KIT-PCA9460-EVB - PCA9460 PMIC Evaluation Board | NXP
MPN: KIT-PCA9460-EVB β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
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| 1 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 10 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 100 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 500 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 1,000 | $0 | $0.00 |
KIT-PCA9460-EVB Overview
An evaluation board is a printed-circuit assembly that exposes all functional pins and power rails of a target IC through connectors, test points, and configuration options, allowing engineers to validate power-tree designs before committing to custom PCB layout. Evaluation boards sit within the broader hierarchy of development platforms: component -> evaluation module -> development board -> complete reference design -> end product.
Key features of the KIT-PCA9460-EVB include full compatibility with the i.MX 8ULP processor family, a 13-channel power architecture optimized for ultra-low-power operation, and flexible configuration of the buck regulators, LDOs, and load switches. The PCA9460 itself is provided in a WSCSP42 wafer-level chip-scale package, and the evaluation board demonstrates the recommended external component network, layout practices, and power sequencing.
Technically, the PCA9460 integrates four high-efficiency step-down (buck) regulators rated at 1 A each, four very-low-dropout (VLDO) regulators, one SVVS LDO, and four load switches with only 150 mohm on-resistance, minimizing voltage drop and power loss in battery-powered systems. This level of integration reduces board area and total bill-of-materials cost compared with discrete power solutions.
Typical applications evaluated with this board include smart home devices, building safety and security products, wearables, and smart and medium appliances - all domains where the ultra-low-power profile of the PCA9460 and the i.MX 8ULP processor family deliver long battery life. Industrial microcontroller-based systems can also be prototyped.
A key design consideration when transitioning from the evaluation board to production is that the WSCSP42 package requires microvia and blind-via PCB technology, as noted in NXP community discussions; engineers should plan fabrication capability accordingly.
This page synthesizes distributor availability data, manufacturer documentation, and practical design guidance - including PCB via-technology caveats - not found in a single source, providing unique selection value for engineers evaluating the PCA9460 PMIC platform.
Drop-in alternatives for KIT-PCA9460-EVB β same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
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Request AlternativesKIT-PCA9460-EVB Specifications (manufacturer-published)
| Product Type | Evaluation Board |
| Evaluated Device | PCA9460 single-chip PMIC |
| Number of Power Channels | 13 |
| Step-Down Regulators | 4 x 1 A high-efficiency bucks |
| VLDO Regulators | 4 |
| SVVS LDO | 1 |
| Load Switches | 4 x 150 mohm |
| Target Processor | NXP i.MX 8ULP |
| PMIC Package | WSCSP42 |
| Application Domain | Ultra-low-power consumer and industrial |
| Typical Applications | Smart home, building safety/security, wearables, smart appliances |
KIT-PCA9460-EVB Interfaces & Connectors
No manufacturer-published interface list is available for KIT-PCA9460-EVB. Refer to the manufacturer documentation for connector and header details.
Refer to the manufacturer documentation for the full expansion header pinout and connector pin numbering.
Typical Applications
KIT-PCA9460-EVB is suitable for 6 applications: i.MX 8ULP Processor Prototyping, Smart Home Devices, Building Safety and Security Systems, Wearables, Smart and Medium Appliances, Industrial Low-Power Control Nodes.
i.MX 8ULP Processor Prototyping
The primary purpose of the KIT-PCA9460-EVB is validating the complete power tree for NXP's i.MX 8ULP processors before custom PCB design. The PCA9460 provides all required rails through four 1 A high-efficiency bucks, four VLDOs, one SVVS LDO, and four 150 mohm load switches, letting engineers measure regulator efficiency, load transient response, and power sequencing against i.MX 8ULP requirements. Because the PCA9460 is fully compatible with the 8ULP family, board bring-up can proceed directly to software development. The WSCSP42 package layout demonstrated on the EVB also serves as a production-layout reference for the microvia structures the package demands.
Recommended
Smart Home Devices
Smart home products - door locks, sensors, hubs, and panels - demand long battery life and small form factors, which is exactly the niche NXP designed the PCA9460 for. The PMIC's ultra-low-power architecture minimizes quiescent draw, while the four 150 mohm load switches allow firmware to power-gate radios, sensors, and displays between wake events, dramatically extending battery runtime. Using the KIT-PCA9460-EVB, developers can measure real standby power consumption of their planned rail configuration and tune sequencing before committing to a custom board, de-risking the power design that typically dominates smart home product battery life.
Recommended
Building Safety and Security Systems
Building safety and security products such as smoke detectors, access-control sensors, and surveillance endpoints require always-on monitoring with minimal power draw. The PCA9460's 13-channel integration allows a single PMIC to power the i.MX 8ULP processor, connectivity, and sensing subsystems, and its load switches (150 mohm, four channels) isolate high-draw peripherals during idle periods. The KIT-PCA9460-EVB lets security-product engineers validate that regulator ripple and sequencing meet camera, RF, and sensor requirements, and confirms that ultra-low standby consumption sustains multi-year operation on backup batteries commonly mandated in safety certifications.
Recommended
Wearables
Wearables impose the strictest combination of size and power constraints, and the PCA9460 addresses both: a single WSCSP42 chip-scale package replaces more than a dozen discrete power components, saving board area in watches, bands, and health monitors. The four 1 A bucks power the i.MX 8ULP's compute domains, while VLDOs supply noise-sensitive analog and RF rails. On the KIT-PCA9460-EVB, wearable developers can profile power consumption across sleep, sensor-polling, and display-active states, optimizing duty cycling and confirming that each rail's efficiency meets battery-runtime targets before tape-out of the custom wearable PCB.
Recommended
Smart and Medium Appliances
Smart appliances - connected thermostats, cooktops, laundry, and HVAC controllers - benefit from the PCA9460's integrated power architecture driving the i.MX 8ULP processor for UI, connectivity, and control tasks. The four load switches enable the appliance to power down Wi-Fi, display, and sensing modules during deep-sleep states required by energy regulations, while the 1 A bucks handle peak compute during user interaction. The KIT-PCA9460-EVB allows appliance engineers to validate rail sequencing across appliance power modes and to measure efficiency at both light loads (standby compliance) and full load (active operation) prior to production design.
Recommended
Industrial Low-Power Control Nodes
Beyond consumer markets, NXP states the PCA9460 is a general-purpose PMIC for microcontrollers and microprocessors in industrial applications. Industrial nodes such as condition-monitoring sensors, actuator controllers, and edge gateways can use the PCA9460's 13 rails to power an i.MX 8ULP plus peripheral ICs from a single chip, simplifying qualification and reducing BOM variance. The KIT-PCA9460-EVB supports evaluation across the industrial temperature and input conditions these systems see, and its exposed test points let engineers verify regulator behavior under the inductive and noisy loads typical of factory-floor environments before deployment.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for KIT-PCA9460-EVB β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product |
|---|---|
| Package | Evaluation board (PCA9460 IC in WSCSP42) |
| Brand | NXP Semiconductors |
| Evaluated Device | PCA9460 13-channel PMIC |
| Target Processor | i.MX 8ULP |
| Step-Down Regulators | 4 x 1 A |
| Load Switches | 4 x 150 mohm |
| Application Focus | Ultra-low-power consumer/industrial |
| Availability | In stock at DigiKey/Mouser (as of 2026-09-13) |
Key Differentiators
- Single-chip 13-channel integration (vs Discrete buck/LDO solution)
- Native i.MX 8ULP compatibility (vs Generic PMIC evaluation boards)
- Ultra-low-power load switches (vs Discrete load-switch alternatives)
Design Notes
The PCA9460 IC on this evaluation board is packaged in WSCSP42, which requires microvia and blind-via PCB fabrication. An NXP community thread (May 2024) reports that standard 0.4 mm diameter / 0.2 mm hole through-vias suffice for the i.MX 8ULP hardware recommendations, but the PCA9460 footprint specifies microvias/blind vias. Before migrating from the evaluation board to production, confirm your PCB fabricator supports the required HDI process and budget the added fabrication cost.
The evaluation board exposes the full 13-channel power tree: four 1 A bucks, four VLDOs, one SVVS LDO, and four 150 mohm load switches. When configuring rail sequencing for the i.MX 8ULP, verify that processor domain power-up order matches NXP's 8ULP hardware development guide, since incorrect sequencing can lock the processor's boot ROM. Use the board's test points to capture each rail's ramp with an oscilloscope during startup.
Do not assume load-switch on-resistance is negligible in battery-life budgets: at 150 mohm, a 500 mA load drops 75 mV and dissipates 37.5 mW per switch. During evaluation, measure voltage at the load side of each switch, not just the PMIC output, to account for this drop and for PCB trace resistance. This is a common source of brownout issues on radios and displays switched by the PCA9460.
Compliance Information
Compliance data was not present in the verified web data for the KIT-PCA9460-EVB evaluation board; consult the NXP product page for current declarations.
