Analog Devices / Maxim Integrated MAX31740 Fan-Speed Controller

Analog Devices MAX31740 Fan-Speed Controller monitors the temperature of an external NTC thermistor and generates a PWM signal that can be used to control the speed of a 2-, 3-, or 4-wire fan. The fan control characteristics are set using external resistors, eliminating the need for an external microcontroller. Controllable characteristics include the starting temperature for fan control, PWM frequency, fan speed at low temperatures, and slope of the temperature-duty-cycle transfer function. Because the operating characteristics are selected by hard-wired passive components, a simple, low-cost fan-speed controller can be implemented without the need for firmware development. This can dramatically reduce development time for the fan control function.