EPF10K30AQC240-3 - 30K-Gate FLEX-10KA FPGA, 240-PQFP | Altera
MPN: EPF10K30AQC240-3 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $32.5 | $32.50 |
| 10 | $28.8 | $288.00 |
| 100 | $22.95 | $2,295.00 |
| 250 | $19.4 | $4,850.00 |
| 500 | $16.85 | $8,425.00 |
EPF10K30AQC240-3 Overview
A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a semiconductor device built around an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs/LABs), programmable interconnect, and programmable I/O cells. FPGAs belong to the broader category of programmable logic devices (PLDs), which sit hierarchically below ASICs in the digital design taxonomy. Unlike an ASIC, an FPGA can be reconfigured in the field after manufacture, making it ideal for prototyping, low-volume production, and designs that require post-deployment updates. The FLEX-10KA series was one of the first commercially successful "System-on-a-Programmable-Chip" (SOPC) families, integrating lookup-table-based logic with embedded array blocks (EABs) that can implement RAM, ROM, or multiplier functions.
Key features of the EPF10K30AQC240-3 include 216 LABs, 189 programmable I/Os, 12,288 bits of embedded SRAM, a typical internal operating frequency around 125 MHz, and multi-voltage I/O support compatible with 3.3 V and 5 V interfaces. The "-3" speed grade designates a faster bin relative to the -1 and -2 grades, and the "C" in the part number indicates the commercial 0 °C to 70 °C temperature range.
Architecturally, the FLEX-10KA device combines a fine-grained logic fabric (each LAB contains eight logic elements) with coarse-grained EABs of 2,048 bits each, allowing designers to balance random logic against memory-intensive functions in the same die. The 240-PQFP footprint (also referred to as 240-BFQFP or FQFP-240) is a gull-wing surface-mount package, suitable for reflow assembly and rework.
Typical applications for the EPF10K30AQC240-3 include glue logic and bus bridging in industrial controllers, custom I/O expansion for legacy 3.3 V systems, prototype ASIC replacement, communication protocol bridging (UART, SPI, I2C, parallel buses), and educational/development platforms for HDL designers. The wide 5 V-tolerant I/O bank simplifies interfacing with TTL-era peripherals.
When designing with this device, ensure that the Quartus or MAX+PLUS II toolchain version supports the FLEX-10KA family, as newer Quartus releases have dropped legacy device support. Provide clean 3.3 V power with adequate decoupling near each VCC/VCCIO pin pair, and respect the JTAG programming pinout for in-system configuration.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, verified drop-in alternatives within the FLEX-10KA family, and practical design notes not aggregated on the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EPF10K30AQC240-3 — 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 EPF10K30AQC240-3 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Process Technology, Package, Propagation Delay, Series, Total RAM Bits.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EPF10K30AQC240-2N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$43 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K30AQC240-1
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$65 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K30AQC240-1N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$52.9 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K200SRC240-3
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$132 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K100BQC240-3
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$16.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K100EQC240-3
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$55.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K30AQC240-3 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | FLEX-10KA |
| Logic Elements (Cells) | 1,728 |
| Usable Gates | 30,000 (typical) |
| Embedded RAM | 12,288 bits |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 216 |
| User I/Os | 189 |
| Operating Frequency (typical) | 125 MHz |
| Process Technology | 0.3 µm CMOS |
| Supply Voltage (VCC) | 3.0 V to 3.6 V (3.3 V nominal) |
| I/O Voltage | 3.3 V / 5 V tolerant |
| Package | 240-pin PQFP (FQFP-240, BFQFP-240) |
| Package Code | PQFP / FQFP |
| Pin Count | 240 |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to +70 °C (Commercial) |
| Speed Grade | -3 |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (gull-wing) |
| Configuration | SRAM (volatile) — requires configuration device or JTAG |
| RoHS Status | unknown |
EPF10K30AQC240-3 pqfp / fqfp Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EPF10K30AQC240-3 (pqfp / fqfp 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 EPF10K30AQC240-3.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EPF10K30AQC240-3 is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Glue Logic and Bus Bridging, Legacy System Maintenance and Field Replacement, Communication Protocol Converters, ASIC Prototyping and HDL Education Platforms, Custom I/O Expansion for Embedded Controllers, Medical Device Interface Boards.
Industrial Glue Logic and Bus Bridging
The EPF10K30AQC240-3 is well suited to industrial glue-logic applications where moderate gate counts (30K) and 189 user I/Os are needed to bridge between legacy 5 V peripherals and modern 3.3 V microcontrollers. Its 5 V-tolerant I/O banks accept TTL/CMOS levels directly, eliminating external level shifters on inputs and reducing BOM cost. The 240-PQFP footprint gives engineers ample I/O headroom for parallel buses, encoder/decoder interfaces, and protocol adapters. Designers should budget timing margins conservatively — at the -3 speed grade the device supports internal clocks up to 125 MHz, but PCB trace length and loading typically constrain real designs to 50-80 MHz.
Recommended
Legacy System Maintenance and Field Replacement
Because the FLEX-10KA family is obsolete, the EPF10K30AQC240-3 is primarily used today to repair or maintain long-lifecycle industrial systems installed in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Service engineers can drop a fresh EPF10K30AQC240-3 onto the original 240-PQFP footprint, load the original configuration bitstream via JTAG, and return equipment to service without PCB rework. The -3 speed grade matches the original timing assumptions of legacy designs, avoiding the need for timing re-qualification that a slower -1 or -2 grade might trigger.
Recommended
Communication Protocol Converters
With 1,728 logic elements and 12,288 bits of embedded RAM, the EPF10K30AQC240-3 has sufficient capacity to implement custom protocol converters — for example, UART-to-SPI bridges, I2C-to-parallel adapters, or proprietary field-bus controllers used in factory automation. The 189 user I/Os comfortably accommodate multiple serial channels plus status LEDs, and the embedded EABs can serve as small FIFO buffers between asynchronous clock domains. Designers should isolate each asynchronous clock domain with a dedicated synchronizer stage to avoid metastability on inter-domain signals.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and HDL Education Platforms
Educational laboratories and ASIC prototyping teams often turn to surplus EPF10K30AQC240-3 stock because the FLEX-10KA architecture is well-documented and supported by free MAX+PLUS II student-edition software. The 30K-gate capacity is large enough to host complete 8-bit microprocessor cores (e.g., a T80 Z80 clone or a small RISC-V implementation) plus peripherals, making it ideal for computer-architecture coursework. The 240-PQFP package is hand-solderable by advanced students with hot-air rework tools, supporting through-hole-style prototyping on breakout boards.
Recommended
Custom I/O Expansion for Embedded Controllers
Designers can use the EPF10K30AQC240-3 to add parallel I/O expansion, PWM channels, or quadrature-encoder inputs to a host microcontroller that lacks sufficient native peripherals. The 189 user I/Os comfortably handle 24+ channels of 16-bit PWM plus auxiliary GPIO, and the 12,288-bit embedded RAM can buffer captured samples before DMA handoff to the host. The -3 speed grade ensures deterministic I/O timing — output-to-output skew is typically below 1 ns, which is essential for synchronized multi-axis motion control.
Recommended
Medical Device Interface Boards
Long-life medical instrumentation — patient monitors, infusion pumps, diagnostic imaging controllers — frequently uses the EPF10K30AQC240-3 for custom signal-conditioning and timing boards because of its reliability, established design history, and 5 V-tolerant I/Os. The 30K-gate capacity is sufficient to implement timing-critical interfaces such as LVDS receivers, encoder counters, and isolated serial links while leaving headroom for safety-state machines. Designers must validate IEC 60601-1 compliance at the system level; the FPGA itself does not carry medical certifications and is typically treated as a commercial-grade component.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EPF10K30AQC240-3 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EPF10K30AQC240-2N | EPF10K30AQC240-1 | EPF10K30AQC240-1N | EPF10K200SRC240-3 | EPF10K100BQC240-3 | EPF10K100EQC240-3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 240-pin PQFP | 240-pin PQFP (same) | 240-pin PQFP (same) | 240-pin PQFP (same) | 240-pin PQFP (same) | 240-pin PQFP (same) | 240-pin PQFP (same) |
| Brand | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Family | FLEX-10KA | FLEX-10KA | FLEX-10KA | FLEX-10KA | FLEX-10KA | FLEX-10KA | FLEX-10KE |
| Logic Elements | 1,728 | 1,728 | 1,728 | 1,728 | ~9,936 | ~4,992 | ~4,992 |
| Embedded RAM (bits) | 12,288 | 12,288 | 12,288 | 12,288 | 98,304 | 49,152 | 49,152 |
| User I/Os | 189 | 189 | 189 | 189 | ~196 | ~189 | ~189 |
| Speed Grade | -3 (fastest) | -2 | -1 | -1 | -3 | -3 | -3 |
| Supply Voltage | 3.0 V – 3.6 V | 3.0 V – 3.6 V | 3.0 V – 3.6 V | 3.0 V – 3.6 V | 3.0 V – 3.6 V | 3.0 V – 3.6 V | 2.5 V – 3.6 V |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to +70 °C | 0 °C to +70 °C | 0 °C to +70 °C | 0 °C to +70 °C | 0 °C to +70 °C | 0 °C to +70 °C | 0 °C to +70 °C |
Key Differentiators
- Fastest speed grade in the FLEX-10KA 240-PQFP family (vs EPF10K30AQC240-2N)
- Moderate gate count for medium-complexity glue logic (vs EPF10K200SRC240-3)
- 5 V-tolerant I/O for legacy system interfacing (vs EPF10K100EQC240-3)
Design Notes
The EPF10K30AQC240-3 draws core current through VCC pins and I/O current through VCCIO pins; consult the FLEX-10KA datasheet pinout to identify which pins are which on the 240-PQFP package. Use 0.1 µF ceramic decoupling capacitors within 5 mm of every VCC/VCCIO pin pair, plus a single 10 µF bulk tantalum or ceramic capacitor near each power plane entry. Inrush current during configuration can briefly exceed steady-state current by 30-50% — size the 3.3 V regulator accordingly.
At 100% I/O utilization with 8 mA per pin, the 240-PQFP package can dissipate up to 1.5 W. The PQFP package has no exposed thermal pad; rely on copper pours on top and bottom PCB layers connected by thermal vias to spread heat. For enclosed industrial enclosures, derate I/O drive strength to 4 mA and avoid clustering all high-current outputs on one side of the package.
Route configuration-related signals (DATA, DCLK, nCONFIG, nSTATUS, CONF_DONE) away from high-speed I/O to avoid crosstalk during power-up. Keep the EPC configuration PROM within 50 mm of the FPGA and use matched-length traces for DATA and DCLK. Provide a JTAG header (TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO, GND, VCC) on every board — even production units — to allow field reprogramming and boundary-scan diagnostics.
Do not assume the FLEX-10KA family is supported by current Quartus releases — only MAX+PLUS II 9.x or Quartus II 9.1 will synthesize and fit designs for this device. Do not connect 5 V outputs directly to FPGA I/O pins when the I/O bank is configured for 3.3 V LVTTL; the input is 5 V-tolerant but the output drive is only 3.3 V. Finally, ensure that nCONFIG is held low during power-up until the 3.3 V rail stabilizes, otherwise the device may enter an indeterminate configuration state.
Compliance Information
The EPF10K30AQC240-3 was originally released before RoHS compliance was standard. The -1N and -2N variants are Pb-free reflow-compatible; the -3 (this MPN) does not have explicit RoHS documentation in the verified web data — set to unknown. Not AEC-Q100 qualified (commercial-grade FPGA). REACH, halogen-free, and conflict-minerals status not stated in the verified data.
