Evaluation Boards - LED Drivers

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
MAX25014EVKIT# Maxim Integrated	EVAL BOARD FOR MAX25014	210
MAX31840EVKIT# Maxim Integrated	EVAL KIT LED DRVR MAX31840	520
MAX20446BEVKIT# Maxim Integrated	EVAL BOARD FOR MAX20446B	313
MAX25610EVKIT# Maxim Integrated	EVAL MAX25610 LED DRIVER	110
MAX16822BEVKIT+ Maxim Integrated	KIT EVAL FOR MAX16822	210
MAX21610EVKIT# Maxim Integrated	LOCAL DIMMING LED BACKLIGHT DRIV	11
MAX1553EVKIT Maxim Integrated	EVAL KIT MAX1553 (HIGH-EFFICIENC	6
MAX8901EVKIT+ Maxim Integrated	EVAL KIT MAX8901A AND MAX8901B (	10
MAX16813EVKIT# Maxim Integrated	EVAL KIT FOR MAX16813	112
MAX6946EVCMAXQU+ Maxim Integrated	EVAL SYSTEM/KIT MAX6946 (10-POR	5
MAX8596ZEVKIT Maxim Integrated	EVAL KIT MAX8595X, MAX8595Z, MAX	7
MAX16826EVKIT+ Maxim Integrated	EVAL KIT MAX16826 (PROGRAMMABLE,	10
MAX20056EVKIT# Maxim Integrated	EVKIT FOR MAX20056 6 CHANNEL HIG	0
MAX1698EVKIT Maxim Integrated	EVALUATION KIT FOR MAX1698	13
MAX1576EVKIT Maxim Integrated	EVAL KIT MAX1576 (480MA WHITE LE	6
MAX16839EVKIT+ Maxim Integrated	KIT EVAL FOR MAX16839	15
MAX6964EVCMAXQUSB Maxim Integrated	EVAL KIT MAX6964 (17-OUTPUT LED	0
MAX6964EVKIT Maxim Integrated	EVAL KIT MAX6964 (17-OUTPUT LED	21
MAX25610BEVKIT# Maxim Integrated	EVAL KIT FOR SYNCHRO BUCK & BUCK	28
MAX20444BEVKIT# Maxim Integrated	EVALUATION KIT FOR AUTOMOTIVE 4-	310

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)