A cobot converts power at the point of use. A single DC bus runs to each joint, where local regulators produce the rails required by the motor-control and sensing electronics. The controller monitors these rails and reports any supply outside its normal range as a fault to the safety system.
The high-current stage that drives the joint motors is covered under joint control. This section covers the board and logic power that the rest of the electronics run on.
The high-current stage that drives the joint motors is covered under joint control. This section covers the board and logic power that the rest of the electronics run on.
Functionalities and devices
| Stage | Function | ST devices |
|---|---|---|
| DC-DC conversion | Steps the bus down to board and logic rails | DC-DC converters |
| Linear regulation | Supplies low-noise local rails | LDOs |
| Power management IC | Regulates and sequences multiple rails | PMIC |
| Protection | Guards against inrush, overcurrent, and hot-swap faults | eFuses, TVS, rectifiers |
| Reference and monitoring | Provides accurate references and supervises the rails | Voltage references, power monitors |