Smart BLDC Motor Controller with CAN Dashboard

Project Information

This project is a modular BLDC motor controller system designed for high-performance three-phase brushless DC motors.
The system is divided into two independent boards:

1. BLDC Driver Controller Board
2. Dashboard Display Board

Both boards communicate through CAN Bus, creating a flexible and expandable architecture suitable for motor control experiments, robotics, electric vehicles, and embedded development.

The main controller board handles all real-time motor driving tasks, while the dashboard board provides a dedicated user interface for monitoring and control.

The project was designed with a strong focus on:

• Modular hardware architecture
• High-current PCB routing
• Reliable communication
• Expandable firmware structure
• Real-time monitoring

System Overview

1. BLDC Driver Controller Board

The driver board is responsible for:

• Three-phase motor commutation
• PWM generation
• MOSFET gate driving
• Current handling
• Power management
• CAN communication

The board integrates:

• 6 MOSFET power stage
• High-side and low-side gate drivers
• Bootstrap circuitry
• Current sensing support
• Filtering and protection circuits

This PCB is optimized for:

• High-current operation
• Fast switching
• Reduced electrical noise
• Stable commutation

2. Dashboard Display Board

The dashboard board acts as the user interface of the system.

Functions include:

• Real-time RPM display
• PWM duty monitoring
• Motor status display
• Direction indicator
• Error and fault notification
• CAN communication status
• User control interface

Separating the dashboard from the power stage significantly reduces display noise interference caused by motor switching currents.

The dashboard communicates with the main controller entirely through CAN Bus.

Why CAN Bus?

CAN Bus was selected because it provides:

• Excellent noise immunity
• Reliable communication in high-current systems
• Long-distance communication capability
• Multi-device expandability
• Industrial-grade robustness

Compared to UART communication, CAN Bus is much more stable in motor control environments where switching noise can become significant.

The modular CAN architecture also allows:

• Multiple display units
• Future expansion modules
• Remote control systems
• PC monitoring integration

BLDC Power Stage Design

The motor driver uses a standard three-phase bridge topology.

Each motor phase contains:

• One high-side MOSFET
• One low-side MOSFET

The controller generates commutation sequences to create the rotating magnetic field required by the BLDC motor.

The PCB layout was carefully designed for:

• High-current routing
• Thermal dissipation
• Reduced EMI
• Short gate drive paths
• Stable switching performance

Gate Driver Circuit

The gate driver stage handles:

• High-side MOSFET driving
• Low-side MOSFET driving
• Bootstrap voltage generation
• Fast switching transitions

Proper gate resistor selection and decoupling placement were implemented to improve switching stability and reduce ringing.

Dashboard Interface

The dashboard was designed to make system observation and debugging easier during development.

Displayed information includes:

• Live motor speed
• Duty cycle percentage
• Motor state
• Rotation direction
• Communication status
• Fault conditions

This separation between power electronics and user interface makes development and troubleshooting much safer and more convenient.

Important Firmware Notice

PWM and Dead-Time Warning

The current hardware and firmware implementation does not yet use advanced timer complementary PWM outputs (CH/CHN mode).

Because of this, dead-time management must be carefully implemented in firmware.

If both the high-side and low-side MOSFETs of the same phase are enabled simultaneously, it may cause:

• Direct short circuit
• Extremely high current spikes
• MOSFET overheating
• Permanent hardware damage

Future Improvements

In future revisions, the controller PCB is planned to migrate to the STM32G431 series in order to take advantage of advanced motor-control peripherals such as complementary PWM outputs, hardware dead-time generation, and improved timer synchronization.
The next revision will also focus on reducing overall PCB size and optimizing component placement for a more compact design.

Conclusion

This smart BLDC motor controller combines a dedicated power driver board with a CAN-connected dashboard interface to create a modular and expandable motor control platform.

The separation between the power stage and display system improves reliability, debugging capability, and overall development flexibility.

Disclaimer

This project is intended for educational, experimental, and research purposes only.
The hardware and firmware are still under active development and may not include all safety, protection, or reliability features required for commercial or production use.

Users should operate the controller carefully, especially when working with high current, high voltage, or high-speed motors.

Improper firmware implementation, incorrect wiring, or insufficient dead-time control may result in:

• MOSFET damage
• Power stage failure
• Motor damage
• Electrical hazards

Please test carefully at low voltage and low current before operating the system at full power.

This project is shared primarily as a learning platform for BLDC motor control, embedded systems, CAN communication, and power electronics development.