STM32 in real consumer products

[Bogdan Golab]

Posted on June 05, 2018 at 13:25

I believe I do not violate any forum policy here. I do not want anyone to break any secrets here.

I am a hobbyist & STM32 enthusiast but I have never seen any real products where the STM32 was embedded (besides Sony SmartWatch a few years ago, and Primer / EvoPrimer Tools).

I think such information might be interesting for many STM32 enthusiasts.

If you could share some information about real products where we can find the STM32 MCUs.

[Bogdan Golab]

Posted on June 05, 2018 at 21:57

Yes, great example. There is a bunch of ST ICs in this device:

http://www.st.com/content/st_com/en/about/media-center/press-item.html/t3934.html

 

[Bogdan Golab]

Posted on June 05, 2018 at 22:07

Nice device. Just googled interesting pdf:

http://jin.ece.ufl.edu/papers/EMBC2016_IoT.pdf

 

From the security standpoint it's an issue. But from the hobbyist perspective it's an opportunity to add new feature to real product

[Alex S]

Posted on June 07, 2018 at 10:34

Oventrop radiator controllers / valves. Kärcher products.

ST is more common than AVR or PIC controllers

[Oliver Sedlacek]

Posted on June 07, 2018 at 10:52

I've recently designed an STM32F7 into an infrared imaging microscope to handle the Ethernet. I think the company also use a bunch of them in PID temperature control loops. The company adopted an 'ARM only' policy a few years ago to cut down on code maintenance costs, which means no more new PIC designs. The low cost STM32 parts tend to get used in those places.

[Bogdan Golab]

Posted on June 07, 2018 at 11:19

For me (a hobbyist) the most interesting commercial products with embedded STM32 are those which can be easily modded (firmware not protected, nice case, small size, availability of onboad sensors).

[George.P]

Posted on June 07, 2018 at 09:33

This is quite important to note, especially for people who haven't had any professional experience in this industry.

Support via commercial channels with FAEs and other engineers is much more thorough when compared to a forum and usually levels with purchase volume.

[Bogdan Golab]

Posted on June 07, 2018 at 10:14

Hobbyists are lucky here. People like

Turvey.Clive.002

devote their personal time to answer every questions (even stupid).

When you open a ticket at many major vendor support website you need to have an active support contract.

You need to deal with L1 (robots?), L2, then if you are lucky L3 engineers. The real help usually starts with L3 guys.

It takes weeks...

[AvaTar]

Posted on June 07, 2018 at 10:23

That depends.

With paid support, you can expect and demand results. And you always have the unspoken argument of part purchases on your side. 'Dear' customers often have direct access to L3 engineers, e.g. their mail addresses and phone numbers.

On a forum (like this), it is the inquirer's responsibility to show some individual initiative, and to verify possible answers. That seems not always clear.

[Ronan Gaillard_2]

Posted on June 07, 2018 at 12:51

Formlabs' printer, the Form 2, embeds a STM32 controller for real-time processing.

[AvaTar]

Posted on June 07, 2018 at 10:58

For PIC controllers, this is definitely not true, you just don't know or see the applications.

This PIC14/16/18 controllers are dirt cheap for commercial customers, and millions end up in dirt cheap consumer products.