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DRV8825 EVM Board Layout Query

Evan Davey
Intellectual 915 points
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: DRV8825

Hi,

I am reviewing the gerber files of the DRV8825 EVM and have the following questions:

1. The Kelvin and GND layers - are these connected?  Why this arrangement rather than a GND / KELVIN layer and a power layer?

2. The bottom right corner - are these vias stitching together the top and kelvin layers primarily for better thermals?  

Evan

  • 0
    TI__Guru** 114905 points

    Hi Evan,

    Please see answers below.

    1. The Kelvin and GND layers - are these connected?  Why this arrangement rather than a GND / KELVIN layer and a power layer?

    Yes, the Kelvin and GND layers are connected. Each layer has a large ground plane that acts as thermal relief. The arrangement was chose to allow maximize thermal relief.

    2. The bottom right corner - are these vias stitching together the top and kelvin layers primarily for better thermals?  

    This are is defined as a proto area in the EVM user guide. It is a set of isolated vias available to the user for experimentation.

  • 0 in reply to Rick Duncan
    Intellectual 915 points

    Hi Rick,

    Thanks for the reply.  My design uses a power plane rather than a second ground.  I've followed the recommendations for the power pad thermal handling.  Do you think this will have much impact versus your approach?  Thermal relief is important to us.  That part of the power plane just distributes 12V to the motors so I could instead run a large trace and split the plane into a 2nd ground under the drivers if you think that would be helpful?

    Ah, ok on the vias - I missed that in the guide and had assumed it was something for thermal relief but couldn't understand it's positioning.

    Evan