ECM PCB Stator Tech has launched a new motor drive and controller platform purpose-built for its PCB Stator electric motors. This integrated platform reduces the time, cost, and complexity of developing next-generation motor systems by closing the loop between digital motor design and intelligent hardware control. With a full stack of optimized hardware, firmware, and software, the platform makes it easier for engineers to go from simulation to a fully functional PCB Stator motor faster than ever before.
Designed for flexibility and scale, the platform features a growing library of hardware reference designs (more than six initially) optimized for ECM’s patented PCB Stator motors. These controllers are scalable from low-power (<100 W) drives up to multi-kilowatt systems, covering applications from compact servo motors and precision haptics to HVAC and robotics. By providing pre-engineered controllers tailored to its unique motors, ECM aims to streamline prototyping and integration of PCB Stator technology with minimal friction.
“Our goal is to close the loop between motor design, firmware, and control.
With this platform, our partners can move from digital motor models to intelligent, production-ready control systems in record time and with minimal friction.”Dr. Eric Ponce, Director of R&D at ECM.
Hardware: Rapid Prototyping Meets Scalable Performance
- Flexible reference designs: 6+ hardware designs covering power levels from under 100 W to multiple kW, giving teams a scalable path from small devices to high-power machines.
- Built-in protection: Each drive comes with onboard safeguards (overcurrent, overvoltage, thermal protection) for reliability and safety out-of-the-box.
- Feedback options: Supports both sensored and sensorless motor control, allowing engineers to choose the best feedback strategy for their application.
- Compact integration: Custom form factors that mount directly to the PCB stator motor, reducing overall system size and BOM cost through tightly integrated design.
Firmware: Precision Meets Adaptability
- Seamless CAD integration: Imports motor data directly from ECM’s PrintStator Motor CAD software, so the controller firmware is automatically tuned to each custom motor design.
- Adaptive control algorithms: Real-time parameter estimation and adaptive fault detection ensure optimal performance and safety, with support for both sensorless and sensored operation modes for design flexibility.
- High-speed control loops: Field-oriented control (FOC) loops running at over 20 kHz deliver smooth, high-precision torque and motion, even in demanding dynamic applications.
- Unified firmware platform: A common firmware architecture spans all controller models and power levels, simplifying development and maintenance across different motors and projects.
Software: Real-Time Insights and Control
- Live tuning & data: The platform’s software layer enables real-time tuning of motor parameters, live performance monitoring, and data logging, giving engineers immediate insight into motor behavior.
- Easy integration: The control software supports seamless integration into custom applications or third-party systems, allowing OEMs to incorporate ECM’s controllers into their existing software ecosystems without hassle.
ECMpowered: A Full-Stack Motor Ecosystem
This new drive/controller platform is a key part of ECM’s full-stack ecosystem for electric motor innovation. It builds on the company’s mission to provide everything from software-defined motor design (via PrintStator CAD) to high-efficiency axial flux PCB motors, and now intelligent motor control systems. By aligning motor geometry, materials, and control algorithms from the start, ECM empowers engineers and OEMs to rethink what’s possible in motion systems – and to do it faster.
ECM refers to this integrated approach as “ECMpowered.” To be ECMpowered means a motor is not just assembled from parts, but engineered from the ground up through software intelligence and PCB Stator design to deliver unmatched performance, faster time-to-market, and greater total system value. Products developed under this approach carry the ECMpowered badge, signaling advanced electric motor innovation with next-generation efficiency and design.
Getting Started with ECM’s Motor Platform
ECM’s new motor drive and controller platform simplifies adoption of PCB Stator motors for organizations large and small. The company even offers evaluation motor kits with standard mounts and integrated drives, allowing businesses to quickly test this innovative motor technology on their own test benches.
For a deeper dive into the engineering behind the platform, watch Dr. Eric Ponce’s recent PrintStator in Motion 2025 tech talk on PCB Stator motor controllers below. To learn more about how ECM’s platform can accelerate your project, visit our website or contact the ECM team to get started. Embracing an intelligent motor system that’s ECMpowered can help bring your next-generation product to market faster and with greater performance than ever before.
