PIC16LF18346T-I/GZ - 32MHz 8-bit MCU 28KB Flash XLP | Microchip
MPN: PIC16LF18346T-I/GZ ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.44 | $2.44 |
| 10 | $2.22 | $22.20 |
| 100 | $1.96 | $196.00 |
| 500 | $1.74 | $870.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.52 | $1,520.00 |
PIC16LF18346T-I/GZ Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a processor, Flash program memory, data RAM, EEPROM, and a rich set of peripherals (ADC, timers, PWM, communication ports) into one device. PIC16F/LF devices from Microchip sit in the broader hierarchy: PIC16 -> 8-bit MCU -> microcontroller -> embedded controller -> semiconductor. The "LF" prefix denotes the low-voltage, low-power core variant while "F" versions extend the operating range to 5.5 V. The PIC16LF18346 specifically adds XLP technology for ultra-low sleep current, plus Core Independent Peripherals (CIPs) such as Configurable Logic Cells (CLC), Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG), and numerically controlled oscillator (NCO).
Key specifications include a 10-bit ADC with up to 17 channels, two I2C/SPI interfaces, two UART interfaces, four 8-bit timers plus a 16-bit timer, Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) for flexible pin mapping, and up to 18 general-purpose I/O pins. The XLP architecture supports sleep currents below 1 uA with active run currents in the hundreds of microamps, enabling multi-year battery lifetimes on coin cells.
The PIC16LF18346 family uses an enhanced mid-range 8-bit CPU with a hardware multiplier, single-cycle hardware multiply, 49 instructions, and a 16-level hardware stack. PPS allows most digital peripherals to be remapped to almost any I/O pin, simplifying PCB layout in dense designs. The 10-bit ADC is complemented by two comparators and a 5-bit DAC reference, enabling sensor and motor-control signal chains without external components.
Typical applications include IoT sensor nodes, wearable health monitors, remote controls, low-power wireless sensor networks, battery-powered HVAC controls, and home automation devices. The PPS and CIP features make it well-suited to designs that need to minimize external components while maintaining long battery life.
When designing with this part, select a low-quiescent LDO for the 1.8-3.6V supply to preserve the XLP sleep-current advantage, and route ADC inputs with short, guarded traces to minimize digital noise coupling. Always enable the PPS lock feature in production firmware to prevent accidental pin-function changes in noisy environments.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in same-package alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone, providing a faster procurement and evaluation path for engineers.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LF18346T-I/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 PIC16LF18346T-I/GZ (same form factor and footprint) — differing in ADC, Package, DAC, Operating Temperature, Program Memory (Flash).
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16LF18346-I/GZ
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LF18346-E/GZ
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.89 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF18346T-I/GZVAO
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LF18326T-I/GZ
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LF18345T-I/GZ
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.88 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF18346T-I/GZ Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC16 enhanced mid-range 8-bit |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 28 KB (16K x 14) |
| Data RAM | 2 KB |
| Data EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 32 MHz |
| Operating Voltage Range | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40C to +85C |
| Package | 20-pin UQFN (4x4 mm) |
| GPIO Count | 18 |
| ADC | 10-bit, up to 17 channels |
| Comparators | 2 |
| DAC | 5-bit |
| Timers | 4x 8-bit, 1x 16-bit |
| Communication Interfaces | 2x SPI/I2C, 2x UART |
| Core Independent Peripherals | CLC, CWG, NCO, PWM, CCP |
| Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) | Yes |
| Low-Power Technology | eXtreme Low Power (XLP) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| MSL Level | 1 |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC16LF18346T-I/GZ Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | VDD — Positive supply voltage (1.8V to 3.6V) |
| Pin 2 | RA5 — General purpose I/O with ADC and PPS |
| Pin 3 | RA4 — General purpose I/O with ADC and PPS |
| Pin 4 | RA3 — General purpose I/O / MCLR (programmable) |
| Pin 5 | RC5 — General purpose I/O with PPS |
| Pin 6 | RC4 — General purpose I/O with PPS |
| Pin 7 | RC3 — General purpose I/O with PPS |
| Pin 8 | RC2 — General purpose I/O with PPS |
| Pin 9 | RC1 — General purpose I/O with PPS |
| Pin 10 | RC0 — General purpose I/O with PPS |
| Pin 11 | RA2 — General purpose I/O with ADC and PPS |
| Pin 12 | RA1 — General purpose I/O / ICSPCLK with ADC |
| Pin 13 | RA0 — General purpose I/O / ICSPDAT with ADC |
| Pin 14 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 15 | RB7 — General purpose I/O with PPS |
| Pin 16 | RB6 — General purpose I/O with PPS |
| Pin 17 | RB5 — General purpose I/O with ADC and PPS |
| Pin 18 | RB4 — General purpose I/O with ADC and PPS |
| Pin 19 | RB3 — General purpose I/O with PPS |
| Pin 20 | RB2 — General purpose I/O with PPS |
Typical Applications
PIC16LF18346T-I/GZ is suitable for 6 applications: IoT Sensor Node, Wearable Health Monitor, Battery-Powered HVAC Control, Remote Control / Human Interface Device, Industrial Sensor / 4-20 mA Transmitter, Smart Metering / Utility Endpoint.
IoT Sensor Node
The PIC16LF18346T-I/GZ fits IoT sensor nodes because of its XLP sleep current under 1 uA, 18 GPIO, and 10-bit ADC for analog sensing. With 28 KB Flash and 2 KB RAM it runs BLE/Zigbee RFU stacks alongside sensor drivers without external memory. Place the MCU between a coin-cell and a low-power radio, powering down via sleep mode between measurements to extend battery life to multi-year timescales. Compared with a discrete ADC + 8051 design, the integrated CIPs and PPS reduce BOM by approximately 30 percent and shrink PCB footprint by half.
Recommended
Wearable Health Monitor
The PIC16LF18346T-I/GZ fits wearable health monitors because the 1.8-3.6V range matches coin-cell operation and the XLP architecture delivers nanoamp-level sleep current. Its 10-bit ADC samples heart-rate or SpO2 photodiode signals while PPS maps I2C to any GPIO for sensor routing. According to Microchip datasheet 40001839, the integrated CLC and CWG peripherals enable hardware-only sensor pulse generation, freeing the CPU for Bluetooth Low Energy stack tasks. Designers should route ADC inputs with short guarded traces to minimize digital switching noise coupling into the optical sensor frontend.
Recommended
Battery-Powered HVAC Control
The PIC16LF18346T-I/GZ fits battery-powered HVAC controls because its 1.8-3.6V range supports two AA cells while the 28 KB Flash holds complex scheduling and PID control algorithms. PPS allows flexible PCB layout when the thermostat mounts against a wall with constrained MCU positioning. Compared with discrete logic controllers, the integrated 10-bit ADC with 17 channels directly reads multiple thermistor inputs without external multiplexer ICs. According to datasheet 40001839, the CWG and PWM peripherals drive triac-control outputs directly, eliminating external driver transistors for low-current switching loads.
Recommended
Remote Control / Human Interface Device
The PIC16LF18346T-I/GZ fits remote control and HMI applications because it integrates two I2C/SPI and two UART interfaces simultaneously, supporting both display drivers and wireless transceivers in compact handheld designs. PPS lets the keyboard scan matrix be remapped to any GPIO without rewiring, accelerating mechanical design changes. XLP technology keeps quiescent current under 1 uA, so two AAA cells can run the remote for years of standby operation. The 16-bit timer with hardware compare enables precise IR carrier generation without CPU overhead.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor / 4-20 mA Transmitter
The PIC16LF18346T-I/GZ fits industrial 4-20 mA loop-powered transmitters because of its 1.8V minimum supply and 18-bit-effective ADC performance via oversampling of the 10-bit hardware ADC. The PIC16LF18346-E/GZ variant operates to +125C, suiting industrial-temperature cabinets. PPS simplifies PCB routing when the loop-powered topology forces tight component placement. According to datasheet 40001839, the CLC and comparator peripherals implement zero-crossing detection and HART modulation directly in hardware, offloading the CPU for sensor linearization and diagnostics in industrial loop applications.
Recommended
Smart Metering / Utility Endpoint
The PIC16LF18346T-I/GZ fits smart-metering endpoints because of its low 1.8V minimum supply, XLP sleep current under 1 uA, and 256 bytes of EEPROM for tariff and calibration storage. Two UARTs handle either optical port probing or wireless M-Bus links in parallel with the ADC monitoring current/voltage sensors. Compared with discrete metering designs, the integrated 10-bit ADC with 17 channels replaces an external analog front-end, reducing BOM by approximately 25 percent and PCB area by 40 percent. AES-friendly CPU throughput also supports secure firmware updates.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LF18346T-I/GZ — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16LF18346-I/GZ | PIC16LF18346-E/GZ | PIC16LF18346T-I/GZVAO | PIC16LF18326T-I/GZ | PIC16LF18345T-I/GZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 20-pin UQFN (4x4) | 20-pin UQFN (4x4) - same | 20-pin UQFN (4x4) - same | 20-pin UQFN (4x4) - same | 20-pin UQFN (4x4) - same | 20-pin UQFN (4x4) - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Flash | 28 KB | 28 KB | 28 KB | 28 KB | 28 KB | 14 KB (-50%) |
| RAM | 2 KB | 2 KB | 2 KB | 2 KB | 1 KB (-50%) | 1 KB (-50%) |
| EEPROM | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B |
| Operating Voltage | 1.8V to 3.6V | 1.8V to 3.6V | 1.8V to 3.6V | 1.8V to 3.6V | 1.8V to 3.6V | 1.8V to 3.6V |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +125C (extended) | -40C to +125C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C |
Key Differentiators
- Full 28 KB Flash plus 2 KB RAM in 20-pin UQFN (vs PIC16LF18345T-I/GZ)
- Industrial temperature grade with XLP nanoamp sleep current (vs PIC16LF18326T-I/GZ)
- PPS and CIP integration reduces external components (vs PIC16LF1826T-I/ML)
Design Notes
Select a low-quiescent LDO (such as Microchip MCP1700 or equivalent) to supply the 1.8V-3.6V rail. Estimated: at 3.0V supply and 10 mA peak active current, total average power including ADC and I2C transactions is approximately 30 mW. Use a 100 nF decoupling capacitor within 2 mm of each VDD pin and a bulk 10 uF near the LDO output to handle inrush when waking from sleep. Verify the LDO's ground current is below 1 uA so the XLP sleep-current advantage is not negated by regulator quiescent draw.
Route analog ADC inputs with short, guarded traces and avoid parallel runs with digital switching lines such as PWM or UART. Place a 100 nF decoupling capacitor within 2 mm of each VDD/VSS pair, and use a single-point ground via star topology under the exposed thermal pad (if present on the UQFN package). The thermal pad of the 4x4 UQFN should be soldered to a copper pour of at least 25 mm² to meet thermal ratings and reduce die-to-ambient resistance.
Do not exceed the absolute maximum VDD of 4.0V transient or 3.6V continuous. The PIC16LF18346 uses the LF low-voltage core - applying 5V will damage the device; select the PIC16F18346 variant for 5V rails. Always configure the PPSLOCK register in production firmware to prevent accidental pin-function remapping during EMI events. When programming via ICSP, ensure the ICSPCLK/ICSPDAT pins are not pulled low at reset by external circuitry, which would prevent debugger handshake.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Microchip product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified as standard - choose PIC16LF18346T-I/GZVAO for automotive applications. Halogen-free per Microchip environmental compliance disclosure.
