Efficient solutions with STM32 digital-power ecosystem

Digital power supplies are an emerging class of devices able to optimize energy efficiency and capture rich data for diagnostics and safety. Digital control also lets designers increase power density to realize size and weight savings that are important in data centres, 5G infrastructure, smart lighting, and mobile devices.

The STM32 D-Power website consolidates developer resources that include the all-in-one STM32 digital-power Discovery Kits, embedded software components, software tools created by ST Authorized Partner Biricha Digital, and dedicated power-supply boards that demonstrate various designs and power ratings. Documentation, videos, and guides cater to beginners up to expert power-supply designers, and a four-day hands-on workshop created by Biricha shows how to build digital power supplies using STM32 MCUs.

The ecosystem is scaled to support three levels of STM32 microcontrollers that combine the benefits of industry-standard Arm Cortex-M cores with integrated features optimized for digital-power applications. The entry-level STM32F334, advanced STM32G474, and high-performance STM32H7 series MCUs each contain a flexible high-resolution timer to generate highly accurate pulse-width modulated (PWM) signals for stable control of switched-mode power circuits. 

“Our D-Power ecosystem helps designers learn about, design in, and take advantage of digital power to create solutions that are smaller, lighter, cleaner, and smarter,” said Ricardo de Sa Earp, Group Vice President, Microcontroller Division General Manager, STMicroelectronics. “Users ranging from beginners to experienced designers can enhance their expertise and accelerate development of digital-power applications leveraging the high feature integration and efficiencies of the STM32 family.”

Dr Ali Shirsavar, Director of Biricha Digital added: “The embedded software and practical workshops we have developed to support the STM32 D-Power ecosystem deliver high value for designers wherever they are on their digital-power journey. Customers can easily engage with these resources to jump-start their designs and advance their expertise.”

Most of the materials and resources are available free on the STM32 D-Power website.

ST’s STM32 D-Power ecosystem introduces entry-level users to digital power-supply and PFC design with an online presentation, which contains basic technical information. Access to curated hardware and software products include the B-G474E-DPOW1 Discovery kit based on the STM32G474RET6 microcontroller and the STM32F334 Discovery kit (STM32F3348-DISCO), with associated videos and application notes including LED control and STM32 HRTimer cookbooks.

The D-Power software development kit (SDK) contains ST-WDS power-supply design software and ST-PLD power-factor correction design software created by Biricha Digital, made available as a dedicated free-to-use version for STM32 developers. There are also STM32Cube-compatible embedded-software examples for buck/current mode and buck/voltage mode running on the B-G474E-DPOW1. Additional examples and topologies will be added in the near future.

Digital power-supply evaluation boards with power-factor correction are available in various topologies, such as totem-pole PFC and LLC resonant full-bridge, and power ratings from 500W upwards, including front-end rectifiers and complete AC/DC SMPS.

The Biricha workshop is a four-day hands-on experience that shows how to design stable digital power supplies and power-factor correction in both voltage mode and current mode for DC/DC and off-line applications, and includes training exercises leveraging the hardware, firmware, and SDK available through the D-Power ecosystem, based on the STM32F334 and STM32G474 MCUs.