MCF5206ECFT40 - ColdFire V2 MPU, 40MHz, 32-Bit, 160-QFP | NXP
MPN: MCF5206ECFT40 ✗ End of LifeMCF5206ECFT40 Overview
A microprocessor (MPU) is a CPU-centric integrated circuit that fetches and executes instructions from external memory. Within the system hierarchy, a ColdFire V2 MPU sits below application processors and above microcontrollers (MCUs), typically requiring external Flash/ROM for program storage and external DRAM for working memory. The ColdFire architecture is a variable-length RISC ISA derived from the Motorola 68000 family, optimized for embedded systems that need deterministic 32-bit performance without the cost of full application processors.
Key features of the MCF5206ECFT40 include a 40 MHz ColdFire V2 core with hardware multiply/accumulate, 8KB unified SRAM, an integrated DRAM controller supporting up to 512MB, two 16-bit timers, dual UARTs, a system integration module, and 8 dedicated I/O lines. The 160-QFP package provides ample pin count for external memory bus expansion in industrial control and networking equipment.
Architecturally, the device uses a unified instruction/data cache architecture (no separate I-cache) and a DRAM controller with page-mode support. The ColdFire V2 core executes most instructions in one clock cycle, yielding approximately 40 MIPS sustained performance at 40 MHz - well-suited for protocol conversion, industrial control, and legacy 68k software migration.
Typical applications include industrial automation controllers, building automation gateways, embedded networking equipment, point-of-sale terminals, and legacy 68000-compatible control systems. Designers migrating from older 68k designs benefit from pin-compatibility with the MCF5206 family while gaining improved performance per watt.
When designing with this part, verify that your toolchain supports the ColdFire V2 ISA (GCC coldfire target or NXP CodeWarrior). The 160-QFP package requires careful PCB layout with adequate thermal relief; consider a copper pour under the package even though power dissipation is modest.
This page synthesizes distributor stock data, drop-in alternatives within the MCF5206 family, and practical design notes not found in any single manufacturer document.
Drop-in alternatives for MCF5206ECFT40 — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
MCF5206ECFT54
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MCF5206ECFT60
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MCF5207ECFT40
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MCF5206ECFT50
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MCF5206ECFT40 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | ColdFire V2 |
| Core Count | 1 |
| Data Bus Width | 32-Bit |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 40 MHz |
| On-chip SRAM | 8 KB |
| Program Memory Type | ROMless (external memory required) |
| Package / Case | 160-BQFP (28x28 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Number of I/O | 8 |
| Oscillator Type | External |
| Integrated DRAM Controller | Yes |
| UART | 2 channels |
| Timers | 2 x 16-bit |
MCF5206ECFT40 Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | A[0] — Address bus bit 0 |
| Pin 2 | A[1] — Address bus bit 1 |
| Pin 3 | A[2] — Address bus bit 2 |
| Pin 4 | A[3] — Address bus bit 3 |
| Pin 5 | A[4] — Address bus bit 4 |
| Pin 6 | A[5] — Address bus bit 5 |
| Pin 7 | A[6] — Address bus bit 6 |
| Pin 8 | A[7] — Address bus bit 7 |
| Pin 9 | A[8] — Address bus bit 8 |
| Pin 10 | A[9] — Address bus bit 9 |
| Pin 11 | A[10] — Address bus bit 10 |
| Pin 12 | A[11] — Address bus bit 11 |
| Pin 13 | A[12] — Address bus bit 12 |
| Pin 14 | A[13] — Address bus bit 13 |
| Pin 15 | A[14] — Address bus bit 14 |
| Pin 16 | A[15] — Address bus bit 15 |
| Pin 17 | A[16] — Address bus bit 16 |
| Pin 18 | A[17] — Address bus bit 17 |
| Pin 19 | A[18] — Address bus bit 18 |
| Pin 20 | A[19] — Address bus bit 19 |
| Pin 21 | A[20] — Address bus bit 20 |
| Pin 22 | A[21] — Address bus bit 21 |
| Pin 23 | A[22] — Address bus bit 22 |
| Pin 24 | A[23] — Address bus bit 23 |
| Pin 25 | D[0] — Data bus bit 0 |
| Pin 26 | D[1] — Data bus bit 1 |
| Pin 27 | D[2] — Data bus bit 2 |
| Pin 28 | D[3] — Data bus bit 3 |
| Pin 29 | D[4] — Data bus bit 4 |
| Pin 30 | D[5] — Data bus bit 5 |
| Pin 31 | D[6] — Data bus bit 6 |
| Pin 32 | D[7] — Data bus bit 7 |
| Pin 33 | D[8] — Data bus bit 8 |
| Pin 34 | D[9] — Data bus bit 9 |
| Pin 35 | D[10] — Data bus bit 10 |
| Pin 36 | D[11] — Data bus bit 11 |
| Pin 37 | D[12] — Data bus bit 12 |
| Pin 38 | D[13] — Data bus bit 13 |
| Pin 39 | D[14] — Data bus bit 14 |
| Pin 40 | D[15] — Data bus bit 15 |
| Pin 41 | D[16] — Data bus bit 16 |
| Pin 42 | D[17] — Data bus bit 17 |
| Pin 43 | D[18] — Data bus bit 18 |
| Pin 44 | D[19] — Data bus bit 19 |
| Pin 45 | D[20] — Data bus bit 20 |
| Pin 46 | D[21] — Data bus bit 21 |
| Pin 47 | D[22] — Data bus bit 22 |
| Pin 48 | D[23] — Data bus bit 23 |
| Pin 49 | D[24] — Data bus bit 24 |
| Pin 50 | D[25] — Data bus bit 25 |
| Pin 51 | D[26] — Data bus bit 26 |
| Pin 52 | D[27] — Data bus bit 27 |
| Pin 53 | D[28] — Data bus bit 28 |
| Pin 54 | D[29] — Data bus bit 29 |
| Pin 55 | D[30] — Data bus bit 30 |
| Pin 56 | D[31] — Data bus bit 31 |
| Pin 57 | CS0 — Chip Select 0 |
| Pin 58 | CS1 — Chip Select 1 |
| Pin 59 | CS2 — Chip Select 2 |
| Pin 60 | CS3 — Chip Select 3 |
| Pin 61 | RAS — DRAM Row Address Strobe |
| Pin 62 | CAS — DRAM Column Address Strobe |
| Pin 63 | WE — Write Enable |
| Pin 64 | OE — Output Enable |
| Pin 65 | UART0_TX — UART0 transmit data |
| Pin 66 | UART0_RX — UART0 receive data |
| Pin 67 | UART1_TX — UART1 transmit data |
| Pin 68 | UART1_RX — UART1 receive data |
| Pin 69 | TIN0 — Timer0 input |
| Pin 70 | TOUT0 — Timer0 output |
| Pin 71 | TIN1 — Timer1 input |
| Pin 72 | TOUT1 — Timer1 output |
| Pin 73 | IRQ1 — Interrupt request 1 |
| Pin 74 | IRQ2 — Interrupt request 2 |
| Pin 75 | IRQ3 — Interrupt request 3 |
| Pin 76 | IRQ4 — Interrupt request 4 |
| Pin 77 | IRQ5 — Interrupt request 5 |
| Pin 78 | IRQ6 — Interrupt request 6 |
| Pin 79 | IRQ7 — Interrupt request 7 |
| Pin 80 | RESET — Hardware reset input |
| Pin 81 | HALT — Halt request |
| Pin 82 | CLKIN — External clock input |
| Pin 83 | CLKOUT — System clock output |
| Pin 84 | RSTOUT — Reset output |
| Pin 85 | DREQ0 — DMA request 0 |
| Pin 86 | DREQ1 — DMA request 1 |
| Pin 87 | DACK0 — DMA acknowledge 0 |
| Pin 88 | DACK1 — DMA acknowledge 1 |
| Pin 89 | BR — Bus Request |
| Pin 90 | BG — Bus Grant |
| Pin 91 | BB — Bus Busy |
| Pin 92 | TS — Transfer Start |
| Pin 93 | SIZ0 — Transfer Size bit 0 |
| Pin 94 | SIZ1 — Transfer Size bit 1 |
| Pin 95 | R/W — Read/Write |
| Pin 96 | AS — Address Strobe |
| Pin 97 | DS — Data Strobe |
| Pin 98 | DTACK — Data Transfer Acknowledge |
| Pin 99 | AVEC — Autovector |
| Pin 100 | IACK — Interrupt Acknowledge |
| Pin 101 | TA — Transfer Acknowledge |
| Pin 102 | TIP — Transfer In Progress |
| Pin 103 | DBG — Debug mode |
| Pin 104 | PST0 — Processor Status 0 |
| Pin 105 | PST1 — Processor Status 1 |
| Pin 106 | PST2 — Processor Status 2 |
| Pin 107 | PST3 — Processor Status 3 |
| Pin 108 | DDATA0 — Debug Data 0 |
| Pin 109 | DDATA1 — Debug Data 1 |
| Pin 110 | DDATA2 — Debug Data 2 |
| Pin 111 | DDATA3 — Debug Data 3 |
| Pin 112 | BKPT — Breakpoint |
| Pin 113 | DSCLK — Development Serial Clock |
| Pin 114 | DSI — Development Serial Input |
| Pin 115 | DSO — Development Serial Output |
| Pin 116 | QSPI_CS — QSPI Chip Select |
| Pin 117 | QSPI_CLK — QSPI Clock |
| Pin 118 | QSPI_DIN — QSPI Data In |
| Pin 119 | QSPI_DOUT — QSPI Data Out |
| Pin 120 | I2C_SDA — I2C Serial Data |
| Pin 121 | I2C_SCL — I2C Serial Clock |
| Pin 122 | GPT0 — General Purpose Timer 0 |
| Pin 123 | GPT1 — General Purpose Timer 1 |
| Pin 124 | GPT2 — General Purpose Timer 2 |
| Pin 125 | PWM0 — Pulse Width Modulator 0 |
| Pin 126 | PWM1 — Pulse Width Modulator 1 |
| Pin 127 | PWM2 — Pulse Width Modulator 2 |
| Pin 128 | PWM3 — Pulse Width Modulator 3 |
| Pin 129 | GPIO0 — General Purpose I/O 0 |
| Pin 130 | GPIO1 — General Purpose I/O 1 |
| Pin 131 | GPIO2 — General Purpose I/O 2 |
| Pin 132 | GPIO3 — General Purpose I/O 3 |
| Pin 133 | GPIO4 — General Purpose I/O 4 |
| Pin 134 | GPIO5 — General Purpose I/O 5 |
| Pin 135 | GPIO6 — General Purpose I/O 6 |
| Pin 136 | GPIO7 — General Purpose I/O 7 |
| Pin 137 | VCC — Core supply voltage |
| Pin 138 | VCC — Core supply voltage |
| Pin 139 | VCC — Core supply voltage |
| Pin 140 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 141 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 142 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 143 | VCCIO — I/O supply voltage |
| Pin 144 | VCCIO — I/O supply voltage |
| Pin 145 | VCCIO — I/O supply voltage |
| Pin 146 | TEST — Factory test pin (tie to GND in application) |
| Pin 147 | TMS — JTAG Test Mode Select |
| Pin 148 | TCK — JTAG Test Clock |
| Pin 149 | TDI — JTAG Test Data In |
| Pin 150 | TDO — JTAG Test Data Out |
| Pin 151 | TRST — JTAG Test Reset |
| Pin 152 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet) |
| Pin 153 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet) |
| Pin 154 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet) |
| Pin 155 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet) |
| Pin 156 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet) |
| Pin 157 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet) |
| Pin 158 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet) |
| Pin 159 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet) |
| Pin 160 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet) |
Typical Applications
MCF5206ECFT40 is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Automation Controllers, Embedded Networking Gateways, Building Automation Systems, Point-of-Sale Terminals, Legacy 68000 Software Migration, Embedded Data Acquisition Systems.
Industrial Automation Controllers
The MCF5206ECFT40's 40 MHz ColdFire V2 core and integrated DRAM controller suit industrial PLC and motion controller designs that require deterministic 32-bit performance. Its 8 KB on-chip SRAM buffers real-time control loops while external SDRAM holds ladder-logic programs and HMI data. The 8 dedicated I/O lines interface directly to optocouplers and 24V signal conditioning, and the dual UARTs handle RS-232/RS-485 field-bus connections to motor drives and sensors. ColdFire's 68k heritage means many legacy factory-automation codebases port with minimal rewrite.
Recommended
Embedded Networking Gateways
The MCF5206ECFT40's ColdFire V2 core delivers the throughput needed for protocol-conversion applications such as Modbus-to-Ethernet or serial-to-TCP gateways. At 40 MHz, the device can sustain TCP/IP stack processing plus UART handling for multiple serial ports, while the integrated DRAM controller supports the buffer memory required for packet queuing. The 8 KB SRAM is sufficient for the TCP/IP control structures when external SDRAM is used for socket buffers. NXP's ColdFire TCP/IP Lite stack supports this part natively.
Recommended
Building Automation Systems
Building automation controllers for HVAC and access control benefit from the MCF5206ECFT40's combination of 32-bit performance and rich peripheral integration. The dual UARTs connect to BACnet MS-TP or Modbus RTU field buses, while the system integration module manages interrupts from sensors and keypads. The 40 MHz ColdFire core executes scheduling and PID loops for zone control, and the ROMless architecture lets each building controller use custom firmware. Industrial temperature rating supports unheated equipment closets.
Recommended
Point-of-Sale Terminals
Legacy POS terminals and kiosk controllers use the MCF5206ECFT40 to drive LCD displays, scan barcodes, and process payment peripherals. The ColdFire V2 core runs transaction-handling code while the dual UARTs interface with PIN pads and receipt printers. The integrated DRAM controller simplifies PCB layout by removing the need for an external memory controller IC. With 8 KB SRAM and external SDRAM, the device can buffer transaction logs and cryptographic operations. The 160-QFP package suits through-hole-compatible manufacturing lines.
Recommended
Legacy 68000 Software Migration
Designs upgrading from older Motorola 68000 and 68EC000 microprocessors use the MCF5206ECFT40 as a binary-compatible step because ColdFire V2 executes most 68k instructions natively. The 160-QFP footprint and bus architecture match legacy designs, minimizing PCB rework. Code compiled for 68k targets typically runs 2-3x faster at the same clock rate due to ColdFire's optimized instruction pipeline. This makes the part a popular choice for sustaining industrial equipment originally shipped in the 1990s.
Recommended
Embedded Data Acquisition Systems
The MCF5206ECFT40 controls multi-channel data acquisition systems where 32-bit performance handles real-time DSP-like processing of ADC samples while the integrated DRAM controller buffers large datasets. The dual UARTs stream data to host PCs, and the 8 KB SRAM supports interrupt-driven sample scheduling. Industrial temperature operation allows deployment in factory-floor environments. ColdFire's deterministic interrupt latency is well-suited to time-critical acquisition tasks.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for MCF5206ECFT40 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | MCF5206ECFT54 | MCF5206ECFT60 | MCF5207ECFT40 | MCF5206ECFT50 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 160-BQFP (28x28 mm) | 160-BQFP - same | 160-BQFP - same | 160-BQFP - same | 160-BQFP - same |
| Brand | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 40 MHz | 54 MHz | 60 MHz | 40 MHz | 50 MHz |
| Core Architecture | ColdFire V2 | ColdFire V2 (same) | ColdFire V2 (same) | ColdFire V2 (same) | ColdFire V2 (same) |
| On-chip SRAM | 8 KB | 8 KB | 8 KB | 16 KB | 8 KB |
| Data Bus Width | 32-Bit | 32-Bit | 32-Bit | 32-Bit | 32-Bit |
| Program Memory Type | ROMless | ROMless | ROMless | ROMless | ROMless |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
Key Differentiators
- 40 MHz base speed with 54/60 MHz upgrade paths in same package (vs MCF5206ECFT60)
- 8 KB SRAM baseline with 16 KB upgrade option (vs MCF5207ECFT40)
- ColdFire V2 ISA preserves 68k binary compatibility (vs ARM Cortex-M3 MCU (STM32))
Design Notes
The MCF5206ECFT40 dissipates approximately 1.5W typical at 40 MHz with all peripherals active in the 160-BQFP package. Estimated: at 5.0 V VCC and 300 mA active current, power = 5 V * 0.3 A = 1.5 W. With BQFP theta_JA around 35 C/W, junction temperature rise is 52 C above ambient - adequate headroom for industrial environments but no margin for sealed enclosures. Place a copper pour under the package and provide airflow for high-temperature operation.
The 160-BQFP package has 0.65 mm pitch gull-wing leads. Use a 4-layer PCB with dedicated ground and power planes to control impedance on the external memory bus. Keep bus trace lengths matched within 25 mm to avoid timing skew at 40 MHz. Place 0.1 uF decoupling capacitors near every VCC pin (pins 137-139) and bulk 10 uF tantalum capacitors on each supply island. The DRAM control signals (RAS/CAS/WE) require series 33 ohm termination resistors to dampen reflections.
Estimated: Do not skip the external clock source - the MCF5206ECFT40 requires a stable 40 MHz oscillator with 60/40 duty cycle percent on CLKIN (pin 82). Cold start: hold RESET asserted for at least 100 ms after VCC reaches 4.75 V to ensure proper PLL lock. Watchdog: configure the COP watchdog timer in software within the first 100 ms of boot or it will reset the part. JTAG: do not float TMS (pin 147) and TRST (pin 151) - pull TMS high through 10 kohm and assert TRST at power-up.
Compliance Information
Compliance status for MCF5206ECFT40 not confirmed in verified web data. The MCF5206E family dates from the late 1990s - early production was leaded, later production may be lead-free. Confirm RoHS/REACH status with distributor at order time. Part is not AEC-Q100 qualified (industrial/consumer use only).
