How to Choose a BMS & Motor Controller for Power & Garden Tools

The power and garden tools market is undergoing a major shift toward smarter, safer and more connected products. Driven by rising demand for cordless convenience, automation and energy efficiency, tool manufacturers are seeking compact, integrated solutions that minimize design complexity while maximizing performance and reliability. Qorvo’s system-level technologies in motor control and battery management are enabling the next generation of smart, autonomous and user-friendly tools across several market spaces.

This article explores how Qorvo’s battery management systems (BMS) support diverse cell chemistries at mid-range voltages, enabling fast charging and longer battery life. It also highlights how Qorvo’s motor controllers deliver the high torque needed for garden tools to power through tough use and terrain.

Market & Application Landscape

The power and garden tools market is expanding rapidly, with global revenue projected to rise from $37 billion to $54 billion by 2032. Cordless tools are the fastest-growing segment, already representing over 60% of shipments and expected to double in sales by 2032. Drills and drivers are set to make up 34.5% of sales, while demand for battery-powered outdoor equipment continues to accelerate, driving strong growth in battery adoption.

How Qorvo Turns Design Hurdles into Optimized Solutions

Engineers developing power and garden tools face key design challenges, such as:

• Maximizing runtime and power efficiency for battery-driven operation, while addressing drifting cells that shorten runtime and service life
• Delivering high torque with low noise in compact designs
• Ensuring safe and reliable motor control in harsh environments
• Reducing BOM cost and PCB footprint while enhancing user safety

Qorvo addresses these needs with highly integrated Battery Management Systems (BMS) and Motor Control Devices (MCDs) that combine ARM® Cortex® MCUs, PMICs, configurable AFEs and built-in protection features.

The PAC22140 and PAC25140 BMS devices support high series cell counts 10S–20S (designated with the suffix “S”) across chemistries, offering accurate monitoring, advanced safety features and active cell balancing to extend runtime and battery life. Hardware-level protections—such as overcharge, over-discharge, short-circuit and thermal safeguards—operate independently of MCU code for fast response. Integrated algorithms improve state-of-charge and state-of-health estimation, while built-in diagnostics and communication interfaces support predictive maintenance and seamless system integration. By consolidating MCU, power management and AFE functions, designers can reduce BOM cost, accelerate time-to-market and scale designs across multiple platforms.

 

Figure 1: Outline of key benefits using Qorvo BMS and MCDs

 

For motor control, Qorvo solutions such as the PAC55711 and ACT72350 combine high motor efficiency with multimode power management, Vds sensing and configurable AFEs for precise torque and speed control. These features optimize runtime and performance under varying load conditions while protecting against overloads, overcurrent and overheating. With watchdog timers, integrated fault detection, and advanced power regulation, Qorvo motor controllers deliver robust, compact and reliable solutions.

Together, Qorvo’s BMS and MCD portfolio provides a scalable platform that reduces design complexity, enhances safety and enables OEMs to deliver smarter, longer lasting and more efficient cordless power and garden tools.

Reference Design Block Diagram

Qorvo’s reference block diagram highlights the seamless integration of battery management and motor control in power tools. A typical system pairs the PAC22140 or PAC25140 for intelligent battery monitoring with the ACT72350 for BLDC motor control. As shown in the image below, the motor controller resides in the tool itself—such as the drill—while the battery management controller is housed within the battery pack.

 

Figure 2: High-level reference design of BMS and MCD in application.

 

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