VESC based INNOTRACE M620 Simple motor controller

[TPEHAK]

I got quite some questions regarding the motor controllers we designed recently and it looks like people are afraid to solder it and want something ready to purchase without touching a soldering iron, or at least something easier and cheaper to fabricate.

And it looks like there is a possibility to design such a motor controller for Bafang M620 motor that would be possible to easily order from JLCPCB for cheap or at least solder it home in your kitchen on your cooking hot top in one single step.

Here are the requirement we probably can meet for such controller:

- The controller must consist of one single PCB (to reduce the price and simplify the fabrication)
- The controller PCB assembly must be single sided (to reduce the price and simplify the fabrication)
- The components spacing must be regular (to reduce the fabrication diffculty)
- All the PCB assembly components must be SMD components including connectors, terminals and so on (to make the fabrication one single soldering step with no soldering wires, no soldering through hole components and no post processing to reduce the price and to ease the fabrication)
- All the components must be pick and place components including the terminals and connectors (to make fabrication through JLCPCB cheaper)
- All the components sizes must be 0805 or bigger (for easier placement and soldering and no need for a microscope and such)
- All the components must be sourced and available from JLCPCB and be accessible through their PCB assembly service (so you just simply load the BOM and pick and place files on their website and be ready to purchase the controller without extra hassle managing the parts).
- The components must have common packages (so you can find replacements in case of lack of the exact parts)
- No integrated Bluetooth module (a Bluetooth module can be purchased as a separate dongle and connected to the PCB with a connector)
- The controller PCB size must be 100x100 mm or smaller (to reduce the PCB price)
- The controller must be plug and play and be able to come from JLCPCB as a complete unit without a necessity of extra work (so a person who has no idea what soldering iron is does not need to touch it and just need to install the complete controller in the motor using the existing parts)

So if we will be able to meet those requirement anyone should be able to purchase a complete controller PCB assembly from JLCPCB without a hassle and spending too much money and no need to find a middle man.

I starter moving the parts around and it looks like there is a chance we can design such a motor controller. Do you think we can make it?

 

[stancecoke]

it looks like people are afraid to solder

I guess 99.99% of the users just buy and ride their bikes.
0,01% will buy a BESST to tune the original controller
0,001% will tinker with alternative firmwares, if there is no need to open the motor for that.
0,0001% will open the motor for maintenance or controller mods...

 

[TPEHAK]

INNOTRACE X1 was a quite popular motor controller. Maybe we will bring back those good old days.

 

[stancecoke]

quite popular

How many controllers were sold? 10? 100? 1000?

 

[TPEHAK]

I do not know, but there was a lot of people were talking about those controllers in the Internet and there was a few bicycles sellers were selling those controllers.

Even the VESC guys were mad because of Krasnodar used VESC for the INNOTRACE X1 controller and planned to use VESC for the INNOTRACE X3 (M600, M560) controller and did not share the firmware. I am sure the VESC guys could not care less if INNOTRACE would not be popular and successful. INNOTRACE sertanly sold enough controllers to take the VESC attention.

 

[Waynemarlow]

Aren't you concentrating on the wrong motor, the M560 will put out nearly the same power, smaller format and much more available as its now the latest motor from Bafang ( waiting for a ECVT, it can't be far away ). If you put all the above criteria into the M560 layout you would also cover the M510. KISS is great for the most builders.

 

[TPEHAK]

It is impossible for the M560 motor, there is not enough space. The existing design of the INNOTRACE M560 controller is already crammed. M620 is the only our chance to design something simpler.

But even for the M620 there is not much room left for the remaining parts, it is going to be quite a challenge even for M620.

 

[Waynemarlow]

Do like your determination and engineering nous.

 

[TPEHAK]

Unbelievable! It looks like we got just enough space to fit everything!

 

[neptronix]

If you can make an electronics newbie-friendly 'take and bake' controller, that's also super compact, i may be interested.