EPF6016QC240 - FLEX 6000 FPGA, 16K Gates, 240-Pin PQFP | Intel
MPN: EPF6016QC240 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $38.5 | $38.50 |
| 10 | $32.75 | $327.50 |
| 100 | $26.4 | $2,640.00 |
| 500 | $21.9 | $10,950.00 |
| 1,000 | $18.2 | $18,200.00 |
EPF6016QC240 Overview
A Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a semiconductor device built around an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs or LABs), programmable routing channels, and configurable I/O cells. FPGAs occupy a position in the programmable logic hierarchy: PLD (Programmable Logic Device) -> CPLD (Complex PLD) -> FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) -> programmable logic -> semiconductor IC. FPGAs like the EPF6016QC240 are typically used to implement glue logic, custom state machines, bus interfaces, and small to medium-sized parallel processing pipelines, bridging the gap between fixed-function ASICs and software running on a microcontroller.
Key differentiating features of the EPF6016QC240 include 1,320 logic cells, 132 LABs, 199 maximum user I/Os, and a JTAG-compliant IEEE 1149.1 boundary-scan test interface for in-system configuration. The carry-chain architecture supports high-speed arithmetic functions such as counters and adders, while the cascade chain implements wide-input functions such as comparators with minimum delay. Carry and cascade chains connect LEs 2 through 10 in each LAB and propagate across all LABs in the same row half. The FLEX 6000 family uses SRAM-based configuration cells, allowing in-field re-programmability via the serial configuration scheme.
Typical applications include legacy industrial control interfaces, glue logic in PCI bridge designs, custom peripheral controllers for embedded systems, and bus-protocol bridges (for example, between ISA and a custom peripheral bus). The 5 V I/O tolerance also made the FLEX 6000 family a popular drop-in for designs transitioning from 5 V TTL logic to programmable logic without level translators.
When designing with this device, note that the FLEX 6000 family is now in End-of-Life status. Designers of new products should consider the MAX II, MAX V, or Cyclone series for new designs, while the EPF6016QC240 remains appropriate for sustaining engineering and long-life-cycle industrial systems where re-qualification is cost-prohibitive. The 240-pin PQFP package requires careful PCB layout with adequate power and ground planes to support the simultaneous switching output (SSO) limits documented in the FLEX 6000 family data sheet.
This page synthesises distributor pricing tiers, drop-in compatible speed-grade and package variants of the same family, and practical design notes that go beyond what the manufacturer datasheet alone provides, helping engineers quickly verify lifecycle status and identify available substitutes.
Drop-in alternatives for EPF6016QC240 — 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 EPF6016QC240 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Mounting Type, Operating Temperature, Process Technology, Speed Grade.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EPF6016QC240-2
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$18.9 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF6016QC240-3
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$22.71 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF6016QC240-2N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$18.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF6016QC240-3N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$17.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF6016QC240 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | FLEX 6000 |
| Typical Gates | 16,000 |
| Logic Elements (LEs) | 1,320 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 132 |
| Maximum User I/Os | 199 |
| Process Technology | 0.42 µm CMOS, SRAM-based |
| Supply Voltage (VCCINT) | 5.0 V |
| I/O Supply Voltage (VCCIO) | 3.3 V or 5.0 V |
| Package | 240-pin BFQFP / PQFP |
| Operating Temperature Range | 0 °C to 85 °C (commercial) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Configuration Scheme | Serial (SRAM, in-system re-programmable) |
| Boundary Scan | IEEE 1149.1 JTAG compliant |
| Series / Speed Grade | EPF6016QC240 (unsuffixed: -2 speed grade per family convention) |
| Logic Element Features | Carry chain (LEs 2–10) + cascade chain across row half |
EPF6016QC240 Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 2 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 3 | VCCIO1 — I/O supply voltage bank 1 (3.3 V or 5 V) |
| Pin 4 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 5 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 6 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 7 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 8 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 9 | TMS — JTAG Test Mode Select (input, internal pull-up) |
| Pin 10 | TCK — JTAG Test Clock (input) |
| Pin 11 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 12 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin 13 | TDI — JTAG Test Data In (input, internal pull-up) |
| Pin 14 | VCCINT — Core supply voltage 5.0 V |
| Pin 15 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 16 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 17 | nSTATUS — Configuration status (open-drain, pull-up required) |
| Pin 18 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
| Pin 19 | DCLK — Configuration clock (input) |
| Pin 20 | GND — Ground |
Typical Applications
EPF6016QC240 is suitable for 7 applications: Legacy Industrial Glue Logic, PCI Bridge / Bus Interface Controller, Custom Peripheral Controller for Embedded Systems, Legacy Avionics and Aerospace Sustaining Engineering, Test & Measurement Front-End Logic, Custom State-Machine Engine for Protocol Conversion, Educational FPGA Laboratory Platform.
Legacy Industrial Glue Logic
The EPF6016QC240 is well suited to legacy industrial glue logic applications where 1,320 logic elements, 132 LABs, and 199 user I/Os provide ample capacity to consolidate multiple discrete 74-series TTL packages into a single programmable device. Its 5 V tolerant I/O banks (3.3 V or 5 V VCCIO) make it directly compatible with existing 5 V backplanes without level translators. The 240-pin PQFP package is hand-solderable and field-replaceable for sustaining engineering. Carry and cascade chains support high-speed counters and comparators typical of industrial control loops. Engineers should plan for the device's End-of-Life status by designing a migration path to MAX II or Cyclone families.
Recommended
PCI Bridge / Bus Interface Controller
With 199 user I/Os and 132 LABs, the EPF6016QC240 can implement custom PCI bridge logic, ISA-to-local-bus adapters, and other glue-logic bus-protocol converters that were common in late-1990s industrial PCs and embedded systems. The 5 V I/O tolerance matches PCI 5 V signalling levels without external transceivers. JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) boundary scan supports board-level test of complex bus interfaces. The carry chain accelerates address-decoding comparators, while the cascade chain enables wide multiplexer trees for byte-lane steering. Note that modern PCI Express designs require a Cyclone IV or later FPGA; the EPF6016QC240 is appropriate only for legacy PCI 2.x sustaining designs.
Recommended
Custom Peripheral Controller for Embedded Systems
The EPF6016QC240's 1,320 logic elements and 5 V I/O tolerance make it well suited to custom peripheral controllers in embedded systems — implementing timers, PWM generators, quadrature decoders, and stepper-motor sequencers that would otherwise require multiple discrete ICs. The 199 available I/Os allow direct interfacing to legacy 5 V microcontrollers (8051, 68HC11) and to industrial sensors without level translation. SRAM-based configuration means the peripheral personality can be re-flashed in the field via the JTAG port. Designers should budget the configuration PROMs (EPC1 or EPC1441) for non-volatile bitstream storage.
Recommended
Legacy Avionics and Aerospace Sustaining Engineering
The EPF6016QC240 continues to be deployed in long-life-cycle aerospace and defence programs that were qualified against the FLEX 6000 family two decades ago and cannot afford board re-qualification. Its 240-pin PQFP package is hermetically sealable in some board variants, and its 5 V core with 3.3 V / 5 V I/O matches the avionics power bus. The 0 °C to 85 °C commercial temperature range is acceptable for many cockpit and ground-system applications. Because the part is obsolete, aerospace OEMs typically purchase lifetime-buy quantities and validate multiple independent-distributor sources with full traceability documentation to mitigate counterfeit risk.
Recommended
Test & Measurement Front-End Logic
The EPF6016QC240 is a cost-effective programmable logic device for test and measurement front-ends — implementing channel-switching matrices, gain-ranging multiplexers, and trigger-sequencer logic that must operate synchronously with a host processor. Its 199 user I/Os accept up to 49 channels of 4-bit parallel switching, while the carry chain enables high-speed counters for time-interval measurement. JTAG boundary scan aids board-level test of dense mixed-signal fixtures. The SRAM-based configuration lets test engineers re-purpose the same hardware for different units under test simply by re-loading a new bitstream, which is valuable for low-volume ATE fixtures.
Recommended
Custom State-Machine Engine for Protocol Conversion
Implementing custom serial-protocol converters (RS-232 to RS-485 bridges, SPI to I²C, UART to Manchester) is a classic FLEX 6000 use case: the EPF6016QC240's 1,320 logic elements and 199 I/Os comfortably handle multiple concurrent state machines, while the 5 V I/O tolerance interfaces directly with legacy transceivers without external level shifting. The cascade chain supports wide-input protocol-format decoders, and the carry chain accelerates CRC and checksum generators. Designers should add a watchdog timer in dedicated logic to detect protocol deadlock, and should use the JTAG port for in-system firmware updates of the bitstream itself.
Recommended
Educational FPGA Laboratory Platform
The EPF6016QC240 remains a popular teaching platform in university FPGA laboratories because its 240-pin PQFP is easy to hand-solder on a perfboard, its 5 V tolerance eliminates the level-translation headaches that plague modern 1.8 V / 2.5 V FPGAs, and the Quartus II legacy toolchain (still available from Intel's website) supports the device. The 1,320 logic elements are enough for student projects ranging from custom CPUs to VGA controllers. Instructors should note that the device is obsolete, so labs should plan a transition to the MAX II or Cyclone series within two to three years.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EPF6016QC240 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EPF6016QC240-2 | EPF6016QC240-3 | EPF6016QC240-2N | EPF6016QC240-3N | EPF6016AQC208-3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 240-pin PQFP (BFQFP) | 240-pin PQFP (BFQFP) - same | 240-pin PQFP (BFQFP) - same | 240-pin PQFP (BFQFP) - same | 240-pin PQFP (BFQFP) - same | 208-pin PQFP - different |
| Brand | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Logic Elements | 1,320 | 1,320 | 1,320 | 1,320 | 1,320 | 1,320 |
| Speed Grade | -2 (unsuffixed base QC240) | -2 (explicit) | -3 (fastest) | -2 lead-free | -3 lead-free | -3 (different package) |
| Maximum User I/Os | 199 | 199 | 199 | 199 | 199 | 171 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 132 | 132 | 132 | 132 | 132 | 132 |
| Core Voltage (VCCINT) | 5.0 V | 5.0 V | 5.0 V | 5.0 V | 5.0 V | 5.0 V |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
| Configuration PROMs Recommended | EPC1, EPC1441 | EPC1, EPC1441 | EPC1, EPC1441 | EPC1, EPC1441 | EPC1, EPC1441 | EPC1, EPC1441 |
Key Differentiators
- Largest 5 V FLEX 6000 package with maximum user I/O count (vs EPF6016AQC208-3)
- 5 V I/O tolerance matches legacy TTL/CMOS backplanes directly (vs MAX II EPM240 / Cyclone EP1C3)
- SRAM-based in-system re-programmability via JTAG (vs Antifuse FPGA (e.g. Actel A54SX08))
- Wide third-party documentation and reference design ecosystem (vs Obscure CPLDs)
Design Notes
The FLEX 6000 family requires a clean 5.0 V core supply (VCCINT) with separate VCCIO rails per I/O bank. Decouple each VCCINT pin with a 0.1 µF ceramic capacitor placed within 5 mm of the pin, and add a bulk 47 µF tantalum capacitor near the package. Because the EPF6016QC240 can have up to 24 output pins switching simultaneously (SSO), use at least 4 power and 4 ground pins on opposite sides of the package, and stitch the BGA/PQFP inner ring with vias to inner power and ground planes. Estimated: at fMAX ≈ 125 MHz with 199 I/Os toggling, dynamic current can reach 250–400 mA, so budget at least 1 A of 5 V supply headroom.
The 240-pin PQFP package has a θJA of approximately 28 °C/W in still air, which is adequate for the EPF6016QC240's typical 0.5–1 W dissipation. However, designers should measure junction temperature under worst-case SSO conditions: estimate the internal power from the FLEX 6000 PowerPlay data, calculate TJ = TA + (PD × θJA), and confirm TJ stays below 125 °C. In a sealed enclosure, add thermal vias under the exposed die pad (if any) or use a copper heatsink bonded to the package top.
Route all 199 user I/Os on escape-friendly layers, and reserve dedicated layers for VCCINT, VCCIO1/2/3/4, and GND planes — never route signals across a power-plane split. Place the JTAG chain (TCK/TMS/TDO/TDI) on the same board edge as the configuration PROMs (EPC1 or EPC1441) to minimise stub lengths and keep the chain below the maximum TCK frequency of 33 MHz documented in the FLEX 6000 datasheet. Keep the nCONFIG, nSTATUS, and CONF_DONE traces short and add 4.7 kΩ pull-ups to VCCIO to match the FLEX 6000 reference design.
The FLEX 6000 I/O slew rate is programmable; enable slow slew rate on long board traces to reduce SSO noise. Add 22–33 Ω series resistors near the driver for clock outputs > 50 MHz to dampen reflections. For 5 V PCI signalling, ensure the EPF6016QC240's IOL specification (per datasheet) is satisfied by the pull-up resistor value selected on shared 5 V / 3.3 V buses — the IOL current spec must be considered when sizing pull-ups.
Three common pitfalls: (1) forgetting the EPC1 or EPC1441 configuration PROM — the SRAM-based FLEX 6000 loses its bitstream on every power-down and will not boot without it; (2) routing the JTAG chain through a level translator that introduces 5 V on TDI/TMS — the EPF6016QC240 inputs are 5 V tolerant but the JTAG controller on the programmer side may not be; (3) ignoring the lifetime-buy reality — the FLEX 6000 family is End-of-Life, so for production runs you must secure lifetime-buy quantities up front or migrate to MAX II / Cyclone with PCB rework.
Compliance Information
Base EPF6016QC240 lead-free status not stated in verified web data; the -2N / -3N N-suffix variants are explicitly lead-free / RoHS compliant. No automotive (AEC-Q100) qualification — FLEX 6000 family predates the standard. Reach, halogen-free, and conflict-minerals declarations not found in provided data.
