EPC releases 5 kW GaN 3-phase inverters for robotics and light EVs
New evaluation platforms enable engineers to explore high-current, low-loss motor drive architectures using 100 V eGaN FETs across demanding motion-control applications.
Efficient Power Conversion (EPC), a provider of enhancement-mode gallium nitride (eGaN) power devices, has introduced the EPC9186HC2 and EPC9186HC3 evaluation boards, two high-performance 3-phase BLDC motor drive inverter platforms designed for applications including robotics, industrial automation, light electric vehicles, electric scooters, forklifts, agricultural machinery, battery-powered mobility systems, and high-power drones. Supporting motor drive systems up to 5 kW, the boards enable engineers to evaluate compact, high-efficiency inverter architectures based on 100 V EPC2361 eGaN FET technology.
The EPC9186HC2 and EPC9186HC3 are based on the EPC9186 platform that was released earlier and have the same hardware architecture. They have a new power stage made up of EPC2361 GaN devices that improves conduction performance and allows for higher-current and lower-cost operation in motion-control environments that are very demanding. Compared with conventional silicon MOSFETs, EPC2361 eGaN FETs offer lower gate charge and output capacitance, enabling faster switching with reduced losses and supporting higher efficiency, smaller passive components, and improved motor-control bandwidth. The EPC9186HC2 integrates two EPC2361 eGaN FETs in parallel per switch position, while the EPC9186HC3 uses three devices in parallel, further reducing equivalent on-resistance and improving efficiency at higher load currents.
“GaN technology is enabling a new generation of motor drive systems with higher efficiency, faster switching speeds, and significantly improved power density compared with traditional silicon solutions,” said Alex Lidow, CEO of Efficient Power Conversion (EPC). “The EPC9186HC2 and EPC9186HC3 evaluation boards demonstrate how these advantages can be applied across emerging electrified applications such as robotics, light electric mobility platforms, forklifts, agricultural equipment, and high-power drones.”
“Motor drive designers are increasingly looking for solutions that combine high current capability with compact implementation and reduced acoustic noise,” said Marco Palma, Director of Motor Drive Systems and Applications at Efficient Power Conversion (EPC). “The EPC9186HC2 and EPC9186HC3 provide a flexible platform that allows engineers to quickly evaluate GaN-based inverter architectures and accelerate development of next-generation motion-control systems.”
