STILL conducts the experiments and provides an assessment report.

The availability of the studied component allows:
- the reduction of the servo-valve target price for large quantities, to access the wide automotive market area.
- the benefit for all the other market areas: handling, industrial, public works, avionics, to use a lower cost servo-valve.

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Coordinator

Thomson Csf
EU contribution
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Address
Boulevard Haussmann 173
75 008 Paris
France

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Participants (3)

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