The US chip-maker Cirrus Logic claims to have produced the highest-current PWM (pulse width modulated) chips available for driving fractional horsepower DC motors. The Apex Precision Power SA306-IHZ and SA57-IHZ chips can deliver peak currents of up to 17A for driving three-phase brushless or brushed DC motors, running off supplies up to 60V. They can deliver up to 5A continuous (or 8A with premium versions), and peak outputs of 17A.

Previously, to drive motors requiring more than 3A of continuous current, system designers had to develop circuits containing up to 60 separate components and needing up to 70% more board space than the new chips.

The chips are housed in 64-pin packages with a footprint of less than 2cm². They deliver cycle-by-cycle current limiting, allowing motor current to be controlled in real time for each motor phase.

Cirrus expects the chips to be used in industrial applications such as robotic controls and handling systems, as well as in office equipment and in positioning controls for the aerospace and military markets.