Evaluation Boards - LED Drivers

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
MAX16833EVKIT+ Maxim Integrated	KIT EVAL FOR MAX16833 LED DRIVER	28
MAX16821BEVKIT+ Maxim Integrated	KIT EVAL FOR MAX16821B	123
MAX16832CEVKIT+ Maxim Integrated	KIT EVAL FOR MAX16832C LED DVR	19
MAX16820EVKIT+ Maxim Integrated	EVAL KIT FOR MAX16820	110
MAX25611EVKIT# Maxim Integrated	EVAL MAX25611 LED CONT	612
MAX20090EVKIT# Maxim Integrated	EVAL KIT FOR MAX20090 LED	113
MAX25201EVKIT# Maxim Integrated	EVKIT FOR MAX25201 LOW IQ 40V SY	312
MAX25612EVKIT# Maxim Integrated	EVAL MAX25612 LED CONTROL	510
MAX25600EVKIT# Maxim Integrated	EVAL MAX25600 BUCK-BOOST LED	232
MAX20446EVKIT# Maxim Integrated	EVAL MAX20446 BACKLIGHT 6CH	412
MAX16803EVKIT+ Maxim Integrated	EVAL KIT FOR MAX16803	27
MAX20077EVKIT# Maxim Integrated	36V 2.5A BUCK CONVERTER WITH 6A	222
MAX16836EVKIT+ Maxim Integrated	KIT EVAL FOR MAZ16832 LED DRIVER	113
MAX17061EVKIT+ Maxim Integrated	EVAL KIT FOR MAX17061	18
MAX20097EVKIT# Maxim Integrated	EVAL MAX20097 DUAL CH HB LED	111
MAX16818EVKIT+ Maxim Integrated	KIT EVALUATION FOR MAX16818	143
MAX20056BEVKIT# Maxim Integrated	EVAL MAX20056 LED DRIVER	510
MAX16834EVKIT+ Maxim Integrated	EVAL KIT FOR MAX16834	17
MAX20096EVSYS# Maxim Integrated	EVALUATION SYSTEM	111
MAX16840EVKIT# Maxim Integrated	EVAL BOARD LED DRIVER	212

Evaluation Boards - LED Drivers

1. Overview

Evaluation Boards for LED Drivers are specialized hardware platforms designed to test, validate, and develop lighting control systems. These boards provide engineers with a controlled environment to assess driver performance, thermal management, and compatibility with various LED configurations. As solid-state lighting dominates modern applications, these evaluation tools accelerate innovation in energy efficiency, smart lighting, and dynamic color control across industries.

2. Major Types & Functional Classification

Type	Functional Features	Application Examples
Constant Current Drivers	Maintain stable output current regardless of voltage fluctuations	High-brightness LED streetlights, industrial lighting
Constant Voltage Drivers	Provide fixed voltage with variable current control	LED strips, automotive interior lighting
PWM Dimming Controllers	Use pulse-width modulation for precise brightness control	Architectural lighting, display backlighting
Digital Addressable Controllers	Support protocols like DALI, DMX512 for individual LED control	Smart building systems, stage lighting

3. Structure & Composition

Typical evaluation boards integrate:

PCB substrate with thermal vias for heat dissipation
LED array interfaces (commonly 1 N or matrix configurations)
Driver ICs with protection circuits (overvoltage, overtemperature)
Power management modules (AC/DC, DC/DC converters)
Communication interfaces (I2C, SPI, UART)
Onboard sensors for light output measurement
Debugging headers (JTAG, SWD) for firmware development

4. Key Technical Specifications

Parameter	Importance
Output Current Range (mA)	Determines LED brightness capability
Voltage Compliance Range (V)	Affects compatibility with different LED strings
Dimming Resolution (bits)	Defines granularity of light control
Switching Frequency (kHz)	Influences EMI and efficiency
Thermal Shutdown Threshold ( C)	Ensures reliability under stress conditions
Communication Protocol Support	Enables system integration capabilities

5. Application Fields

Primary industries include:

General Lighting: Smart home systems, commercial lighting
Automotive: Adaptive front-lighting systems, interior ambiance
Industrial: Machine vision systems, hazardous area lighting
Consumer Electronics: TV backlighting, gaming peripherals
Medical: Surgical lighting, phototherapy devices

6. Leading Manufacturers & Products

Manufacturer	Representative Product	Key Features
TI (Texas Instruments)	LM3466EVM	Constant current driver with thermal fold-back
STMicroelectronics	STEVAL-ILL011V1	Digital dimming with 16-bit resolution
ON Semiconductor	NCL30160LEDGEVB	PWM dimming down to 0.1%
Microchip	CL88EVB	High-voltage AC/DC conversion
NXP Semiconductors	PCA9901BDB	DALI protocol support

7. Selection Guidelines

Key considerations:

Match output specifications to target LED requirements
Verify dimming method compatibility (PWM vs analog)
Assess communication protocol needs (e.g., Bluetooth mesh)
Evaluate thermal management capabilities
Check software ecosystem maturity
Consider cost vs feature balance

8. Industry Trends

Future development focuses on:

Higher integration with MCU and wireless SoC solutions
Adaptive control using AI/ML algorithms
Advancements in GaN/SiC semiconductor integration
Expansion of IoT-enabled lighting systems
Standardization of energy efficiency regulations (e.g., DOE)