16-bit ultra-low-power MCU for industrial and sensor applications
The Texas Instruments MSP430A150IDAR is a 16-bit ultra-low-power microcontroller from the MSP430F2xx family, built around the MSP430 core processor. It runs at 16 MHz and carries 16 KB of Flash program memory plus 512 bytes of RAM — enough for moderate embedded control and sensor-fusion firmware. The part integrates a 12-channel 10-bit ADC, brown-out detect, POR, PWM, and a watchdog timer, with connectivity covering I²C, IrDA, LINbus, SCI, SPI, and UART/USART. It is rated for the industrial temperature range of -40°C to 85°C and operates from a 1.8 V to 3.6 V supply. Typical applications include industrial control, sensor interfaces, battery-powered instrumentation, and low-power data acquisition systems where the 16-bit core and peripheral set match the BOM tier.
16 MHz clock — what it means for throughput
The 16 MHz maximum clock speed is the ceiling for instruction execution on this 16-bit RISC core. For a typical sensor-read-and-log loop, that translates to roughly 16 MIPS — enough to handle 12-bit ADC conversions, SPI communication, and a simple control algorithm without stalling. If your design needs faster loop rates or DSP-style math, you would step up to a higher-frequency MSP430 or a Cortex-M part; for most low-power embedded tasks, 16 MHz keeps the power budget tight and the code simple.
12-channel 10-bit ADC — analog input count matters
The on-chip ADC provides 12 multiplexed channels at 10-bit resolution. Each conversion completes in a few microseconds, so you can sequence through all 12 channels in under a millisecond.
Industrial temperature grade and supply range
Rated for -40°C to 85°C, this MCU is suited for outdoor telecom cabinets, factory-floor controllers, and engine-bay-adjacent electronics. The 1.8 V to 3.6 V supply range lets it run from two alkaline cells or a single Li-ion battery, and the ultra-low-power MSP430 architecture keeps quiescent draw in the microamp range during sleep modes.
Lifecycle and sourcing
The MSP430A150IDAR is listed as Active in production. It is sourced and quoted to order against an RFQ through independent distribution.