PIC16F18456T-I/STX - 28KB Flash 8-bit MCU 28-VQFN | Microchip
MPN: PIC16F18456T-I/STX ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.15 | $2.15 |
| 10 | $1.94 | $19.40 |
| 100 | $1.72 | $172.00 |
| 500 | $1.55 | $775.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.38 | $1,380.00 |
| 3,000 | $1.22 | $3,660.00 |
PIC16F18456T-I/STX Overview
An 8-bit PIC microcontroller is a reduced-instruction-set computing (RISC) device that executes one instruction per clock cycle, balancing deterministic real-time response, low power, and high code density. PIC MCUs belong to the broader microcontroller -> embedded controller -> semiconductor device taxonomy and serve general-purpose logic, sensing, and communication roles in embedded systems. The PIC16F184xx family layers on top of that legacy by adding Intelligent Analog and CIP blocks, enabling complex functions without burdening the CPU.
Key differentiating features of the PIC16F18456 include a 12-bit Analog-to-Digital Converter with Computation (ADC2) that automates averaging and threshold detection, a 5-bit Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC), two Capture/Compare/PWM modules, a Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG), an Enhanced Universal Synchronous Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter (EUSART), and two SPI/I2C interfaces. These peripherals are interconnected via Peripheral Pin Select (PPS), which lets designers remap digital functions to almost any I/O pin and simplifies PCB routing. The 32MHz internal oscillator eliminates an external crystal in many designs, reducing BOM cost.
Architecturally, the device uses a Harvard bus with separate program and data paths, hardware multiplier, and 14-bit instruction word. Memory Access Partitioning (MAP) allows bootloader-style write protection of select Flash regions, and the Device Information Area (DIA) stores factory calibration data such as internal voltage reference and fixed voltage reference trim values. The XLP core includes sleep currents in the order of tens of nanoamperes with retention, and multiple idle/doze modes let the CPU throttle while peripherals continue operating.
Typical applications include low-power IoT sensor nodes, battery-powered human-machine interface (HMI) panels, LED lighting controllers, white goods and small appliance control boards, and industrial sensor hubs. The combination of ADC2, DAC, comparators and PWM is well matched to closed-loop analog control, while the EUSART and SPI/I2C channels support bridges to wireless modules and isolated communication links.
When designing in this part, plan VQFN land pattern and thermal pad soldering carefully; the 4x4mm QFN has limited thermal mass and an exposed pad that must be soldered for proper electrical and thermal performance. PPS mapping decisions should be locked early in firmware development, since re-mapping affects later code revisions.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, parametric comparison versus same-family PIC16F1845x drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes that go beyond the manufacturer datasheet, helping engineers evaluate procurement risk and second-source options quickly.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16F18456T-I/STX — 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 PIC16F18456T-I/STX (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Core Architecture, Mounting Type, Operating Voltage Range, Comparators, MSL Level.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F18455T-I/STX
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F18456T-I/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.98 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F18456-I/SP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.07 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F18456T-I/STX Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC 8-bit RISC (enhanced mid-range) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 28 KB (16K x 14 words) |
| Data SRAM | 2 KB |
| Data EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 32 MHz |
| Operating Voltage Range | 1.8 V to 5.5 V |
| DAC | 5-bit DAC |
| Comparators | Yes (on-chip) |
| PWM Modules | 2x CCP/ECCP |
| Complementary Waveform Generator | Yes (CWG) |
| Communication Interfaces | EUSART, 2x SPI/I2C |
| Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) | Yes |
| Memory Access Partitioning (MAP) | Yes |
| eXtreme Low-Power (XLP) | Yes |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) |
| Package | 28-pin VQFN (4x4 mm) with exposed thermal pad |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC16F18456T-I/STX Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA5 — General purpose I/O / ADC input |
| Pin 2 | RA4 — General purpose I/O |
| Pin 3 | RA3 — General purpose I/O / MCLR |
| Pin 4 | RA2 — General purpose I/O / DAC output |
| Pin 5 | RA1 — General purpose I/O |
| Pin 6 | RA0 — General purpose I/O |
| Pin 7 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 8 | RA7 — General purpose I/O |
| Pin 9 | RA6 — General purpose I/O |
| Pin 10 | RC0 — General purpose I/O |
| Pin 11 | RC1 — General purpose I/O |
| Pin 12 | RC2 — General purpose I/O |
| Pin 13 | RC3 — General purpose I/O / SCL |
| Pin 14 | RC4 — General purpose I/O / SDA |
| Pin 15 | RC5 — General purpose I/O |
| Pin 16 | RC6 — General purpose I/O / TX |
| Pin 17 | RC7 — General purpose I/O / RX |
| Pin 18 | RB7 — General purpose I/O |
| Pin 19 | RB6 — General purpose I/O / ICSCLK |
| Pin 20 | RB5 — General purpose I/O / ICSDAT |
| Pin 21 | RB4 — General purpose I/O |
| Pin 22 | RB3 — General purpose I/O |
| Pin 23 | RB2 — General purpose I/O |
| Pin 24 | RB1 — General purpose I/O |
| Pin 25 | RB0 — General purpose I/O / interrupt |
| Pin 26 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 27 | VDD — Positive supply voltage (duplicate) |
| Pin 28 | VSS — Ground (exposed thermal pad) |
Typical Applications
PIC16F18456T-I/STX is suitable for 6 applications: Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Node, White Goods and Small Appliance Control, LED Lighting and Driver Controller, Human-Machine Interface (HMI) Panel, Industrial Sensor Hub and Condition Monitor, Automotive Body and Accessory Modules.
Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Node
The PIC16F18456T-I/STX suits battery-powered IoT sensor nodes because its eXtreme Low-Power (XLP) technology delivers sleep currents in the tens of nanoamperes while retaining RAM, and its 1.8-5.5 V operating range lets it run directly from a single Li-ion or 2xAA cell. The 12-bit ADC2 with Computation automates averaging and threshold checks without waking the CPU, while the two SPI/I2C ports plus EUSART allow a low-energy wireless module such as a Sub-GHz transceiver or BLE coprocessor to be attached with minimal firmware overhead. With 28 KB of Flash, designers have room for over-the-air (OTA) update bootloaders alongside application logic.
Recommended
White Goods and Small Appliance Control
The PIC16F18456T-I/STX is well suited to white goods and small appliance control boards because its 12-bit ADC2, 5-bit DAC, two comparators, and two PWM/ECCP modules cover sensor reading, actuator drive, and closed-loop regulation in a single chip. The Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG) generates dead-band-controlled complementary outputs for directly driving MOSFET half-bridges in induction cookers, mixer motors, or compressor controllers, while PPS simplifies board routing by letting digital functions map to any I/O pin. Operating from -40 C to +85 C, the part survives under-hood and kitchen-cabinet thermal stress.
Recommended
LED Lighting and Driver Controller
For LED lighting and driver controller designs, the PIC16F18456T-I/STX provides the PWM and CWG channels needed for both analog dimming and high-frequency switching topologies. The 32 MHz CPU and 12-bit ADC2 support digital color-mixing algorithms and closed-loop lumen regulation, while PPS lets the designer place PWM outputs close to FET gates for short, low-inductance drive traces. XLP low-power modes keep standby consumption below regulatory limits for always-connected smart bulbs and luminaires.
Recommended
Human-Machine Interface (HMI) Panel
The PIC16F18456T-I/STX can act as the local controller in cost-sensitive HMI panels by scanning capacitive or resistive touch keys, driving segment or small TFT displays via SPI, and handling communication to the main appliance MCU over UART or I2C. Its 28 KB of Flash comfortably fits state-machine logic plus display fonts, and PPS reassigns the SPI/I2C pins when the display interface changes between projects, accelerating platform reuse. The 1.8-5.5 V range lets the same firmware run on 3.3 V TFT or 5 V segment LCD hardware.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Hub and Condition Monitor
In industrial sensor hubs and condition-monitoring modules, the PIC16F18456T-I/STX reads vibration, current, and temperature inputs through the 12-bit ADC2, performs on-chip DSP-like filtering using the ADC2 Computation engine, and forwards aggregated data to a gateway via EUSART (RS-485) or SPI. The wide 1.8-5.5 V supply simplifies power from 24 V industrial rails using small switching pre-regulators, while the -40 C to +85 C range supports factory floor deployments. MAP allows secure bootloader regions for field firmware updates.
Recommended
Automotive Body and Accessory Modules
Although the PIC16F18456T-I/STX itself is specified for -40 C to +85 C industrial use, its CIP-driven architecture and 5x5 mm-equivalent small VQFN footprint make it a candidate for non-safety automotive accessory modules such as ambient lighting, seat controller keypads, or trim-level sensor interfaces in designs that pair it with upstream protection. Designers targeting AEC-Q100 qualified platforms should select the automotive-graded PIC16F184xx variant where available, or use the standard PIC16F18456T-I/STX in non-safety zones only.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16F18456T-I/STX — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F18455T-I/STX | PIC16F18456T-I/SO | PIC16F18456-I/SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 28-VQFN (4x4 mm) | 28-VQFN (4x4 mm) | 28-SOIC - cross-package, NOT a true drop-in | 28-SPDIP - cross-package, NOT a true drop-in |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 28 KB | 14 KB | 28 KB | 28 KB |
| Data SRAM | 2 KB | 1 KB | 2 KB | 2 KB |
| Data EEPROM | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz |
| Operating Voltage | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V |
| ADC | 12-bit ADC2 | 12-bit ADC2 | 12-bit ADC2 | 12-bit ADC2 |
| Communication Interfaces | EUSART, 2x SPI/I2C | EUSART, 2x SPI/I2C | EUSART, 2x SPI/I2C | EUSART, 2x SPI/I2C |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +85 C |
| PPS (Peripheral Pin Select) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Key Differentiators
- Largest memory in PIC16F1845x 28-VQFN family (vs PIC16F18455T-I/STX)
- Same die in tape-and-reel VQFN for SMT production (vs PIC16F18456-I/SP)
- Compact 4x4 mm VQFN with same die as SOIC/SPDIP variants (vs PIC16F18456T-I/SO)
Design Notes
The 28-pin VQFN (4x4 mm) package has a center exposed thermal pad that must be soldered to a corresponding land on the PCB. Per the Microchip PIC16(L)F18455/56 datasheet, this pad is electrically connected to VSS internally and provides both the low-impedance ground return and the primary heat-dissipation path. Use an array of small thermal vias under the pad to conduct heat to an inner ground plane; without proper soldering, ground bounce rises and the device derates thermally in higher-PWM applications.
Decouple VDD with at least one 100 nF X7R ceramic capacitor placed within 3 mm of each VDD pin and one bulk 1 uF to 10 uF ceramic on the same rail. The PIC16F18456T-I/STX datasheet recommends keeping VDD ripple below 50 mVpp for reliable ADC2 operation; if the ADC references the supply, additional filtering on AVDD is advisable. In battery-powered designs, place the bulk capacitor ahead of any series protection diode so cold-start inrush is limited.
A common mistake when migrating firmware between PIC16F18455 and PIC16F18456 is forgetting that PPS pin assignments are not preserved across devices. Per the Microchip PIC16(L)F18455/56 datasheet, PPS registers must be reprogrammed after every POR/BOR; missing this step leaves peripherals mapped to wrong I/O pins with no compile-time error. Always centralize PPS initialization in a board-support package so port changes are easy to audit.
When routing SPI/I2C buses at speeds above 4 MHz from the PIC16F18456T-I/STX, keep traces under 50 mm and place 22-100 ohm series resistors near the driver to dampen reflections. The EUSART pins on this device are not true RS-485 drivers; for industrial bus connections add an external transceiver such as the MAX3485 or TJA1057 with proper failsafe biasing and 120 ohm termination at cable ends.
Compliance Information
Industrial -40 C to +85 C grade; not AEC-Q100 qualified. For automotive applications select an AEC-Q100 qualified PIC16F184xx variant. RoHS and REACH compliance per Microchip product page; halogen-free status not explicitly stated in verified data.
