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Original question:

[FAQ] Program MCx BLDC motor driver through I2C using MSP430 LaunchPad

standalone MCF8316A programing

Ignas Sungaila
Prodigy 10 points
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: MCF8316A, MSP-EXP430FR2355, MCF8316AEVM, MSP430FR2355

Hello is it possible to program the MCF8316A chip through TI instruments GUI using the msp430 launchpad through the I2C or are you only able to change the data in the registers like in this thread? 

https://e2e.ti.com/support/motor-drivers-group/motor-drivers/f/motor-drivers-forum/1246892/faq-program-mcx-bldc-motor-driver-through-i2c-using-msp430-launchpad

Also what would the the ways to configure a standalone MCF8316A IC through the GUI? 

  • 0
    TI__Mastermind 24130 points

    Hello Ignas,

    Ignas Sungaila said:
    Hello is it possible to program the MCF8316A chip through TI instruments GUI using the msp430 launchpad through the I2C or are you only able to change the data in the registers like in this thread? 

    Maybe I misunderstand your question but our EVMs already come with a MSP430 preprogrammed with firmware to work with either our MCF8316A_GUI, which is an online GUI, or our Motor Studio GUI. If you need to, you can program an MSP430 LaunchPad, specifically the MSP-EXP430FR2355 LaunchPad, with the same firmware that we use o the EVMs and this MSP430 LaunchPad will be able work with the GUIs as well. To program a MSP430 with the firmware so it can work with either of these GUIs please follow the instructions in this FAQ: https://e2e.ti.com/support/motor-drivers-group/motor-drivers/f/motor-drivers-forum/1281363/faq-motor-studio-gui---evm-firmware-compatibility.

    For the pin assignments of the MSP430 on the Launchpad as programmed by our firmware you can refer to the schematic document of the MCF8316AEVM.

    Ignas Sungaila said:
    Also what would the the ways to configure a standalone MCF8316A IC through the GUI?

    Configuring a MCF8316A IC requires the use of an external microcontroller.

    Regards,

    Joshua

  • 0 in reply to Joshua Horlander Cruz
    Prodigy 10 points

    Il try to explain my question better. I would like to make a small esc with the MCF8316A IC and I am wondering if it would be possible to connect the launchpad to the i2c pins of the MCF8316A IC to configure it in the GUI or does it always need to have the external controller. I am trying to design a small and lightweight esc that would fit on to an existing receiver for ant weight battlebots and size and weight are my main constraints. Also I am still a student so I don't want to make things very complex and that is why I'm wondering would it be able to simply connect the IC to the launchpad to get access to it through the gui or would I need to use a separate microcontroller to connect it to the GUI or would I need to change the registers in the IC with the help of the microcontroller. If it would be possible to access the IC in the GUI with the help of a separate controller would you know of any example code and hardware? 

  • 0 in reply to Ignas Sungaila
    TI__Mastermind 24130 points

    Hi Ignas,

    The FW for our GUIs cannot be supported on a MSP430FR2355 launchpad since the launchpad lacks a FTDI chip, a 4MHz external crystal, and the GUI also uses a baud rate that is too high for the launchpad. 

    You could either use the launchpad to manually code the registers as directed in the FAQ you linked or you could remove all the jumper shunts from header J6 on the MCF8316AEVM and connect the SCL, SDA, and AGND pins on the MSP430FR2355 side of the J6 header to the respective pins on the external MCF8316A chip. Please note that any MCx EVM can be used to do this not just the MCF8316AEVM. If you use an MCT EVM and you want to use the motor studio GUI you will have to reprogram the FW on the MSP430.

    Once the MCF8316A is configured and this register configuration is written to EEPROM, you no longer will need an external controller unless you need to reconfigure the register settings on the MCF8316A again.

    Hope this better answers your question.

    Regards,

    Joshua

  • 0 in reply to Joshua Horlander Cruz
    Prodigy 10 points

    If i would get an EVM and would take of the IC from it Would it be possible to connect a standalone MCF8316A IC on a different testboard with headers for i2c pins to the outputs of the EVM board and connect to the GUI in this way? 

  • +1 in reply to Ignas Sungaila
    TI__Mastermind 24130 points

    Hi Ignas,

    You are correct, you can connect the controller on our EVM to a stand alone MCF8316A IC on a test board by connecting the I2C pins and AGND of the EVM header to the stand alone MCF8316A IC test board. This set up will allow you to use the GUI to configure the stand alone MCF8316A IC.

    Regards,

    Joshua