DSPIC33CK256MC502-I/SS - 16-bit 100MIPS DSC, CAN FD | Microchip
MPN: DSPIC33CK256MC502-I/SS ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.35 | $2.35 |
| 10 | $2.12 | $21.20 |
| 100 | $1.95 | $195.00 |
| 500 | $1.85 | $925.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.77 | $1,770.00 |
DSPIC33CK256MC502-I/SS Overview
A Digital Signal Controller combines the compute architecture of a microcontroller with the math acceleration of a DSP. In the embedded hierarchy, the dsPIC33CK sits above general-purpose MCUs (such as PIC16) for control loops requiring fast multiply-accumulate operations, positioning it as a power-management and motor-control oriented member of Microchip's broader DSC portfolio.
Key features include a 16-bit 100 MIPS dsPIC DSC core with DSP engine, integrated CAN Flexible Data-Rate (CAN FD) for modern in-vehicle and industrial networking, a high-speed 12-bit ADC, multiple high-resolution PWM outputs for digital power conversion, and on-chip operational amplifiers (OpAmps) that reduce external component count in current-sense paths. The 'MC' peripheral set targets motor control applications, while 'I' suffix denotes the industrial -40C to +85C temperature range.
Architecturally, the dsPIC33CK core supports single-cycle MAC, barrel shifting, and hardware looping, with multiple internal buses and four DMA channels for efficient data movement. The high-speed PWM module supports complementary outputs, dead-time insertion, and fault protection essential for DC-DC converters and 3-phase inverters. According to Microchip, the dsPIC33CK256MC50X family is optimized for motor control, high-performance general embedded control, and digital power applications.
Typical applications include BLDC/PMSM motor drives, solar micro-inverters and DC-DC converters, battery management and charging systems, and CAN FD-connected industrial nodes.
Design consideration: the 100 MHz core requires careful supply decoupling (0.1 uF per VDD pin plus bulk capacitance) and a clean, low-ESR VDD/AVDD layout; use PGECx/PGEDx pairs as matched pairs for ICSP programming.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives within the dsPIC33CK family, and practical design notes not consolidated in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for DSPIC33CK256MC502-I/SS — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Variants in this series
Same-series models that are drop-in compatible with DSPIC33CK256MC502-I/SS (same form factor and footprint) — differing in CAN Interface, Operating Temperature, RoHS Status, Core, Core Architecture.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
DSPIC33CK256MC502-E/SS
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
DSPIC33CK256MP502-I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.98 / Unit
View Datasheet →DSPIC33CK128MC502-I/SS
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$2.64 / Unit
View Datasheet →DSPIC33CK64MC502-I/SS
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
DSPIC33CK32MC102T-I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet →DSPIC33CK256MC502-I/SS Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core | dsPIC33CK 16-bit DSC |
| Core Speed | 100 MHz (100 MIPS) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 256 KB |
| RAM | 32 KB |
| DMA Channels | 4 |
| CAN Interface | CAN FD |
| ADC Resolution | 12-bit |
| Package | 28-SSOP |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (industrial, I suffix) |
| On-chip OpAmps | Yes |
| High-Speed PWM | Yes |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Communication Peripherals | CAN FD, UART, SPI, I2C (per family description) |
DSPIC33CK256MC502-I/SS 28-ssop Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for DSPIC33CK256MC502-I/SS (28-ssop package). This digital IC includes GPIO, communication interfaces (UART, SPI, I2C), and power pins. Refer to the manufacturer datasheet for alternate pin functions and configuration options. Essential for embedded system design and PCB layout.
No detailed pinout data available for DSPIC33CK256MC502-I/SS.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
DSPIC33CK256MC502-I/SS is suitable for 6 applications: BLDC / PMSM Motor Control, Digital Power Conversion (DC-DC and PFC), Industrial CAN FD Networking Nodes, Solar Micro-Inverters and Renewable Energy Converters, Battery Management and Charging Systems, High-Performance General Embedded Control.
BLDC / PMSM Motor Control
The DSPIC33CK256MC502-I/SS is purpose-built for field-oriented control (FOC) of BLDC and PMSM motors: its 100 MHz, 100 MIPS DSP core executes the Clarke/Park transforms and PI current loops in microsecond-scale loop times, while the high-speed PWM module generates complementary gate signals with hardware dead-time insertion and cycle-by-cycle current limiting. On-chip OpAmps amplify shunt-resistor phase currents before the 12-bit ADC samples them, removing external amplifiers from the BOM. In a typical FOC drive, the ADC triggers from the PWM center point for synchronized current sampling, and 32 KB RAM holds the observer, state machine, and CAN FD diagnostics stack concurrently.
Recommended
Digital Power Conversion (DC-DC and PFC)
In switch-mode power supplies, the 100 MHz core plus high-resolution PWM of the DSPIC33CK256MC502-I/SS closes voltage and current loops with switching frequencies well above 100 kHz. The four DMA channels stream ADC results to RAM without CPU intervention, keeping loop jitter low, and the CAN FD interface provides PMBus-style telemetry for rack-level management. Typical uses include LLC resonant converters, totem-pole PFC stages, and battery chargers. A key trade-off versus a dedicated digital-power controller is firmware effort: the DSC offers design flexibility across topologies, but compensation and protection routines must be written and validated by the engineer rather than taken from fixed hardware.
Recommended
Industrial CAN FD Networking Nodes
With its integrated CAN Flexible Data-Rate controller, the DSPIC33CK256MC502-I/SS serves as a compact industrial node for sensor aggregation, actuator control, and condition monitoring on modern CAN FD buses, where data rates beyond classical CAN are required. The 256 KB Flash accommodates protocol stacks, bootloader, and application logic simultaneously, while the 12-bit ADC digitizes analog sensor channels locally and DMA moves samples to memory for filtering before transmission. Industrial -40C to +85C operation suits factory-floor enclosures. Compared with MCU-plus-external-CAN-controller solutions, the integrated transceiver-side controller saves board area and eliminates SPI-based CAN interface latency and software complexity.
Recommended
Solar Micro-Inverters and Renewable Energy Converters
Micro-inverter and MPPT converter designs benefit from the DSPIC33CK256MC502-I/SS combination of fast DSP math and high-resolution PWM: the 100 MIPS core runs MPPT search algorithms and grid-synchronization (PLL) routines in real time, while the ADC samples panel voltage/current and grid waveforms for anti-islanding and power-quality compliance. Hardware fault protection in the PWM module shuts down gates within a PWM cycle on overcurrent events, protecting power stages during grid transients. The device's low-cost 28-SSOP footprint supports the aggressive BOM targets of per-panel electronics, where cost per watt directly affects system economics and the controller must combine performance with minimal pin count.
Recommended
Battery Management and Charging Systems
Battery chargers and BMS nodes use the DSPIC33CK256MC502-I/SS to implement CC/CV charging profiles, cell balancing decisions, and safety supervision. The 12-bit ADC measures pack voltage, current, and temperature through the on-chip OpAmps and external dividers; software state machines handle constant-current, constant-voltage, and trickle phases with termination criteria computed in firmware. The CAN FD link reports state-of-charge and fault data to vehicle or UPS controllers, and the industrial temperature grade covers engine-bay and outdoor enclosures. Estimated charge-loop latency stays in the tens of microseconds thanks to ADC-to-PWM hardware triggering, enabling cycle-by-cycle overcurrent protection during the critical constant-current phase.
Recommended
High-Performance General Embedded Control
Beyond power electronics, the DSPIC33CK256MC502-I/SS works as a general 16-bit embedded controller where DSP instructions matter: audio effects processing, sensor fusion, barcode decoding, and closed-loop positioning in laboratory and test equipment. The 256 KB Flash and 32 KB RAM allow C-based application logic plus DSP filtering libraries (Microchip DSP Library) in one device, and single-cycle MAC operations outperform classic 8-bit PIC architectures by an order of magnitude on filtering workloads. UART, SPI, and I2C peripherals interface with displays, memory, and sensors. Compared with a 32-bit Cortex-M alternative, the dsPIC33CK wins on deterministic single-cycle DSP execution and Microchip tool-chain continuity from legacy PIC designs.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for DSPIC33CK256MC502-I/SS — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | DSPIC33CK256MC502-E/SS | DSPIC33CK256MP502-I/SS | DSPIC33CK32MC102T-I/SS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 28-SSOP | 28-SSOP - same | 28-SSOP - same | 28-SSOP - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Flash Memory | 256 KB | 256 KB | 256 KB | 32 KB |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C | -40C to +125C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C |
| Functional Safety (FuSa) Support | No | Yes | No | No |
Key Differentiators
- On-chip operational amplifiers for current sensing (vs DSPIC33CK256MP502-I/SS)
- Extended temperature and Functional Safety variant available (vs DSPIC33CK256MC502-E/SS)
- 256 KB Flash headroom over low-memory family members (vs DSPIC33CK32MC102T-I/SS)
Design Notes
At a 100 MHz core clock the dsPIC33CK draws peak current through VDD; place one 0.1 uF X7R ceramic capacitor at each VDD pin within 2-3 mm of the pin plus one 4.7-10 uF bulk capacitor per device. Power VDD and AVDD from the same nominal rail; connect AVDD through a ferrite bead plus local 0.1 uF/1 uF pair when ADC accuracy matters. Estimated: even at full MIPS throughput, internal dissipation remains in the tens of mA range on 3.3 V, so the 28-SSOP needs no heatsinking.
Route high-speed PWM outputs to gate drivers as short, matched traces and keep them away from ADC phase-current sense lines to prevent switching noise coupling into current-loop measurements. Use Kelvin-connected shunt grounds for the OpAmp inputs. Provide ICSP headers for at least one PGECx/PGEDx pair (pair them - do not mix PGEC1 with PGED2, per Microchip programming documentation). Exposed decoupling directly under the SSOP body on a dedicated ground layer yields the cleanest ADC results.
Common pitfalls: (1) Using mismatched PGEC/PGED pins for ICSP - the programmer will fail to identify the device; (2) Omitting VCAP/VDDCORE capacitor requirements of the dsPIC33CK core - check the latest datasheet for the required core capacitor value and ESR; (3) Assuming the MC502 includes the MP variant's enhanced digital-power PWM features - the peripheral sets differ; verify feature mapping before porting firmware between MC and MP suffixes; (4) Exceeding the -I grade +85C in sealed motor-drive enclosures - choose the -E/SS grade instead.
Compliance Information
Verified web data does not include explicit RoHS/REACH statements for this ordering code. Confirm via Microchip's product page environmental documentation before use in regulated products.
