Melexis is the first in the world to launch a 60W single-coil sensorless BLDC driver chip

October 18, 2024, Tessenderlo, Belgium - Melexis, a global microelectronics engineering company, announced the launch of the 24V/60W sensorless single-coil BLDC driver chip MLX90416, which is designed for motor, fan and pump applications in consumer electronics and industrial fields.

Currently, many consumer electronic devices and industrial application devices, such as electric fans, air purifiers, vacuum cleaners, water pumps, and ventilation facilities, generally use a combination of three-phase BLDC motors and driver chips or AC induction motors. However, both solutions have obvious limitations: three-phase BLDC motors are expensive and complex in structure; AC induction motors are inefficient and lack advanced functions.

With its unique advantages, MLX90416 provides an efficient and economical solution to the above pain points, which helps to simplify the motor design and manufacturing process . The product is based on Melexis' "No-Hall" technology, does not require feedback sensors, and uses advanced integrated drive and feedback algorithms (BEMF) to achieve silent and vibration-free operation comparable to three-phase drive chips. This technological innovation enables designers to flexibly place the BLDC driver chip outside the fan body without being restricted by the position of the magnet. This shift makes the design more flexible-the same PCB can be easily configured with fans of different diameters without redesign. In this way, the MLX90416 not only significantly reduces the complexity of the manufacturing process, but also significantly reduces the design workload and bill of materials (BoM) costs.

MLX90416 has the advantage of high integration, can drive 24V fans and its maximum operating power can reach 60W. The chip has the convenience of plug-and-play and code-free. Users can easily configure it through an intuitive GUI to achieve rapid deployment and adjustment in various application scenarios. In addition, MLX90416 supports forward and reverse operation and has an advanced 8-point configurable speed curve. This feature facilitates precise adjustment of fan performance, effectively solves resonance and vibration problems, and breaks through the limitations of fixed curve solutions.

As a fully integrated solution, the MLX90416 demonstrates higher reliability than discrete sensorless solutions, while significantly reducing the design burden and packaging considerations. The chip not only supports PWM and FM control, but is also compatible with the I2C protocol, demonstrating its versatility. The MLX90416 has a wide range of applications, covering white goods and consumer electronics such as fans, air fryers, ovens and vacuum cleaners, as well as industrial systems such as cooling fans and water pumps. Regardless of the application scenario, the MLX90416 helps reduce product costs, extend service life, reduce component consumption, and promote product sustainability.

“Melexin has more than three decades of expertise in single-coil product development and has been at the forefront of the industry since the successful launch of our first product in 1993,” said Xuanhong Ou, Regional Marketing Manager at Melexis. “The MLX90416 not only creates substantial value for our customers by reducing development burden and costs, but also significantly improves the intelligence and digitalization of their designs, ultimately benefiting a wide range of end users.”

The MLX90416 is available now in a tiny DFN-10 package.