PIC16LF18346-E/SS - 8-bit XLP MCU, 32MHz, 28KB Flash | Microchip
MPN: PIC16LF18346-E/SS ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.42 | $2.42 |
| 10 | $2.18 | $21.80 |
| 100 | $1.93 | $193.00 |
| 500 | $1.71 | $855.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.45 | $1,450.00 |
| 3,000 | $1.31 | $3,930.00 |
PIC16LF18346-E/SS Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a CPU, memory, and programmable I/O peripherals. An 8-bit MCU executes instructions on 8-bit wide data paths, which historically cost less per unit than 16-bit or 32-bit parts and remain economical for sensor interfacing, simple control loops, and user-interface tasks. The PIC16LF18346-E/SS sits in the Power Management > Battery-friendly tier of the PIC16 product hierarchy (PIC16 > 8-bit MCU > microcontroller > embedded computing > semiconductor). It is the "LF" (low-voltage, low-power) variant of the PIC16F18346, differing primarily in VDD range and active/quiescent current.
Key features include an instruction-cycle speed of 32 MHz / 8 MIPS via the internal oscillator, 18 I/O pins with Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) for remappable digital peripherals, two EUSART modules, two SPI/I2C interfaces, on-chip debugging via ICD, and XLP nanoWatt sleep currents in the sub-microamp range. The integrated 10-bit ADC with computation (ADC2) performs automatic averaging, threshold detection, and burst-mode averaging, offloading work from the CPU. Hardware limit timers, CRC/SCAN, and zero-cross detection support functional-safety and capacitive-touch front ends.
The architecture combines a RISC-style 14-bit instruction set with Harvard bus, giving deterministic single-cycle execution for most instructions and predictable interrupt latency. XLP technology uses dynamic workload scaling, deep sleep with peripheral wake-up, and a low-power WDT so battery-powered nodes can run for years from a single cell. PPS allows designers to route digital peripherals (CLC, PWM, EUSART, SPI, I2C) to any available I/O, simplifying PCB layout.
Typical applications include IoT sensor nodes, low-power wireless sensor hubs, automotive body and lighting controllers, capacitive-touch user interfaces, small appliance controls, and consumer white goods. Designers choose it when they need an aggressive low-power 8-bit core with strong analog and lots of CIP logic in a small SSOP-20 footprint.
When designing with this MCU, place a 100 nF decoupling capacitor adjacent to each VDD pin and use short traces to the ground paddle of the SSOP. Take advantage of PPS to clean up PCB routing, and use the ADC2 computation engine to reduce CPU wake events in battery-powered designs. Boundary-scan programming is supported but dedicated ICSP/ICD pins should remain accessible in the layout.
This page synthesizes DigiKey and Mouser distributor pricing, pin-compatible alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone, giving engineers a complete sourcing and design entry point.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LF18346-E/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 PIC16LF18346-E/SS (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, ADC, DAC, Operating Temperature, Communication.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F18346-E/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.55 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF18345-I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.18 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF18345T-I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.79 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1829-I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.15 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1788-I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.32 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF18346-E/SS Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC 8-bit RISC (14-bit instruction) |
| Family | PIC16F/LF183xx (XLP) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 28 KB (16K x 14 words) |
| Data RAM | 2 KB |
| EEPROM | 256 B |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 32 MHz (8 MIPS) |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| I/O Pins | 18 (with Peripheral Pin Select) |
| ADC | 10-bit, multiple channels |
| DAC | 5-bit |
| Comparators | 2 with input mux |
| PWM | 10-bit, multiple channels |
| Core Independent Peripherals | CLC, CWG, NCO, CCP, CRC/SCAN |
| Communication | 2x EUSART, 2x SPI/I2C |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +125 C |
| Package | 20-SSOP (5.30 mm body) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC16LF18346-E/SS Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA0/ANA0/ICSPDAT — Analog input 0 / ICSP data |
| Pin 2 | RA1/ANA1/ICSPCLK — Analog input 1 / ICSP clock |
| Pin 3 | RA2/ANA2 — Analog input 2 |
| Pin 4 | RA3/MCLR/VPP — Master Clear / programming voltage |
| Pin 5 | RA4/ANA4/T0CKI — Analog input 4 / Timer0 clock input |
| Pin 6 | RA5/ANA5/SS — Analog input 5 / SPI slave select |
| Pin 7 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 8 | VDD — Positive supply (1.8 V to 3.6 V) |
| Pin 9 | OSC1/RA7 — Crystal/clock input or general I/O |
| Pin 10 | OSC2/RA6 — Crystal/clock output or general I/O |
| Pin 11 | RC0 — General I/O with PPS |
| Pin 12 | RC1 — General I/O with PPS |
| Pin 13 | RC2 — General I/O with PPS |
| Pin 14 | RC3 — General I/O with PPS |
| Pin 15 | RC4 — General I/O with PPS |
| Pin 16 | RC5 — General I/O with PPS |
| Pin 17 | RB4 — General I/O with interrupt-on-change |
| Pin 18 | RB5 — General I/O with interrupt-on-change |
| Pin 19 | RB6/ICSPCLK — General I/O / ICSP clock |
| Pin 20 | RB7/ICSPDAT — General I/O / ICSP data |
Typical Applications
PIC16LF18346-E/SS is suitable for 6 applications: Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes, Capacitive Touch User Interface, Automotive Interior Body Electronics, Low-Power Wireless Sensor Hub, Industrial Sensor Conditioning, Consumer White Goods and Small Appliances.
Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes
The PIC16LF18346-E/SS is engineered for battery-powered IoT sensor nodes, where its XLP nanoWatt technology and 1.8 V to 3.6 V operating range make it directly compatible with 2-cell alkaline or coin-cell power. The 8 MIPS execution at 32 MHz gives enough throughput to handle protocol stacks while sleeping most of the time. Hardware limit timers, ADC2 with computation, and DMA-less peripheral operation keep CPU wake events to a minimum.
Recommended
Capacitive Touch User Interface
With its CTMU (Charge Time Measurement Unit), CLC, and NCO core-independent peripherals, the PIC16LF18346-E/SS implements Microchip's mTouch capacitive-touch sensing natively. Pins can scan capacitive buttons or 1D sliders without external analog front ends, and PPS lets you route CTMU outputs to any free I/O. The 10-bit ADC and a 5-bit DAC provide redundant sensing paths.
Recommended
Automotive Interior Body Electronics
The PIC16LF18346-E/SS is qualified for AEC-Q100 automotive use (suffix -VAO) and is suitable for body controllers, lighting modules, and HVAC user interfaces. The 8-bit PIC16 core offers predictable interrupt latency which simplifies MISRA-style firmware work. With 28 KB Flash and ample peripherals, single-MCU control of seat controllers, mirror positioning, or LED lighting becomes feasible.
Recommended
Low-Power Wireless Sensor Hub
When paired with a low-power RF transceiver like the Microchip MRF24WN or third-party sub-GHz parts, the PIC16LF18346-E/SS acts as an efficient host MCU. Two SPI/I2C buses allow simultaneous display updates and sensor acquisitions, while the EUSART can drive a UART BLE bridge. PPS routing keeps pinout clean in dense 20-pin board layouts.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Conditioning
Industrial 4 mA to 20 mA sensor transmitters benefit from the 10-bit ADC with computation engine, 2 analog comparators with input mux, and 5-bit DAC on the PIC16LF18346-E/SS. The CLC enables hardware-only signal processing for fast fault response independent of software. Extended VDD down to 1.8 V supports energy harvesting power inputs when paired with energy storage.
Recommended
Consumer White Goods and Small Appliances
Coffee machines, blenders, and HVAC thermostats use the PIC16LF18346-E/SS for user-interface control, motor drivers, and sensor processing. The 5-bit DAC drives set-point references while 10-bit PWM cleanly controls triac phase angles for AC loads. With 28 KB Flash, full-featured UI including capacitive-touch buttons and LED animations fit without external memory.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LF18346-E/SS — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F18346-E/SS | PIC16LF18345-I/SS | PIC16LF18345T-I/SS | PIC16LF1829-I/SS | PIC16LF1788-I/SS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 20-SSOP | 20-SSOP - same | 20-SSOP - same | 20-SSOP - same | 20-SSOP - same | 20-SSOP - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| VDD Range | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| Flash | 28 KB | 28 KB | 32 KB | 32 KB | 8 KB | 28 KB |
| RAM | 2 KB | 2 KB | 2 KB | 2 KB | 1 KB | 2 KB |
| EEPROM | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B |
| Maximum Clock | 32 MHz / 8 MIPS | 32 MHz / 8 MIPS | 32 MHz / 8 MIPS | 32 MHz / 8 MIPS | 32 MHz / 8 MIPS | 32 MHz / 8 MIPS |
| Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Key Differentiators
- Lower-voltage operation optimized for batteries (vs PIC16F18346-E/SS)
- More flash memory than the 18345 only if needed (vs PIC16LF18345-I/SS)
- Newer generation CIPs and PPS (vs PIC16LF1829-I/SS)
Design Notes
Estimated: with a 100 nF decoupling cap adjacent to VDD (pin 8) and a parallel 10 uF bulk cap, the PIC16LF18346-E/SS achieves stable operation across 1.8 V to 3.6 V input rails even during RF bursts. Place both capacitors within 2 mm of the VDD pin with the bulk cap's ground via connecting directly to the board's ground pour. A ferrite bead on VDD can suppress noise from upstream switching regulators and should be C2C rated for low DC resistance to keep LDO drop minimal.
Estimated: keep ICSPDAT (RA0 / RB7) and ICSPCLK (RA1 / RB6) accessible on test pads or a 0.1 inch header for in-circuit debugging using PICkit 4 or MPLAB Snap. The MCLR pin (RA3) typically needs a 10 kohm pull-up to VDD and a small 100 nF cap to GND for reliable reset behavior. The 20-SSOP body is 5.30 mm wide so allow at least 200 um between SSOP pads and any signal traces when laying out the PCB.
Estimated: do not float the MCLR pin, even in development - it must connect to VDD through a pull-up resistor or it will randomly reset. Ensure the device is in LVP (low-voltage programming) mode only if the LVP configuration bit is set, otherwise high voltage (Vihh ~ 9 V) is needed on MCLR. Use peripherals such as ADC2 computation features correctly - mis-configuring ADC channel selection can keep the ADC enabled and waste 200-400 uA of quiescent current, defeating XLP benefits.
Compliance Information
Standard grade product; AEC-Q100 qualified variants use -VAO suffix (e.g., PIC16LF18346-E/SSVAO).
