MK30DX256VLK7 - Kinetis K30 Cortex-M4 72MHz MCU | NXP
MPN: MK30DX256VLK7 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 10 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 100 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 500 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 1,000 | $0 | $0.00 |
MK30DX256VLK7 Overview
A microcontroller unit (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a processor core, memory, and peripherals onto one die, forming the bottom layer of the embedded systems hierarchy: MCU -> embedded processor -> system-on-chip -> computing platform. The Kinetis K30 sub-family sits in the mid-performance tier of NXP's scalable Kinetis portfolio, differentiated from the K20 by an integrated segment LCD controller for direct drive of glass displays.
Key features include the ARM Cortex-M4 core with DSP instructions and single-cycle MAC at up to 72 MHz, 256 KB of flash memory (256K x 8), 64 KB of SRAM, an integrated segment LCD controller, and a 1.71 V to 3.6 V operating voltage range per the manufacturer datasheet. The family provides high-precision analog integration, flexible low-power modes, and up to 32 MHz crystal oscillator plus 32 kHz crystal oscillator clocking options.
Technically, the K30 combines the Cortex-M4 pipeline with NXP's mixed-signal peripheral set, supporting flash write across the voltage range and ambient temperature operation up to 105 C. The LCD controller offloads segment driving from software, freeing CPU cycles and reducing power compared with GPIO-driven multiplexing.
Typical applications include utility metering (electricity, gas, water), handheld medical instruments, industrial HMI panels, and consumer appliances requiring a low-power LCD user interface.
A key design consideration is that the VLK7 speed suffix denotes core voltage and clock configuration - verify the exact supply and temperature grade against the NXP ordering-info table before finalizing the power tree.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in same-family alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for MK30DX256VLK7 — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Variants in this series
Same-series models that are drop-in compatible with MK30DX256VLK7 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Core Architecture, SRAM, ADC, Maximum CPU Frequency.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
MK30DN512VLK7
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MK30DX128VLK7
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MK40DX256VLK7
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MK30DX256VLK10
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MK20DX256VLK7
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MK30DX256VLK7 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Processor | ARM Cortex-M4 |
| Core Size | 32-Bit Single-Core |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 72 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 256 KB (256K x 8) |
| SRAM | 64 KB |
| Series | Kinetis K30 |
| Segment LCD Controller | Yes (SLCD) |
| Package | 80-FQFP / LQFP (12x12 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Number of Terminals | 80 |
| Terminal Form | Gull Wing |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +105C |
| Crystal Oscillators | Up to 32 MHz and 32 kHz |
| Life Cycle Stage | Active |
MK30DX256VLK7 80-fqfp / lqfp (12x12 mm) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for MK30DX256VLK7 (80-fqfp / lqfp (12x12 mm) package). This digital IC includes GPIO, communication interfaces (UART, SPI, I2C), and power pins. Refer to the manufacturer datasheet for alternate pin functions and configuration options. Essential for embedded system design and PCB layout.
No detailed pinout data available for MK30DX256VLK7.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
MK30DX256VLK7 is suitable for 6 applications: Utility Metering (Electricity, Gas, Water), Handheld Medical and Health Instruments, Industrial HMI and Control Panels, Portable Data Acquisition and Test Equipment, Smart Home and IoT Sensor Nodes, Appliance and Consumer Control Boards.
Utility Metering (Electricity, Gas, Water)
The MK30DX256VLK7 fits utility metering because its integrated segment LCD controller drives 7-segment and bar-graph glass directly, while the 72 MHz Cortex-M4 handles metrology DSP algorithms using its single-cycle MAC. In a typical energy meter, the MCU samples current/voltage channels through its ADCs, computes RMS power, and renders consumption on the LCD during periodic wakeups from low-power modes, preserving state in the 64 KB SRAM. The -40C to +105C ambient range covers outdoor meter enclosures. Flash write across the voltage range supports data logging during brownouts, extending design margin in field-deployed products.
Recommended
Handheld Medical and Health Instruments
Battery-powered medical devices such as glucose meters and vital-sign monitors benefit from the K30's combination of segment LCD, low-power modes, and Cortex-M4 DSP capability. The 256 KB flash holds calibration tables and a full measurement state machine, while the 64 KB SRAM buffers waveforms for on-device processing. Because the segment LCD draws microampere-class current versus backlit graphics displays, battery life is maximized - a decisive factor in disposable and long-shift clinical devices. The 32 kHz oscillator supports an accurate real-time clock for timestamping readings, and the 12x12 mm 80-LQFP keeps the PCB compact enough for pen-form-factor instruments.
Recommended
Industrial HMI and Control Panels
In industrial control panels, the MK30DX256VLK7 acts as the human-machine interface controller, driving a segment or dot-matrix-compatible segment LCD for status, setpoints, and fault codes while the 72 MHz Cortex-M4 core executes the control loop and communication stack. The -40C to +105C temperature grade satisfies panel environments near drives and power electronics. On-chip peripherals reduce BOM count: no external LCD driver, no external watch crystal circuitry beyond the 32 kHz crystal. Its flash endurance and in-application programming permit field firmware updates and logged event storage without a separate EEPROM in many designs.
Recommended
Portable Data Acquisition and Test Equipment
The Cortex-M4's DSP extensions (single-cycle MAC, hardware divide) let the MK30DX256VLK7 run FFTs, digital filtering, and calibration math locally in portable data loggers and handheld test instruments. A typical architecture streams the analog front end - for example a THS-series or MAX-series ADC over SPI - into a ping-pong SRAM buffer, processes results, and displays readings on the segment LCD. The 64 KB SRAM accommodates double-buffering at moderate sample rates, and low-power stop modes stretch battery runtime between acquisition bursts. The 80-LQFP's gull-wing leads simplify inspection and rework in low-volume test-equipment production.
Recommended
Smart Home and IoT Sensor Nodes
For smart thermostats, security keypads, and connected sensor nodes, the K30 pairs its segment LCD (user feedback) with serial peripherals (UART/SPI/I2C) linking to wireless modules. The multiple low-power modes and the 32 kHz oscillator allow the node to sleep for seconds between sensor polls, waking the 72 MHz core only to sample, decide, and transmit - duty-cycling that dominates battery lifetime in IoT products. The 256 KB flash stores the full protocol stack plus OTA-update staging, avoiding external flash. Its wide -40C to +105C range permits placement in unconditioned spaces such as garages and outdoor enclosures.
Recommended
Appliance and Consumer Control Boards
White goods, cooktops, and climate-control appliances use the MK30DX256VLK7 as the main user-interface and supervisory MCU: the segment LCD shows temperature, timer, and mode, while the Cortex-M4 core handles touch/key scan, relay control sequencing, and safety interlocks. The integrated high-precision analog reduces external component count on cost-sensitive appliance boards, and the 105C ambient rating survives enclosed control boxes near heating elements. The K30's scalability within the Kinetis family lets manufacturers reuse the same PCB across product tiers by swapping to MK30DX128VLK7 (entry) or MK30DN512VLK7 (feature-rich) without layout changes.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for MK30DX256VLK7 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | MK30DN512VLK7 | MK30DX128VLK7 | MK40DX256VLK7 | MK30DX256VLK10 | MK20DX256VLK7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 80-LQFP (12x12 mm) | 80-LQFP (12x12 mm) - same | 80-LQFP (12x12 mm) - same | 80-LQFP (12x12 mm) - same | 80-LQFP (12x12 mm) - same | 80-LQFP (12x12 mm) - same |
| Brand | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors |
| Core | ARM Cortex-M4 @ 72 MHz | ARM Cortex-M4 @ 72 MHz | ARM Cortex-M4 @ 72 MHz | ARM Cortex-M4 @ 72 MHz | ARM Cortex-M4 @ 72 MHz | ARM Cortex-M4 @ 72 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 256 KB | 512 KB | 128 KB | 256 KB | 256 KB | 256 KB |
| SRAM | 64 KB | 64 KB | 32 KB | 64 KB | 64 KB | 64 KB |
| Segment LCD Controller | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No (K20 sub-family) |
Key Differentiators
- Integrated segment LCD controller (vs MK20DX256VLK7)
- Double the flash in the same footprint (vs MK30DX128VLK7)
- Flash headroom for feature growth (vs MK30DN512VLK7)
Design Notes
Power the MK30DX256VLK7 with short, wide traces to each VDD pin and place 100 nF ceramic decoupling capacitors at every supply pin pair plus one bulk capacitor (4.7-10 uF) near the part. The VLK7 speed suffix defines the allowable VDD/clock combination - verify the exact supply window in the NXP datasheet's ordering-information and DC-characteristics tables before designing the regulator, and confirm the flash-write voltage requirement is met across the entire battery discharge curve for metering products.
The 80-LQFP (12x12 mm) footprint uses 0.5 mm lead pitch; specify an NSMD pad geometry and check the NXP package mechanical drawing for exact pad dimensions before releasing the land pattern. For the segment LCD, keep LCD bias and drive traces away from switching signals, and route them on an inner layer or with guard traces to minimize flicker caused by capacitive coupling. Provide via-fenced ground around crystal oscillator traces (32 MHz and 32 kHz) with the crystals placed close to the OSC pins.
Kinetis pins are multiplexed via PORTx_PCRn registers - a pin's default reset function is rarely the function you need, so configure pin muxing explicitly before touching peripherals. Do not exceed the 105 C ambient grade-7 rating in enclosed appliance housings; derate based on your measured thermal environment. When migrating firmware from K20 to K30 or to the DN512 variant, recheck the flash reserve/interrupt vector table sizes and the SLCD controller configuration, since these differ across sub-family memory maps.
Compliance Information
Compliance status not stated in the provided web data. NXP product pages typically list RoHS/REACH status under the Environmental section of nxp.com/part/MK30DX256VLK7 - verify there before procurement.
