MR-ESC-AM32 — Deploy and Run Quick Start¶

MR-ESC-AM32 is an AM32 BLDC ESC running on an MCXA133 MCU. Flash the bootloader and the application with LinkServer (MCU-Link-MR) or Segger J-Link, then configure the ESC over a pass-through serial link.

Get the artifacts first¶

Every platform assumes the images are already available — either downloaded or built with the SDK:

# prebuilt (fastest)
west sdk download --platform mr-esc-am32-mcxa133      # lands in <west topdir>/bin/mr-esc-am32-mcxa133/

# or build from source
west sdk build    --platform mr-esc-am32-mcxa133  # lands in <west topdir>/{build,bin}/...

Docker required. Downloading and building are done inside a Docker container built from the SDK’s Dockerfile — see the NXP Robotics SDK README for how to set it up. All west commands are assumed to run inside that container.
The SDK builds/downloads images but does not flash them — deployment is done with the board’s native tool.
Where do the artifacts land? <west topdir> is the west workspace root — the directory containing .west/, created by west init. The bin/ directory is created next to the robotics-sdk/ clone, not inside it:

<west topdir>/
├── .west/
├── robotics-sdk/         <- the SDK clone (west init -l)
├── build/                <- west sdk build intermediates
└── bin/mr-esc-am32-mcxa133/       <- final artifacts land here

For MR-ESC-AM32 the platform is mr-esc-am32-mcxa133. Run west sdk list for the authoritative list.

What to flash¶

The AM32 stack produces two images. The bootloader is programmed once; during normal development only the application image needs to be updated. On a blank device both images must be flashed (bootloader + application) together.

The AM32 version is kept in the filename, so the exact version suffix depends on the release that is built or downloaded:

Image	Artifact (in `bin/mr-esc-am32-mcxa133/`)
AM32 bootloader	`AM32_A153_BOOTLOADER_PB2_V18.hex`
AM32 application	`AM32_FRDM_A153_2.20.hex`

.bin and .elf variants are collected alongside each .hex. The .hex files carry their own load addresses, so no explicit flash address is needed when flashing them.

ℹ️ The version suffix (_V18, _2.20 above) tracks the AM32 release; substitute the version that was actually built or downloaded in the flash commands below. Run west sdk list and inspect bin/mr-esc-am32-mcxa133/ for the exact filenames present.

ℹ️ At this time the bootloader must not be trusted to load a new main-application firmware into flash; it is used to load configuration parameters into the MCXA EEPROM/flash. Always re-flash the application image directly with LinkServer or J-Link.

Connect¶

MCU-Link-MR / MCU-Link-Pro (or Segger J-Link) to the ESC’s SWD debug connector — used for flash.

⚠️ The NXP MCU-Link-MR cable differs from the J-Link cable: NXP requires pin 3 NOT connected (connectors are otherwise identical). Using the wrong cable will fail to connect.
For ESC configuration, a flight controller flashed in pass-through mode exposes the ESC as a USB/serial port on the host PC (see the Configure the ESC section below).

Flash with LinkServer¶

Device name: MCXA133 (interface SWD, speed 4000 kHz).

Flash the bootloader (first time / blank device)

LinkServer flash MCXA133 load AM32_A153_BOOTLOADER_PB2_V18.hex

Flash the application
```
LinkServer flash MCXA133 load AM32_FRDM_A153_2.20.hex
```
On Windows the LinkServer path is e.g. C:\NXP\LinkServer_<ver>\LinkServer.exe.
Reset & run

Reset the ESC; the bootloader chainloads the AM32 application.

Flash with Segger J-Link (alternative)¶

Run JLink.exe -CommanderScript temp.jlink, where temp.jlink contains:

device MCXA133
si SWD
speed 4000
connect
r
h
erase
loadfile AM32_FRDM_A153_2.20.hex
r
g
exit

Repeat with loadfile AM32_A153_BOOTLOADER_PB2_V18.hex to program the bootloader on a blank device.

Configure the ESC¶

The ESC needs calibration/config to match the motor and the flight controller / RC receiver.

Flash a flight controller in pass-through mode so the ESC enumerates as a USB/serial port on the PC.
Open the AM32 web configurator (or use SerialPortConnector.exe) and connect to that port.
If a config error appears after a full-erase flash, load the default configuration and save to flash, then set the relevant parameters — e.g. motor KV (motor-dependent, ~960) and input signal DShot or PWM.
Make sure the flight controller / RC receiver output signal matches the ESC’s configured input:
- Configure the FC to send PWM or DShot from QGroundControl, or set the signal in the TX unit for a direct RC-receiver connection.

⚠️ Watch connector polarity when switching between the i.MX RT1176 VMU (GND pin on the top side) and an RC RX unit (GND may be on the bottom side).