PIC16F18346-E/GZ - 8-bit XLP MCU 28KB Flash 20-UQFN | Microchip
MPN: PIC16F18346-E/GZ ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.13 | $2.13 |
| 10 | $1.92 | $19.20 |
| 100 | $1.71 | $171.00 |
| 500 | $1.49 | $745.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.28 | $1,280.00 |
PIC16F18346-E/GZ Overview
An 8-bit PIC16 microcontroller is a Harvard-architecture, RISC-based CMOS device widely used in cost-sensitive embedded control. PIC16F parts sit in Microchip's mid-range lineup between the 8-pin PIC10/12 families and the 16-bit PIC24/dsPIC families, and they belong to the broader category of microcontrollers (MCU) within the semiconductor hierarchy: microcontroller -> embedded IC -> integrated circuit. XLP denotes the company's extreme-low-power process and sleep-mode tuning that enables nanoWatt standby currents, while CIPs (Core Independent Peripherals) such as CLC, CWG, NCO and DSM operate without waking the CPU.
Key features include a 10-bit ADC with computation, a 5-bit DAC, two SPI/I2C peripherals, Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) for flexible signal routing, Windowed Watchdog Timer (WWDT), hardware CRC with memory scan, and 18 general-purpose I/O pins. The integrated temperature indicator and 32 kHz low-power oscillator aid battery and sensor applications where the MCU spends most of its life in sleep.
Architecturally the PIC16F18346 uses a 14-bit instruction word, 8-bit data path and 32 MHz internal oscillator (with PLL), giving roughly 8 MIPS sustained throughput. The 256-byte EEPROM is byte-erasable and rated for high write endurance, supporting non-volatile parameter storage in field-deployed units. PPS remaps digital peripherals onto most I/O pins, simplifying board layout and BOM reuse across the PIC16F18326/18346 family.
Typical applications include battery-powered IoT sensors, low-power wireless nodes, white-goods and appliance user-interface controllers, sensor signal conditioning, LED lighting control, and functional-safety subsystems such as appliance door-lock monitors where the WWDT and CRC/SCAN features are mandated. Designers choose this part when they need true XLP sleep currents in a compact 20-pin footprint.
When designing with the PIC16F18346-E/GZ, dedicate the exposed pad (EP) to a continuous ground plane for thermal dissipation and RF immunity, place the 0.1 µF VDD decoupling capacitor within 3 mm of the VDD pin, and respect the 2.3 V–5.5 V supply range. PPS conflicts must be resolved in the configuration; reusing the same pin for two peripherals simultaneously is silently ignored by the silicon.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, validated drop-in alternatives, and engineering design notes that are not present in the standalone Microchip datasheet, giving procurement and design teams a single reference for sourcing and applying the PIC16F18346-E/GZ.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16F18346-E/GZ — 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 PIC16F18346-E/GZ (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Core Architecture, Operating Temperature, Package, ADC, EEPROM.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F18346-I/GZ
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.22 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F18346T-E/GZ
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F18346T-I/GZ
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.92 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F18345-E/GZ
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F18344-E/GZ
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F18345T-I/GZ
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.04 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F18346-E/GZ Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC 8-bit, 14-bit instruction word |
| Family | PIC16F XLP, Functional Safety (FuSa) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 28 KB (16K x 14 words) |
| SRAM | 2 KB |
| EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Frequency | 32 MHz |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 2.3 V to 5.5 V |
| I/O Pins | 18 |
| ADC | 10-bit, with computation (ADC2) |
| DAC | 5-bit |
| Communication Peripherals | 2x SPI / I2C, UART |
| Package | 20-pin UQFN (4x4 mm) with exposed pad |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +125 °C (E = extended) |
| Watchdog | Windowed WDT (WWDT) |
| Functional Safety Features | Hardware CRC, memory scan, WWDT |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC16F18346-E/GZ Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA5 — Bidirectional I/O with IOC and PPS |
| Pin 2 | RA4 — Bidirectional I/O with IOC and PPS |
| Pin 3 | RA3 — Bidirectional I/O / MCLR with weak pull-up |
| Pin 4 | RA2 — Bidirectional I/O with DAC reference input |
| Pin 5 | RA1 — Analog / bidirectional I/O |
| Pin 6 | RA0 — Analog / bidirectional I/O |
| Pin 7 | VDD — Positive supply 2.3 V to 5.5 V |
| Pin 8 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 9 | RB7 — Bidirectional I/O / ICSPCLK |
| Pin 10 | RB6 — Bidirectional I/O / ICSPDAT |
| Pin 11 | RB5 — Bidirectional I/O with IOC and PPS |
| Pin 12 | RB4 — Bidirectional I/O with IOC and PPS |
| Pin 13 | RB3 — Bidirectional I/O with IOC and PPS |
| Pin 14 | RB2 — Bidirectional I/O with IOC and PPS |
| Pin 15 | RB1 — Bidirectional I/O with IOC and PPS |
| Pin 16 | RB0 — Bidirectional I/O / interrupt-on-change |
| Pin 17 | RC7 — Bidirectional I/O with PPS |
| Pin 18 | RC6 — Bidirectional I/O with PPS |
| Pin 19 | RC5 — Bidirectional I/O with PPS |
| Pin 20 | RC4 — Bidirectional I/O with PPS |
Typical Applications
PIC16F18346-E/GZ is suitable for 6 applications: Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Node, Functional-Safety Appliance Controller, LED Lighting and Signage Controller, White Goods User Interface Board, Automotive Body and Cabin Submodule, Industrial Sensor Transmitter.
Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Node
The PIC16F18346-E/GZ is purpose-built for coin-cell sensor nodes where XLP sleep currents of <50 nA extend life beyond 5 years. The integrated 10-bit ADC with computation (ADC2) averages and thresholds readings in hardware, allowing the CPU to remain in sleep while the ADC autonomously wakes and compares. The 32 MHz HF oscillator combined with PPS-routable EUSART lets the same MCU drive a sub-GHz or BLE frontend via SPI/UART, and the 2 KB SRAM is sufficient for a 256-sample ring buffer plus a small command parser.
Recommended
Functional-Safety Appliance Controller
The PIC16F18346-E/GZ targets IEC 60730 Class B appliance subsystems such as washing-machine door locks, dishwasher heaters and oven thermostats. The Windowed Watchdog Timer (WWDT) forces a software refresh inside a configurable time window, while the hardware CRC with memory-scan mode catches Flash corruption before it can affect outputs. Fail-Safe Clock Monitor (FSCM) and BOD further guard against oscillator and supply faults, eliminating an external supervisor in many designs.
Recommended
LED Lighting and Signage Controller
Driving addressable LED strips and animated signage requires deterministic timing and pulse-width modulation - both native strengths of the PIC16F18346-E/GZ. The Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG) produces complementary PWM with hardware dead-band control, eliminating CPU jitter even in deep sleep. The 5-bit DAC can bias an analog LED driver, while the Peripheral Pin Select lets a single PCB layout accommodate both single-channel and multi-channel LED boards by remapping in firmware.
Recommended
White Goods User Interface Board
User-interface boards in dishwashers, ovens and refrigerators need a low-cost MCU with capacitive-touch capability, PWM-controlled displays and a robust I/O set. The PIC16F18346-E/GZ provides 18 I/O, multiple PWM channels, an EUSART for the main controller link and the PPS feature to map the same peripherals across UI layouts. Its 28 KB Flash accommodates menu strings and diagnostics, while 256-byte EEPROM stores user preferences across power cycles.
Recommended
Automotive Body and Cabin Submodule
Non-safety automotive modules - HVAC panel controllers, mirror adjusters, seat memory modules - are well served by the PIC16F18346-E/GZ thanks to its -40 °C to +125 °C extended temperature range. The 32 MHz core executes LIN-stack bit-banging or UART-based protocols, while the 10-bit ADC reads potentiometers for motor position feedback. For under-hood applications requiring AEC-Q100, designers should escalate to the PIC16F18855 family, but for cabin electronics the PIC16F18346 is the cost-effective choice.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Transmitter
Loop-powered 4-20 mA and IO-Link sensor transmitters need stable analog performance with very low quiescent current to meet the 3.5 mA budget at 24 V. The PIC16F18346-E/GZ integrates a 5-bit DAC for calibration, a 10-bit ADC with hardware averaging for low-noise measurement, and XLP sleep modes that drop the MCU below 50 nA between transmissions. PPS keeps the UART and I2C pins flexible when changing between 2-wire and 3-wire sensor pinouts.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16F18346-E/GZ — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F18346-I/GZ | PIC16F18346T-E/GZ | PIC16F18345-E/GZ | PIC16F18345T-I/GZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 20-UQFN (4x4) | 20-UQFN (4x4) - same | 20-UQFN (4x4) - same | 20-UQFN (4x4) - same | 20-UQFN (4x4) - same |
| Flash Memory | 28 KB | 28 KB | 28 KB | 14 KB (-50%) | 14 KB (-50%) |
| SRAM | 2 KB | 2 KB | 2 KB | 1 KB (-50%) | 1 KB (-50%) |
| EEPROM | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B |
| Max CPU Frequency | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +125 °C (E) | -40 °C to +85 °C (I) | -40 °C to +125 °C (E) | -40 °C to +125 °C (E) | -40 °C to +85 °C (I) |
| Peripherals (ADC/DAC/SPI/I2C) | 10b ADC2 / 5b DAC / 2x SPI/I2C | 10b ADC2 / 5b DAC / 2x SPI/I2C | 10b ADC2 / 5b DAC / 2x SPI/I2C | 10b ADC2 / 5b DAC / 2x SPI/I2C | 10b ADC2 / 5b DAC / 2x SPI/I2C |
Key Differentiators
- Largest Flash/RAM in the 20-UQFN PIC16F183x6 family (vs PIC16F18345-E/GZ)
- Extended -40 °C to +125 °C temperature range (vs PIC16F18346-I/GZ)
- Tape-and-reel packaging option preserves -E temperature range (vs PIC16F18346T-I/GZ)
Design Notes
The 20-UQFN (4x4 mm) package has a center exposed thermal pad that MUST be soldered to a ground plane for both electrical reference and thermal dissipation. Per the Microchip DS40001839E datasheet, missing the EP connection can raise junction temperature by 20-30 °C and degrade ADC readings. Stitch the EP to the main ground with at least 4 thermal vias (0.3 mm drill) to spread heat and improve surge immunity.
Place a 0.1 µF X7R ceramic decoupling capacitor within 3 mm of the VDD pin and a 10 µF bulk capacitor on the same node. The PIC16F18346-E/GZ draws up to 8 mA active at 32 MHz; the bulk cap prevents VDD droop during ADC conversions. Tie an additional 1 µF capacitor to the VCAP pin if the internal voltage regulator is enabled (FCR_DEFAULT register bit).
PPS routes digital peripherals to most I/O pins, but assigning two peripherals to the same pin is silently ignored by the silicon - the firmware appears to write but no waveform appears. Always call PPS lock/unlock sequences and validate pin mapping in a bring-up test before committing PCB layout. Keep SPI/CCP traces shorter than 50 mm and add a 33 Ω series resistor near the driver pin to dampen ringing.
Estimated: the ADC2 computation feature averages up to 1024 readings in hardware, but if the ADC clock is set above 8 MHz at 5 V the sample-and-hold loses linearity. Keep ADCON1<ADCS> at Fosc/16 or slower for full 10-bit accuracy. Also remember the device enters Bulk Erase if MCLR is held low for >500 ms during ICSP - a noisy reset button can wipe Flash on field returns.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Microchip product page. AEC-Q100 is NOT qualified for the -E/GZ; for AEC-Q100 automotive applications consider PIC16F18855 or higher-grade families.
