What the LM3S6918-IBZ50-A2 is and where it fits
The Texas Instruments LM3S6918-IBZ50-A2 is a 32-bit ARM Cortex-M3 microcontroller from the Stellaris® 6000 series, clocked at 50 MHz. It carries 256 KB of Flash and 64 KB of RAM, and its standout feature is an integrated Ethernet MAC+PHY — making it a natural fit for networked industrial controllers, building automation gateways, and remote monitoring nodes that need a single-chip connection to a LAN. The industrial temperature range (-40°C to 85°C) suits it for factory-floor panels, outdoor telecom cabinets, and similar thermally demanding environments.
50 MHz core — enough for control-plus-connectivity
The 50 MHz Cortex-M3 core delivers enough throughput to run a lightweight TCP/IP stack (like lwIP) while handling local sensor polling and PWM outputs. It is not a high-end application processor — you are not running Linux on it — but for a dedicated control node that reports over Ethernet, the speed is well matched to the peripheral set.
Obsolete — sourcing reality and replacement path
Texas Instruments has marked the LM3S6918-IBZ50-A2 as Obsolete. That means no further factory orders are accepted; the only channel for this exact order code is the surplus and independent-distribution market. We source and quote it to order against an RFQ — availability and current pricing are confirmed at quote time.
Package and layout note
The 108-ball LFBGA (10x10 mm body) is a fine-pitch BGA. Routing requires at least a four-layer PCB with a solid ground plane under the BGA escape. The 38 general-purpose I/O are mapped to the outer balls — check the pinout diagram for Ethernet-specific ball assignments before laying out the magnetics.