Looking for an NXP MKL03Z32VFK4 alternative with great long-term availability

[mlac]

Hi there,

I've been using the NXP Kinetis MKL03Z32VFK4 Ultra-Low Power Cortex-M0+ MCU in our products, and it's been working well, but due to a major redesign, I'm looking for alternatives, and ST MCUs are promising.

Specifically, I'm concerned about long-term availability. NXP has been offering its LPC product line for ages. Then, they purchased Freescale, inheriting their Kinetis series. Now, they offer the MCX series, too. Given their multiple competing product lines, I'm worried they'll discontinue the MKL03Z32VFK4 after its 2035-06 longevity date.

I'm considering using the STM32L011F4U or STM32C011F6U instead of the MKL03Z32VFK4. Even though their availability is only guaranteed until 2034-01, I'd expect ST to extend their availability further than NXP. I believe this because, to my knowledge, ST is the most popular Cortex-M supplier, and it only has a single product portfolio.

Can some of you provide more insight on the above?

[STOne-32 · Accepted solution]

Dear @mlac ,

Welcome in STCommunity, Here is my suggestions our STM32 family offer different options of MCUs and our longevity program is extended each year by +10 Years. 
You refer here to see a 20 to 32 pins MCU range : https://www.st.com/en/microcontrollers-microprocessors/stm32-32-bit-arm-cortex-mcus.html

I would suggest either a STM32U0 MCU running at 56MHz if ultra low power is key - battery operation or to select an STM32C0 MCU  for price sensitive both series are less then 2 years from launch and benefit from our latest improvements and peripherals and features including software.  

Hope it helps you in the decision.

Ciao

STOne-32 

[mlac]

Thanks for the quick reply!

When you say that "our longevity program is extended each year by +10 Years", how long do you plan to extend it? I don't think you'll be extending it forever.

[STOne-32]

Hi @mlac ,

you can see that we officially provide the information here :https://www.st.com/content/st_com/en/about/quality-and-reliability/product-longevity.html#10-year-longevity&section=FM141-10-year

But based on our history - as example STM32F103RBT6 was initially produced and launched in June 2007 and till now re-newed up to January 2034 . Next year we will add +1 Year in the counter :) .

Cheers,

STOne-32

[mlac]

Very promising news, thanks! :)

I must decide on the exact MCU, so let me elaborate on my application.

I have multiple different devices collecting sensor data:

• device A uses a capacitive I2C touch sensor
• device B uses an optical SPI sensor
• device C uses a PS/2 force sensor
• device D scans a key matrix

On all devices, the sensor data is regularly updated and transferred via UART to a master device. Depending on usage, these updates can happen in several seconds or milliseconds. The devices must always listen to incoming UART payloads.

These devices are battery-powered, potentially for months on a single charge, so power consumption matters.

2K RAM and 16K flash are sufficient. Our application is not demanding, and driving an MCU at 1 MHz would probably suffice.

Q1: Roughly how much power can we save with an ultra-low-power part compared to a regular STM32C0 part?

Q2: Are you recommending the STM32U0 over the STM32L0? If so, why?

[Tesla DeLorean]

Right, and you might need to be more agile and flexible..

Most of the consumer electronics industry isn't looking to lock in 20 year life cycles when consumer design refresh cycles are closer to 18-24 months. Distributors also have moved from inventorying vast stocks to basically providing a slight buffer to build-to-order model for companies that can't plan and order randomly/sporadically.

When companies have staff turnovers that span a few years rather than a few decades, the expectations of continuity and longevity need to move to match. Reality is a hard force to overcome.

Perhaps look at committing to form and function, and refresh designs periodically to accommodate cost reduction and market realities.

In any case, none of these thing are contractual guarantees. Wars, fires, disasters, equipment failure, as well as market forces can cause a sudden change, and long term mergers, acquisitions or management changes are the more likely.

Pick parts which allow for pin-for-pin replacement, or multiple nested foot-prints.

Also nothing to stop you managing your own decades long inventory requirements, but banks don't like that.

[STOne-32]

A1) I believe in this use case . STM32C0 is enough - Cost is key on C0 family

A2) ULP family is used in general when more than 95% of time the MCU is in standby or STOP mode , a bit expensive to have that premium less nA / uA 

 U0 is only natural upgrade of L0 series with refreshed features of performance and security.

Have a great day 

ST1

[mlac]

@Tesla DeLorean Thanks, but our product is nearly ten years old and still in production, so I think there's a reality to my requirement. We're a small company and I want to avoid/minimize redesigns. What do you mean by "Also nothing to stop you managing your own decades long inventory requirements, but banks don't like that."?

@STOne-32 

Q1: U0 stock is quite scarce. Why is that?

Q2: Given our requirement that the MCU must always listen on UART RX, can it be in standby or STOP mode?

[Andrew Neil]

---

@mlac wrote:

 What do you mean by "Also nothing to stop you managing your own decades long inventory requirements, but banks don't like that."?

---

Banks don't like you tying-up money in inventory (stock) which just sits on the shelf for decades!

[STOne-32]

Dear @mlac ,

A1) U0 is recently announced since March 2024, So quite new parts and we are re-filling our distribution inline with market . No worries at all this normal life cycle and new designs take some time to converted to production.

A2) Yes, this is possible in STOP modes thanks to LPUART  - also will depend on your Baudrate ? As Wake-up and decoding the RX frame and then continue operating in RUN mode .

Cheers,

STOne-32