Allegro MicroSystems, LLC Announces New Low Voltage Bipolar Stepper or Dual DC Motor Driver IC

Driver Requires Only Four External Components and is Equipped with Integrated PWM Current Control, Over Current Protection and Extended Voltage Range

Allegro MicroSystems, LLC announces a new low voltage bipolar stepper or dual DC motor driver IC. The A3916 device was designed for pulse-width-modulated (PWM) control of low-voltage stepper motors or dual DC motors and is capable of output currents up to 1 A per channel and operating voltages from 2.7 to 15 V. Allegro’s new motor driver IC is targeted at the office and industrial automation, point of sale, 3 D printing, medical, CCTV, toy markets, and other applications that run off single, Li-ion cell or 3 AA batteries.

The A3916 integrates all motor control including a fixed off-time PWM regulator that sets a peak current in motor winding based on the selection of a low value a current sense resistor. A single supply eliminates the need for external LDO and an integrated charge pump requires only one external capacitor. Output diagnostic is provided by an active low fault output that notifies the user of a TSD or overcurrent protection event.

Two package options are offered, a low-profile 3 × 3 mm 16-terminal QFN (suffix “ES”) and a drop-in replacement for the A3916 in a low-profile 4 × 4 mm 20-terminal QFN (suffixes “ES, -1”), both products have an exposed power tab for enhanced thermal dissipation.