The USB-ML-ACP is PEmicro’s entry-level Multilink debug probe — a USB-powered interface between a Windows PC and the debug port of ARM Cortex-M targets, built for engineers who need halt-and-control debug access without the extra device coverage or speed of the Universal models. It draws less than 1 mA from the target itself and needs no separate power supply, so it drops into a bring-up setup or CI rig without adding another cable to manage.
Highlights
- Purpose-built for ARM Cortex-M debug and programming — supported directly by MCUXpresso IDE, MCUXpresso for VS Code, and (via PEmicro’s free GDB Server plug-in) STM32CubeIDE and other Eclipse-based ARM IDEs
- Draws power entirely from the USB connection, under 1 mA from the target, so no external supply is needed at the debug header
- Supports JTAG daisy-chaining across multiple ARM MCUs on one board, useful for multi-die designs without a dedicated debug probe per device
- Real-time SWO features — ITM console output, SWO data capture, and real-time expression viewing — let firmware print and variable state be observed while the target keeps running
- Ships with the ARM ribbon cable set (20-pin, 10-pin mini, 20-pin mini) needed to connect directly to standard ARM debug headers
Where it earns its keep
- ARM Cortex-M firmware bring-up and day-to-day debug on a bench, where the broader NXP legacy-device coverage of the Universal models isn’t needed
- Automated test or CI rigs that need a low-cost, USB-powered debug probe per fixture without per-probe licensing
- Teams standardizing on ARM-only silicon who don’t want to pay for Universal-model device coverage they won’t use
Key Specifications
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Device support | ARM Cortex-M only |
| Target voltage range | 1.8V – 5.25V |
| Target power supplied | No (target-powered only) |
| Communications | USB 2.0 |
| SWO / real-time features | ITM console, SWO data, real-time expressions |
| Software needed for flash programming | PROG-HL-ARM |








