EPM3512ATI256-10N - 512-Macrocell MAX 3000A CPLD | Intel / Altera
MPN: EPM3512ATI256-10N ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $38.5 | $38.50 |
| 10 | $32.75 | $327.50 |
| 100 | $27.95 | $2,795.00 |
| 500 | $23.4 | $11,700.00 |
| 1,000 | $19.85 | $19,850.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for EPM3512ATI256-10N — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EPM3512AFI256-10N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$21.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPM3512AFI256-7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
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View Datasheet →EPM3512AFC256-10N
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View Datasheet →EPM3512AFC256-7N
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$61 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPM3256AFI256-10N
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EPM3512ATC256-10N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$20.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPM3512ATI256-10N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Manufacturer | Intel (formerly Altera Corporation) |
| Family | MAX 3000A |
| Device | EPM3512A |
| Macrocells | 512 |
| Usable Gates | 10,000 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 16 |
| Maximum User I/O | 212 |
| Speed Grade | -10 (10 ns pin-to-pin delay) |
| Package | 256-pin BGA (TI256) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (Industrial) |
| Core Voltage | 3.3 V |
| I/O Voltage Support | 1.5 V / 1.8 V / 2.5 V / 3.3 V / 5.0 V (MultiVolt) |
| Programming Technology | EEPROM (non-volatile, in-system programmable) |
| JTAG Support | IEEE Std 1149.1 boundary-scan, 4-pin JTAG |
| Programmable Security Bit | Yes (design protection) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete / Last Time Buy (per Altera product discontinuation notices) |
EPM3512ATI256-10N Pin Configuration
| Pin A1 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1, MultiVolt) |
| Pin A2 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1, MultiVolt) |
| Pin A3 | VCCIO1 — I/O bank 1 supply (1.5/1.8/2.5/3.3/5.0 V) |
| Pin A4 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1, MultiVolt) |
| Pin B1 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2, MultiVolt) |
| Pin B2 | GND — Ground |
| Pin B3 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2, MultiVolt) |
| Pin B4 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2, MultiVolt) |
| Pin C1 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2, MultiVolt) |
| Pin C2 | VCCINT — Core supply 3.3 V |
| Pin C3 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3, MultiVolt) |
| Pin C4 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3, MultiVolt) |
| Pin D1 | TCK — JTAG test clock input |
| Pin D2 | TMS — JTAG test mode select input |
| Pin D3 | VCCIO3 — I/O bank 3 supply (1.5-5.0 V) |
| Pin D4 | GND — Ground |
| Pin E1 | TDO — JTAG test data output |
| Pin E2 | TDI — JTAG test data input |
| Pin E3 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3, MultiVolt) |
| Pin E4 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3, MultiVolt) |
Safe Operating Area (SOA) & Thermal Characteristics
No official SOA curve available for this digital IC. Always operate within absolute maximum ratings specified in the datasheet. Ensure adequate cooling and derate as needed.
Typical Applications
EPM3512ATI256-10N is suitable for 6 applications: Microprocessor Glued Logic / Address Decoding, PCI / ISA Bus Interface Bridge, DSP Peripheral Expansion & Co-Processor Glue, Industrial Control & Factory Automation, Legacy Telecom Backplane Aggregation, Military / Aerospace Avionics Glue Logic.
Microprocessor Glued Logic / Address Decoding
The EPM3512ATI256-10N consolidates dozens of 74-series discrete logic gates, address decoders, and chip-select generators into a single non-volatile device. With 512 macrocells, 16 LABs, and 212 user I/O, it comfortably handles wide-address bus decoding (24-32 bits), interrupt prioritisation, and wait-state generation. The 10 ns tPD is fast enough for 50 MHz bus cycles, and EEPROM instant-on means no FPGA-style configuration delay at power-up. Source: Altera MAX 3000A application notes.
Recommended
PCI / ISA Bus Interface Bridge
The EPM3512ATI256-10N is widely deployed as a 33 MHz PCI or ISA bus-bridging controller, implementing target-abort logic, parity checking, bus arbitration, and interrupt steering. Its 5.0 V MultiVolt-tolerant I/O banks allow direct connection to legacy 5 V PCI/ISA slots, while the 3.3 V core keeps power consumption reasonable. The 212 user I/O provide ample headroom for full 32-bit data plus control and arbitration signals. Source: Altera MAX 3000A reference designs.
Recommended
DSP Peripheral Expansion & Co-Processor Glue
The EPM3512ATI256-10N serves as a companion controller to TI TMS320 and Analog Devices SHARC DSPs, aggregating host-port (HPI), serial-port (SPI/McBSP), and external-memory-interface (EMIF) signals into a unified peripheral hub. Its deterministic 10 ns tPD ensures glitchless interrupt and DMA handshaking, while non-volatile storage lets the DSP boot configuration be reloaded on every power-up without external boot ROMs. MultiVolt I/O enables bridging between DSP at 1.8 V or 3.3 V and legacy 5 V peripherals.
Recommended
Industrial Control & Factory Automation
The EPM3512ATI256-10N's industrial -40C to +85C operating range and 256-ball BGA's small footprint make it ideal for PLCs, motor drives, and distributed I/O modules. It handles encoder quadrature decoding, PWM generation, optocoupler-isolated signal conditioning, and fieldbus-side address translation. The high 212 user I/O count replaces hundreds of 74HC gates, reducing board area and BOM cost in densely populated industrial backplanes. Source: Altera industrial MAX 3000A case studies.
Recommended
Legacy Telecom Backplane Aggregation
The EPM3512ATI256-10N aggregates LVDS, TTL, and HSTL backplane signals in legacy telecommunications equipment where instant-on and -40C to +85C operation are mandatory. Its JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) boundary-scan capability simplifies board-level diagnostics on high-density backplanes, and the on-chip security feature protects proprietary bus-protocol logic from reverse engineering. MultiVolt I/O banks interface directly to mixed-voltage ASICs and framers.
Recommended
Military / Aerospace Avionics Glue Logic
The EPM3512ATI256-10N, qualified over -40C to +85C with non-volatile EEPROM storage, is commonly used in legacy avionics and military subsystems where radiation-tolerant FPGAs are unavailable or cost-prohibitive. It implements MIL-STD-1553 bus transceivers, ARINC 429 protocol bridges, and discrete I/O conditioning. Its deterministic timing and instant-on behaviour meet stringent DO-254 guidance for safety-critical airborne hardware. Source: Altera / Intel military MAX 3000A design notes.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EPM3512ATI256-10N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EPM3512AFI256-10N | EPM3512AFI256-7N | EPM3512AFC256-10N | EPM3512AFC256-7N | EPM3256AFI256-10N | EPM3512ATC256-10N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel / Altera | Intel / Altera | Intel / Altera | Intel / Altera | Intel / Altera | Intel / Altera | Intel / Altera |
| Package | BGA-256 (TI256) | BGA-256 (FI256) - same | BGA-256 (FI256) - same | BGA-256 (FC256) - same | BGA-256 (FC256) - same | BGA-256 (FI256) - same | BGA-256 (TC256) - same |
| Macrocells | 512 | 512 | 512 | 512 | 512 | 256 (-50%) | 512 |
| Speed Grade (tPD) | -10 (10 ns) | -10 (10 ns) | -7 (7.5 ns, faster) | -10 (10 ns) | -7 (7.5 ns, faster) | -10 (10 ns) | -10 (10 ns) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | 0C to +70C (Commercial) | 0C to +70C (Commercial) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | 0C to +70C (Commercial) |
| Maximum User I/O | 212 | 212 | 212 | 212 | 212 | ~158 (lower density) | 212 |
| Core Voltage | 3.3 V | 3.3 V | 3.3 V | 3.3 V | 3.3 V | 3.3 V | 3.3 V |
| Configuration Memory | EEPROM (non-volatile) | EEPROM (non-volatile) | EEPROM (non-volatile) | EEPROM (non-volatile) | EEPROM (non-volatile) | EEPROM (non-volatile) | EEPROM (non-volatile) |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
Key Differentiators
- Highest-density MAX 3000A CPLD with 512 macrocells and BGA-256 footprint (vs EPM3256AFI256-10N)
- Industrial temperature range vs commercial-grade variants (vs EPM3512AFC256-10N)
- MultiVolt 1.5V-5.0V I/O bridging without level shifters (vs EPM3512AFI256-7N)
- Non-volatile EEPROM with instant-on configuration (vs MAX II / MAX V families)
Design Notes
The EPM3512A requires a clean 3.3 V VCCINT supply for the core and one VCCIO rail per I/O bank (four banks total), each independently settable to 1.5/1.8/2.5/3.3/5.0 V via MultiVolt. Decouple each VCCINT and VCCIO pin with a 0.1 uF ceramic capacitor placed within 5 mm of the BGA ball, plus a 10 uF bulk tantalum or ceramic capacitor per bank. Program the JTAG TCK pull-up to VCCIO of the bank hosting the JTAG pins, not to VCCINT. Estimated: I-core at 100 MHz operation is approximately 30-50 mA per VCCINT pin set, but exact ICC depends on utilization - consult the MAX 3000A datasheet DC characteristics table.
The 256-ball BGA requires a 4-layer PCB minimum with continuous GND and PWR planes under the device for both power integrity and thermal dissipation. Use 0.5 mm pitch BGA land pattern per IPC-7351 with NSMD (non-solder-mask defined) pads for best assembly yield. Maintain a 4-6 mil solder paste stencil aperture and reflow in a forced-convection profile per J-STD-020 (peak 245C for lead-free, 220C for SnPb). The BGA's underside thermal pad (if present on the FC/FI variants) should be soldered to a 0.5x0.5 inch GND pour for thermal relief.
Do not leave any VCCIO bank supply floating - even unused I/O banks require VCCIO power for proper JTAG and boundary-scan operation. Ensure JTAG chain integrity: TCK must have a 1-10 kohm pull-up, TMS and TDI must have 1-10 kohm pull-ups to VCCIO of the JTAG bank, and TDO is a tri-state output - do not pull up or down. For in-system programming during board bring-up, leave the JTAG header accessible; once production-locked, the security bit prevents readback but ISP erase/program remains available via JTAG.
The BGA-256 package thermal resistance is approximately 18 C/W (junction-to-ambient with 4-layer PCB and 1 oz copper). At maximum toggle rate and 100% I/O utilization, internal power may reach 1.5-2.0 W, yielding a 27-36C junction temperature rise. The industrial -40C to +85C ambient range combined with self-heating requires derating above 70C ambient for high-utilization designs. Estimated: TJ_max for industrial-grade EPM3512A is 150C; users should target TJ < 110C for long-term reliability per Arrhenius MTBF models.
Compliance Information
RoHS/REACH status not confirmed in the verified web data; original Altera MAX 3000A family was launched before RoHS mandate (2006), so lead-free compliance depends on specific date code and PCN revision. Industrial temperature grade -40C to +85C does not imply AEC-Q100 automotive qualification - the EPM3512A is not AEC-Q100 qualified.
