Operating temperature
temperature at which an electrical or mechanical device can operate
An operating temperature is the allowable temperature range of the local ambient environment at which an electrical or mechanical device operates. The device will operate effectively within a specified temperature range which varies on the basis of the device's function and application context, and ranges from the minimum operating temperature to the maximum operating temperature (or peak operating temperature). Outside this range of safe operating temperatures the device may fail.
It is one component of reliability engineering.
Similarly, biological systems remain viable in a temperature range that equates to an operating temperature.
Ranges
Most semiconductor devices are manufactured in several temperature grades. Broadly accepted grades are:
Commercial: 0 to 70 °C (32 to 158 °F)
Industrial: −40 to 85 °C (−40 to 185 °F)
Military: −55 to 125 °C (−67 to 257 °F)
Nevertheless, each manufacturer defines its own temperature grades, so designers must pay attention to datasheet specifications. For example, Maxim Integrated uses five temperature grades for its products:
Full Military: −55 to 125 °C (−67 to 257 °F)
Automotive: −25 to 125 °C (−13 to 257 °F)
AEC-Q100 Level 2: −40 to 105 °C (−40 to 221 °F)
Extended Industrial: −40 to 85 °C (−40 to 185 °F)
Industrial: −20 to 85 °C (−4 to 185 °F)
The use of such grades ensures that a device is suitable for its application and will withstand the environmental conditions in which it is used. Normal operating temperature ranges are affected by several factors, such as the power dissipation of the device. These factors are used to define a "threshold temperature" of a device, i.e.
The public source identifies “Operating temperature” as temperature at which an electrical or mechanical device can operate. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Operating, temperature and electrical.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Operating temperature”, the useful work is to connect “temperature at which an electrical or mechanical device can operate” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
The citation trail is more important than the brevity of the summary: it shows where individual claims can be examined in context. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 11, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q656685. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
The absence of detail may reflect summary conventions rather than a lack of surviving documentation. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Operating temperature”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Operating temperature primary sources, Operating temperature archive and Operating research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Operating temperature”?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Operating temperature” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.