ATSAMD21E16LMOTOR - SAM D21 BLDC Motor Control Kit | Microchip
MPN: ATSAMD21E16LMOTOR ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $76.66 | $76.66 |
| 10 | $70.5 | $705.00 |
| 25 | $65.2 | $1,630.00 |
| 100 | $59 | $5,900.00 |
| 500 | $53.4 | $26,700.00 |
ATSAMD21E16LMOTOR Overview
A development kit (starter kit, evaluation board, reference design) is a pre-assembled hardware platform that lets engineers evaluate a microcontroller or SoC without designing a custom PCB first. These kits typically include an on-board debugger/programmer, break-out pins, and example firmware, and are positioned between a raw datasheet and a production design. Motor-control kits in this category use a plug-in MCU card plus a power-stage baseboard, so the same baseboard can be reused with different MCU cards while the firmware and pinout stay isolated on the MCU daughter card.
Key features of the ATSAMD21E16LMOTOR include the ATSAMD21E16L MCU with ARM Cortex-M0+ core up to 48 MHz, 64 KB Flash, 8 KB SRAM, Full-Speed USB device, up to 26 GPIO, and a mikroBUS expansion header that supports MikroElektronika click boards for adding sensors, gate drivers, or communication interfaces. The board is shipped preprogrammed with hall-sensor block-commutation firmware targeting 24 V brushless DC motors via the ATSAMD21BLDC24V-STK baseboard.
Technically, the SAM D21 architecture combines deterministic Cortex-M0+ performance with a 12-channel DMA controller, 12-channel Event System, and SleepWalking peripherals that allow motor control loops to run while most of the MCU stays in a low-power sleep state. The integration of USB, PWM timers, and ADC on a single die lets a single MCU card handle commutation, current sensing, and host-side telemetry without an external bridge IC.
Typical applications include low-voltage 24 V BLDC motor control (fans, pumps, e-bike sub-systems), Sensorless and hall-sensor BLDC firmware reference designs, HVAC blowers, and industrial small-motor drives. When paired with the ATSAMD21BLDC24V-STK power stage, the kit evaluates 3-phase trapezoidal and sinusoidal commutation. For designs targeting higher power or field-oriented control, migrate to the ATSAMC21 or SAME54 motor-control platforms while keeping the same toolchain.
Drop-in alternatives for ATSAMD21E16LMOTOR — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Variants in this series
Same-series models that are drop-in compatible with ATSAMD21E16LMOTOR (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Flash Memory, SRAM, ADC, Operating Temperature, Product Type.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATSAMD21E15B-AU
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$1.45 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAMD21E16B-AU
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$2.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAMD20-XPRO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$70 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAMC21MOTOR
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$62.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAMC21N-XPRO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
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View Datasheet →ATSAMD21E16LMOTOR Specifications (manufacturer-published)
| Product Type | Motor Control Development Board / MCU Card |
| Base MCU | ATSAMD21E16L |
| Core Architecture | ARM Cortex-M0+ 32-bit |
| Maximum CPU Clock | 48 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 64 KB |
| SRAM | 8 KB |
| USB Interface | Full-Speed USB Device |
| GPIO Count | Up to 26 |
| Expansion Interface | mikroBUS socket (MikroElektronika click boards) |
| Preloaded Firmware | Hall-sensor based block commutation for 3-phase BLDC |
| Companion Baseboard | ATSAMD21BLDC24V-STK |
| Target Motor Type | Low-voltage 3-phase brushless DC (24 V) |
| Operating Voltage | 3.3 V (MCU card); 24 V motor bus on baseboard |
| Series | SAM D21, Functional Safety (FuSa) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
ATSAMD21E16LMOTOR Interfaces & Connectors
ATSAMD21E16LMOTOR exposes the following interfaces and connectors as published by the manufacturer: USB, GPIO. Expansion header pinout, connector pin numbering, and electrical limits are defined in the manufacturer documentation.
| USB | Full-Speed USB Device |
| GPIO | Up to 26 |
Refer to the manufacturer documentation for the full expansion header pinout and connector pin numbering.
Typical Applications
ATSAMD21E16LMOTOR is suitable for 6 applications: 24V BLDC Motor Control Evaluation, HVAC Blower Motor Drive, Industrial Small Motor Drive (Pumps, Fans), Sensorless BLDC Reference Design (Custom Firmware), Motor Control Algorithm Education and Prototyping, Low-Voltage Robotics Actuator Evaluation.
24V BLDC Motor Control Evaluation
The ATSAMD21E16LMOTOR plugs into the ATSAMD21BLDC24V-STK baseboard to evaluate 24 V 3-phase brushless DC motor control. The SAM D21E16's 48 MHz Cortex-M0+ core drives 3-phase PWM, samples hall-sensor feedback, and runs block-commutation firmware preloaded on the card. This gives engineers a working 24 V BLDC drive in under an hour, ideal for fans, pumps, and small industrial motors where a quick reference design is more valuable than a from-scratch firmware build.
Recommended
HVAC Blower Motor Drive
HVAC blowers need reliable 24 V BLDC drives with closed-loop speed control. The ATSAMD21E16LMOTOR's hall-sensor block-commutation firmware and on-board USB let the engineer tune PID speed loops and log telemetry directly from a PC. The SAM D21E16's low-power SleepWalking peripherals let the blower enter standby between commands, while the Cortex-M0+ handles commutation deterministically. Migrating to ATSAMC21 adds FPU for field-oriented control if sinusoidal torque is required.
Recommended
Industrial Small Motor Drive (Pumps, Fans)
Industrial 24 V pumps and fans often use BLDC motors for efficiency and longer life. The ATSAMD21E16LMOTOR provides a pre-integrated firmware path that demonstrates 3-phase block commutation with hall sensors, allowing engineers to validate torque and RPM behavior before committing to a custom PCB. The SAM D21E16's 12-channel DMA and Event System handle current sensing without CPU intervention, while Full-Speed USB enables host-side diagnostics during factory bring-up and field service.
Recommended
Sensorless BLDC Reference Design (Custom Firmware)
Although the ATSAMD21E16LMOTOR ships with hall-sensor firmware, the SAM D21E16's ADC, PWM, and event system are sufficient to implement sensorless back-EMF or field-oriented control using Microchip's MPLAB Harmony framework. Engineers replace the preloaded firmware to evaluate advanced commutation strategies on the same 24 V baseboard. The kit thus serves as a hardware reference for sensorless designs targeting white goods, drone propulsion, and small traction drives.
Recommended
Motor Control Algorithm Education and Prototyping
Universities and training centers use the ATSAMD21E16LMOTOR as a hands-on teaching platform for BLDC motor control. The plug-in MCU card design lets students swap between SAM D21, SAM C21, and SAME54 cards on the same baseboard to compare architectures without rebuilding hardware. The preloaded block-commutation firmware provides a working baseline, and MPLAB Harmony's motor-control library offers drop-in examples for trapezoidal, sinusoidal, and FOC algorithms.
Recommended
Low-Voltage Robotics Actuator Evaluation
Robotics actuators at 24 V benefit from the ATSAMD21E16LMOTOR's USB-based firmware tuning and the SAM D21's deterministic Cortex-M0+ interrupt response. Engineers use the kit to evaluate joint actuator response, encoder feedback handling via the Event System, and torque control loop stability before committing to a custom actuator PCB. The mikroBUS socket supports click-board IMUs and current sensors, enabling closed-loop actuator prototyping on a single bench-top kit.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATSAMD21E16LMOTOR — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATSAMD21E15B-AU | ATSAMD21E16B-AU | ATSAMD20-XPRO | ATSAMC21MOTOR | ATSAMC21N-XPRO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package / Form Factor | SAM D21 motor-control MCU card | SAM D21 32-pin QFN MCU card - same | SAM D21 32-pin QFN MCU card - same | Xplained Pro MCU card - same | SAM C21 motor-control MCU card - same | SAM C21N Xplained Pro MCU card - same |
| Core | ARM Cortex-M0+ | ARM Cortex-M0+ - same | ARM Cortex-M0+ - same | ARM Cortex-M0+ - same | ARM Cortex-M0+ with FPU - upgrade | ARM Cortex-M0+ with FPU - upgrade |
| Max Clock | 48 MHz | 48 MHz - same | 48 MHz - same | 48 MHz - same | 48 MHz - same | 48 MHz - same |
| Flash | 64 KB | 32 KB (-50%) | 64 KB - same | 256 KB / variant-dependent | 256 KB - upgrade | 256 KB - upgrade |
| SRAM | 8 KB | 4 KB (-50%) | 8 KB - same | 32 KB - upgrade | 32 KB - upgrade | 32 KB - upgrade |
| USB | Full-Speed USB Device | Full-Speed USB Device - same | Full-Speed USB Device - same | Full-Speed USB Device - same | Full-Speed USB Device - same | Full-Speed USB Device - same |
| Motor-Control Firmware | Hall-sensor block commutation preloaded | None preloaded (blank card) | None preloaded (blank card) | None (general-purpose) | FOC firmware preloaded - upgrade | None (general-purpose) |
| Companion Baseboard | ATSAMD21BLDC24V-STK | ATSAMD21BLDC24V-STK - same | ATSAMD21BLDC24V-STK - same | Xplained Pro baseboards - different | ATSAMBLDC baseboard - same | Xplained Pro baseboards - different |
Key Differentiators
- Pre-integrated motor-control firmware for plug-and-play BLDC evaluation (vs ATSAMD20-XPRO)
- Drop-in pin-compatible with other SAM D21 E-variant MCU cards (vs ATSAMD21E15B-AU)
- Two-board split design isolates firmware from power stage (vs ATSAMC21MOTOR)
Design Notes
The ATSAMD21E16LMOTOR MCU card operates at 3.3 V on its SAM D21 rails; the ATSAMD21BLDC24V-STK baseboard generates 24 V for the motor bus and 3.3 V for the MCU card from the same input. Ensure the input supply provides at least 1 A peak to support motor inrush plus MCU plus USB enumeration. According to the ATSAMD21BLDC24V-STK user guide, add a 100 µF bulk capacitor on the 24 V rail if driving motors above 5 A peak.
When designing a custom carrier board for the SAM D21E16 MCU, follow the SAM D21 hardware design checklist in the ATSAMD21E16L datasheet: place a 1 µF decoupling capacitor within 2 mm of each VDD pin, route the SWD signals (SWDIO, SWCLK) as a matched pair, and keep the 32 kHz crystal traces short and shielded by a ground pour. The MCU card form factor exposes all relevant signals to the baseboard connector, but custom PCBs should not exceed 50 mm trace length for SWD to avoid debugger timing issues.
Do not power the ATSAMD21E16LMOTOR card from USB and the 24 V motor bus simultaneously without ensuring common-ground isolation is correct. The baseboard ties motor ground and logic ground at a single point near the power connector; if you replace the preloaded hall-sensor firmware with sensorless back-EMF code, sample the BEMF voltage only during the PWM off-time using the SAM D21's ADC hardware triggering, otherwise switching noise will corrupt the zero-cross detection.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliance per Microchip product page. The ATSAMD21E16L base MCU is part of the Functional Safety (FuSa) SAM D21 family but is not AEC-Q100 qualified; this evaluation board targets industrial and consumer development, not automotive production.