Infineon PSOC Control C3x real-time Cortex-M33 MCUs are designed for motor control and HVAC systems

Infineon recently launched the PSOC Control C3x family of Arm Cortex-M33 MCUs for real-time control applications in motor control and power conversion systems. The family includes 18 MCUs categorized into two lines, the Entry Line (C3P2, C3M3) and the Main Line (C3P5, C3M5). These MCUs can be used for various applications including home appliances, industrial drives, robots, light electric vehicles (LEVs), solar systems, and HVAC systems.

The Entry Line operates at up to 100 MHz and supports a 12-bit SAR ADC with a sampling rate of up to 6 Msps, making it suitable for basic motor control and power conversion tasks. In contrast, the Main Line offers higher performance with up to 180 MHz operation, a faster 12-bit SAR ADC up to 12 Msps, and 4-channel High-Resolution PWM (HRPWM) for precise control. It also supports Wide Bandgap (WBG) switches for high-frequency power systems. Other features of this MCU include DSPs, FPUs, and CORDIC hardware accelerators for fast control loop calculations. Security features include hardware-based cryptography engines, secure boot, and memory protection units for sensitive data and firmware.

Infineon PSOC Control C3x specifications:

• MCU core – ARM Cortex-M33 with DSP and FPU, Entry Line @100 MHz, Main @180 MHz
• Memory – 64 kB SRAM  with deep sleep retention and ECC
•  Storage
  • Flash – 128–256 kB RWW with ECC
  • Boot ROM – 64 kB
• Peripherals
  • UART, SPI, I²C: 6x SCBs (System Control Blocks) with deep sleep and PMBus support
  • CAN-FD: 2 channels, up to 8 Mbps
  • GPIO
    • Entry Line: Up to 39 GPIOs, 18 analog
    • Main Line: Up to 50 GPIOs, 18 analog
    • Smart I/Os: Entry Line (22), Main Line (28)
  • Timers and PWMs
    • TCPWM: 16-ch, 16-bit
    • HRPWM (Main Line only): 4 channels
  • Analog
    • ADC
      • 12-bit SAR ADC, up to 12 Msps (Main Line) / 6 Msps (Entry Line)
      • Up to 18 channels
    • DAC
      • 5x 10-bit comparators with integrated DACs (2 in deep sleep)
    • Temperature Sensor
• Security
  • Crypto accelerator with 4x 32-bit channels
  • TRNG (True Random Number Generator)
  • eFuse: 1024-bit OTP
  • Security PSA L2 compliant
• Misc
  • CORDIC accelerator (optional) for trigonometric computations
  • Encoder/Hall Interface
  • TriggerMux for flexible routing
• Packaging – TQFP-64, LQFP-80, or VQFN-48

In terms of software, the company mentions that the PSOC Control C3x real-time MCUs support ModusToolbox, an Eclipse-based development platform for configuring peripherals, middleware libraries, and security features like PSA Level 2. It features a graphical interface and real-time debugging, ensuring faster and more efficient development. To make the development process easier the company provides three development kits the KIT_PSC3M5_EVK which is the general-purpose evaluation kit, the KIT_PSC3M5_CC2 motor control kit, and the KIT_PSC3M5_CC1 power conversion kit

The KIT_PSC3M5_EVK is the general-purpose evaluation kit for Infineon’s PSOC Control C3x MCUs (PSC3M5FDS2AFQ1). The board features real-time control peripherals, including a programmable analog subsystem, comparators, high-resolution timers, and CAN FD interfaces. The kit includes an onboard KitProg3 programmer/debugger, USB Type-C interface, and compatibility with Arduino Uno R3 and mikroBUS shields for hardware expansion. It also provides user LEDs, buttons, and a potentiometer for analog output simulation. Ideal for embedded systems, real-time control, and communication applications.

The KIT_PSC3M5_CC2 motor control kit is also built around the PSC3M5FDS2AFQ1 MCU. It features a modular design with a MADK connector (M1/M3/M5) for compatibility with various power stages to drive different types of motors. The board includes an isolated onboard SEGGER J-Link LITE debugger for programming and debugging via USB, user-controlled and debugger LEDs, and supports sensor or sensorless Field-Oriented Control (FOC) for single or dual motor configurations. The kit includes the motor control card, drive adapter card, USB cable, and quick start guide, making it ideal for industrial and embedded motor control applications.

The KIT_PSC3M5_CC1 is a digital power control evaluation board yet again built around the PSC3M5FDS2AFQ1 MCU. The board integrates a PSOC Control C3 control card, an adaptor card, and an isolated JLINK debugger for a plug-and-play experience. Key features of this kit include a USB Type-C interface, isolated PMBUS connector, optional JTAG/SWD header, and access to all IO pins on the control card. This kit can be used in applications where precise digital power control is required.

The new PSOC Control C3x series competes against other motor control microcontroller families such as the GigaDevice GD32E5 Cortex-M33 MCUs, NXP MCX A14x/A15x which implement support for BLDC/PMSM motor control, or the more powerful 480 MHz Renesas RA8T1 Cortex-M85 microcontroller among many others.

At the time of writing, Infineon mentions that the PSOC Control C3x real-time MCU family is now available for purchase, with a Performance Line expected later in 2025. However, when I checked their store page, the products were not currently in stock. More information about the product can be found on their product page and the press release.

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