FOCn BLDC Motor Driver – A ESP32-S3-based module that supports SimpleFOC

Matej Planinšek of PLab, has developed the FOCn – A ESP32-S3-based medium-power BLDC Motor driver module that has the capability of delivering up to 10A of continuous current. The USP of this device is that it supports SimpleFOC Arduino Library making it easy to control BLDC and stepper motors with the field-oriented control algorithm.

The FOCn module uses the ESP32-S3ESP32-S3 MCU and offers Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. Additionally, the microcontroller supports ESP-NOW, a proprietary low-power, low-latency communication protocol designed by Espressif Systems. This unique feature enables seamless communication between multiple FOCn boards, fostering synchronized control and coordinated operation.

The developer was inspired to create the FOCn module when their search for a custom-made, SimpleFOC-compatible driver module that met all their requirements failed. The name is related to field-oriented control (FOC) and also means “face slap” in Slovenian, Matej’s native language.

The module has an onboard USB-C port that can be used to program and debug the driver module. The MOSFETS used in the module can drive loads mode that 10A. But Extra cooling (heat sink or cooling fan) is required to dissipate the heart that this load will generate.

FOCn BLDC Motor Driver Module Specifications:

• MCU – ESP32-S3 dual-core XTensa LX7 microcontroller @ 240MHz
• Wireless – 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5 (LE)
• USB – USB Type-C for programming and debugging
• Pluggable terminal block
  • Input voltage – 9V to 45V (3s – 10s lithium)
  • Input current – 10A constant, fuse protected
  • Phase current – 10A constant, 25A peak (more possible with enhanced cooling)
  • Phase current measurement range – +-38A
  • PWM
    • Output current – 5A average
    • Load type – Supports inductive loads (flyback diode protection)
  • Hall/encoder supply voltage – 5V
  • Allowable external load on 5V supply – 300mA
  • 2x auxiliary input for I2C encoders
• Idle current consumption (motor driver disabled, MCU seep sleep) – <200uA
• Gate driver with shunt amplifier – DRV8323
• Dimensions – 85.4 x 62 mm

The FOCn project is open-source meaning that you can get all the schematics, Altium files, and documentation for the project on their GitHub repo along with platform examples. If you want to get your hands on one you can do that as it is available on Tindie for $64.

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