Case Study: Texas Instruments achieves rapid, accurate sensorless motor-control characterization with Altair's Embed simulation

Texas Instruments - Customer Case Study

Texas Instruments needed to characterize its FAST™ sensorless observer in the InstaSPIN™ ROM and produce a datasheet, but traditional dynamometer-based testing was slow, required constant recalibration, and could not measure electromagnetic torque. To solve this, TI used Altair’s solidThinking Embed (Embed) to emulate the motor and control environment for the C2000/Piccolo targets.

Altair’s Embed enabled TI to simulate the entire system, auto-generate C code for the Piccolo target, and run the motor model in lock step with the controller via the Embed JTAG Hotlink. This approach let TI vary gains and motor parameters, compare ROM FAST outputs to ideal simulation, and ultimately produce the FAST Technical Reference Manual and a reusable testing tool—allowing rapid, accurate characterization of the FAST observer and enabling customers to test InstaSPIN™ FOC without building full motor hardware.

Texas Instruments

Dave Wilson

Senior Motor Systems Engineer