Part Review and Datasheet Update
Worked for 11 mins 54 sec
Created a project doc
Part Review: NRF9160-SICA-B1A-R
Date: 2026-07-08 Reviewed available Flux part information for NRF9160-SICA-B1A-R: project metadata, schematic terminal symbol, footprint/pad...
Completed the review and added Nordic’s official nRF9160 Product Specification v2.2 as the Datasheet URL. I created the detailed findings in Part Review: NRF9160-SICA-B1A-R.
Open items flagged:
- Pin 48 is mislabeled
SM_IO; datasheet saysSIM_IO. - Symbol has 161 terminals while the official pin table has 127 pins; extra VSS pads need a deliberate modeling decision.
SIM_1V8is typed as Power In but should be a power output.- Pin descriptions are missing, and footprint land-pattern geometry likely needs verification against Nordic DK/KiCad references.
- Current description appears to overclaim USB 2.0, GLONASS, and Galileo support.
Suggested next steps:
- Fix the pin 48 typo and
SIM_1V8direction. - Add datasheet-backed pin descriptions.
- Decide whether to expose, hide, or gang pads 128–161.
- Rebuild/verify the footprint against Nordic’s recommended/DK land pattern.
Fix and verify part
Fix pin issues
Add pin descriptions
Resolve extra pads
Verify footprint geometry
Run part review
Refine this doc
Ask about this doc
Part Review: NRF9160-SICA-B1A-R
Date: 2026-07-08
Scope
Reviewed available Flux part information for
NRF9160-SICA-B1A-R: project metadata, schematic terminal symbol, footprint/pads, and available properties. Cross-checked against the official Nordic Semiconductor nRF9160 Product Specification v2.2 and public Nordic/KiCad footprint reference information where the official product specification does not fully expose PCB land-pattern details.Datasheet
- Official datasheet set on the part: https://docs-be.nordicsemi.com/bundle/ps_nrf9160/page/nRF9160_PS_v2.2.pdf
- Source: Nordic Semiconductor, nRF9160 Product Specification v2.2, document 4418_1315 v2.2, dated 2024-05-24.
Current Flux Part Information Observed
Table
| Item | Current value |
|---|---|
| Project/name | NRF9160-SICA-B1A-R |
| Published as part | Yes |
| Part UID | 82543aae-cf71-411c-91aa-cebca046b0a3 |
| Manufacturer Part Number | NRF9160-SICA-B1A-R |
| Manufacturer | Nordic Semiconductor ASA |
| Package or Case Code | LGA |
| Designator Prefix | U |
| Description | Cellular IoT SiP description is now populated, but includes some claims that were not found in the official Product Specification |
| Schematic terminals | 161 Terminal components |
| Nets | 0 |
| Footprint/pads | 161 pads reported in project context; layout tree exposes 161 pad-like terminal nodes plus shape/text nodes |
| BOM items | 0 |
Key Official Specs
Table
| Spec | Datasheet value |
|---|---|
| Order code | nRF9160-SICA-B1A-R |
| Product option | LTE-M/NB-IoT/GPS product |
| Package variant code | SI |
| Package | LGA |
| Package size | 16.00 mm x 10.50 mm |
| Package height | 1.04 mm nominal; 0.98 mm min, 1.10 mm max |
| Pin/ball count in official pin table | 127 |
| Pitch | 0.50 mm |
| Flash/RAM for CA variant | 1024 kB Flash, 256 kB RAM |
| Main supply VDD | 3.0 V min, 3.7 V nominal, 5.5 V max; higher minimum applies for RF operating regions per table |
| VDD_GPIO | 1.7 V to 3.6 V |
| VIO / MAGPIO / SIMIF high-level rails | 1.7 V to 1.9 V, 1.8 V nominal |
| Operating temperature | -40 C to +85 C |
| LTE support | LTE-M/NB-IoT/GPS product, LTE Cat-M1 and Cat-NB1/NB2 support per datasheet |
| RF antenna impedance | ANT, AUX, GPS are single-ended 50 ohm RF interfaces |
Metadata Cross-Check
Table
| Field | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| MPN | Match | Current NRF9160-SICA-B1A-R matches official order code capitalization except Nordic styles it as nRF9160-SICA-B1A-R. |
| Datasheet URL | Updated | Official Nordic Product Specification v2.2 URL added. |
| Manufacturer | Match | Nordic Semiconductor ASA is now set. |
| Package | Partial match | LGA is correct, but current description LGA_16X10P5_NOR is sparse and does not explicitly state official 16.00 x 10.50 mm, 0.50 mm pitch, SI package. |
| Description | Partly correct, with overstatements | The populated description correctly identifies a cellular IoT SiP with LTE-M/NB-IoT/GPS-class functionality, Arm Cortex-M33, 1 MB Flash, 256 kB RAM, and PMIC/regulators. However, the official Product Specification query did not find USB 2.0 support, and the GPS section lists GPS L1 C/A and QZSS L1 C/A rather than GLONASS or Galileo. Remove or verify USB 2.0, GLONASS, and Galileo claims before publishing. |
Symbol / Pin Cross-Check
Correct high-level mapping
Pins 1-47 and 49-127 largely match the official Nordic pin names and numbers. Pins 104-127 are modeled as
RESERVED, which matches the datasheet statement that pins 104-127 are reserved / do not connect.Mismatches and issues
Table
| Severity | Issue | Current | Expected / datasheet-backed correction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Critical | Pin 48 typo | SM_IO, pin 48 | SIM_IO, pin 48. This is the SIM data pin. |
| Major | Extra schematic pins beyond official pin table | Pins 128-161 exist as VSS terminals | Official Product Specification pin table stops at 127. Public CAD/footprint references show additional VSS pad features, but they are not official numbered signal pins in the PS. These should be documented as extra physical/thermal ground pads, hidden/ganged to VSS, or excluded from the public schematic terminal list depending on Flux modeling rules. |
| Major | SIM_1V8 pin type | Current Power In | Datasheet describes pin 49 SIM_1V8 as SIM 1.8 V power supply output. Pin type should be power output if available. |
| Major | Missing pin descriptions | No Pin Description properties found on terminals | Add datasheet descriptions for every pin, especially RF, power, SIM, reserved, and boot/debug pins. |
| Medium | RF pin typing | ANT, AUX, GPS currently Unspecified | Datasheet function is RF; description should state single-ended 50 ohm LTE antenna / ANT loop-back / GPS input. If Flux lacks an RF pin type, use Signal/Passive plus explicit descriptions and impedance properties as appropriate. |
| Medium | NRESET spelling/case | Current NRESET | Datasheet uses nRESET. Functionally likely acceptable, but exact datasheet name would be preferred. |
| Medium | SIM_DET warning missing | Current Bi-Directional, no description | Datasheet says SIM detect is not used and must be left floating. Add description/warning or no-connect guidance. |
| Medium | DEC0 typing/details | Current Power In | Datasheet says power supply decoupling, reserved for Nordic use. Add description; consider whether Power In is the best Flux pin type. |
Footprint Cross-Check
What matches
- General LGA geometry is close to official scale: pad coordinates visible around x = +/-7.75 mm and y = +/-5.0 mm correspond to the datasheet’s internal package/land dimensions.
- VSS pad size appears near 0.8128 mm square, close to the 0.8 mm value used in public nRF9160 footprint references.
- Reserved inner pads appear near 0.3048 mm square, close to 0.3 mm.
Footprint mismatches / risks
Table
| Severity | Issue | Evidence | Risk / action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Critical | Pad count/modeling ambiguity | Official Product Specification states 127 pin/ball count; Flux part has 161 pads/terminals. Public Nordic/KiCad-derived footprint references mention 161 physical pads, but official pin table has only 1-127. | Decide whether Flux should expose 127 electrical pins only, with extra VSS lands hidden/ganged/mechanical, or explicitly document the 161-pad implementation source. |
| Major | Outer land dimensions likely not recommended PCB footprint | Layout tree shows many outer pads around 0.3048 mm x 0.3048 mm. Public nRF9160 land-pattern references indicate most outer PCB pads should be about 0.3 mm x 0.54 mm, with four corner pads about 0.54 mm x 0.54 mm and outward extension. | Current footprint may model package pads rather than PCB land pattern. Rebuild/verify against Nordic DK Altium/Gerber or the KiCad footprint. |
| Major | Copper keepout not found | Public nRF9160 footprint references include a no-copper-fill keepout under the SiP. No explicit keepout was visible in the layout data inspected. | Add/verify no-copper-fill keepout under the SiP if this footprint will be used for PCB layout. |
| Medium | Metric/inch-derived pad values | Observed values 0.3048 mm and 0.8128 mm correspond to 12 mil and 32 mil. | Values are close but not exact metric values from public references; use datasheet/DK metric dimensions where possible. |
| Medium | Body/courtyard outline needs confirmation | Visible silk/fab/courtyard-like lines extend roughly beyond the nominal 16.00 x 10.50 mm body. | Confirm which lines are fab, silk, and courtyard; ensure package body nominal and courtyard clearance are correctly represented. |
Pin Count Interpretation
The official Nordic Product Specification describes the
SI package as a 127-pin LGA and lists pins 1-127. However, public footprint/library discussions and CAD-derived references mention 161 physical pads, including additional VSS pad features. Therefore, the safest interpretation is:- Use 127 as the official datasheet electrical pin count.
- Treat pads/terminals 128-161 as non-official extra land-pattern/thermal/mechanical VSS features unless a Nordic CAD source explicitly defines them as separate schematic pins.
- If kept in the Flux part, label/document them as extra VSS land pads and avoid implying they are official numbered pins from the Product Specification.
Recommended Fix List
- Rename pin 48 from
SM_IOtoSIM_IO. - Remove or verify unsupported description claims:
USB 2.0,GLONASS, andGalileowere not found in the official Product Specification extraction. - Add complete
Pin Descriptionproperties from the Nordic pin assignment table. - Change
SIM_1V8pin type fromPower IntoPower Out. - Add descriptions/typing for RF pins:
ANT,AUX, andGPSas single-ended 50 ohm RF interfaces. - Add warning/description for
SIM_DET: not used; must be left floating. - Decide how to model pins/pads 128-161: remove/exclude from symbol, hide/gang to VSS, or explicitly document as extra physical VSS pads sourced from Nordic CAD/footprint references.
- Rebuild or verify the footprint land pattern against Nordic DK Altium/Gerber or a vetted KiCad footprint: outer pad extensions, corner pad size, VSS pad array, reserved pads, solder-mask expansion, paste, and copper keepout.
Verdict
The MPN, manufacturer, and broad LGA package identity are correct, and the official datasheet URL has been added. The current part should not be treated as fully verified yet: pin 48 is mislabeled, pin descriptions are missing, the populated description appears to overclaim unsupported GNSS/USB features,
SIM_1V8 has the wrong direction, and the 161-terminal/161-pad implementation needs a deliberate modeling decision because the official Nordic pin table is 127 pins while public CAD-derived footprints include extra VSS pad features.Scope
Datasheet
Current Flux Part Information Observed
Key Official Specs
Metadata Cross-Check
Symbol / Pin Cross-Check
Correct high-level mapping
Mismatches and issues
Footprint Cross-Check
What matches
Footprint mismatches / risks
Pin Count Interpretation
Recommended Fix List
Verdict
