I am evaluating the operating temperature range of the Colibri iMX7D 1GB SOM. The datasheet lists the minimum operating temperature as -20 C and specifies that this is the SoC junction temperature limit. It also states that the minimum storage temperature rating is - 40 C. Are there any components other than the SoC which have a minimum operating temperature between -39 and -20 C?
To provide more detail, I am evaluating this SOM for operation at -30 C. In our system the SoC has a temperature rise of 10-15 C over ambient, meaning that our system can operate at -30 C ambient if the SoC is already on. But I would like to know if any other components on the SOM are not rated for operation at -30 C.
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Operating Temperature Range Analysis for Colibri iMX7D 1GB
Based on the available documentation, I can provide specific information about the Colibri iMX7D 1GB operating temperature specifications.
Temperature Specifications
The Colibri iMX7D 1GB has the following temperature ratings (1):
Operating temperature range: -20°C to +85°C
Storage temperature: -40°C to +85°C (eMMC is the limiting device for storage)
Junction temperature SoC: -20°C to +105°C
Component Analysis for -30°C Operation
The documentation indicates that for the Colibri iMX7D 1GB, the eMMC flash memory is specifically identified as the limiting device for storage temperature (1). However, the sources don’t provide detailed component-level operating temperature breakdowns for individual components other than the SoC.
Thermal Management Features
The Colibri iMX7 incorporates several thermal management features (1):
DVFS (Dynamic Voltage and Frequency Scaling) - continuously adjusts operating frequency and voltage based on workload and temperature
Thermal Throttling - forces reduction of system clock when certain temperatures are reached
Integrated temperature sensor in the NXP i.MX 7 SoC for CPU temperature monitoring
The documentation notes that “the overall power consumption of the Colibri iMX7 is dramatically lower than for example the Colibri iMX6, for most of the application there is no need for a cooling solution” (1).
Recommendation
While the documentation confirms the -20°C minimum operating temperature specification, it doesn’t provide component-level temperature ratings for individual components beyond the SoC and eMMC storage temperature limits. For operation at -30°C ambient with your calculated temperature rise, you would need component-level specifications that aren’t detailed in the available documentation.
For a comprehensive component-level analysis at -30°C operation, I recommend checking the detailed component specifications or reaching out through the Community for more specific component temperature rating information.
We have many versions of the Colibri iMX7D 1GB SoM, and conducting detailed research for all of them would be difficult—especially given the ongoing supply chain challenges. We can only guarantee that all components used are rated for an ambient temperature range of -20 °C to +85 °C.
If you are willing to sign a contract for a significant volume of Colibri iMX7D 1GB SoMs of a specific version, we can provide a detailed BOM for that particular configuration. For major components such as RAM and Flash, you can refer to the revision history and the Colibri iMX7D datasheet.
From our experience, Colibri SoMs may fail to boot reliably at very low temperatures. If your application requires operation below -20 °C, we recommend adding some form of pre-heating hardware to ensure proper startup
I understand the need to support alternate parts in order to accommodate the supply chain challenges, and I understand that the only guarantee is that the components are rated for the temperature range of the SOM (-20 to 85 C). Can you provide detailed BOM(s) for a specific version of the Colibri iMX7D, such as v1.1B, which includes all the possible alternate components? With that I can evaluate the temperatures of the components and all possible alternates for that version.
We do not have such a BOM readily available. It can be created; however, doing so would require the involvement of specific internal resources. Our management would likely be able to authorize these efforts if you are prepared to enter into a purchase agreement.
Please note that it is also possible to establish a build-to-order (BTO) agreement to manufacture a specific quantity of modules tailored to your requirements — for example, using only components rated for -40 °C to +85 °C.
Unfortunately we are not willing to enter a purchase agreement or establish a build-to-order agreement for this module, as we intend to update our product to use a Verdin module with a -40 to 85 C rating. This investigation for the Colibri iMX7D is only a short term solution so we can establish a temperature rating for our current product with the Colibri module.
I will use the information available in the Colibri iMX7 datasheet and revision history to identify the components and temperature ratings, and base the temperature rating on that combined with our internal testing.
