PIC16LF18346T-I/SO - 32MHz 8-bit XLP MCU 28KB Flash SOIC-20
MPN: PIC16LF18346T-I/SO ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.62 | $1.62 |
| 10 | $1.49 | $14.90 |
| 100 | $1.28 | $128.00 |
| 500 | $1.12 | $560.00 |
| 1,000 | $0.99 | $990.00 |
PIC16LF18346T-I/SO Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer built around an 8-bit data bus, optimized for cost-sensitive embedded control where deterministic GPIO toggling and ultra-low sleep current matter more than raw compute throughput. Within the broader taxonomy, PIC MCUs belong to the microcontroller category, which sits between general-purpose microprocessors and application-specific SoCs; the PIC16F sub-family uses a 14-bit instruction word and is one of the most widely deployed 8-bit cores in industrial, consumer, and IoT products.
Key features that distinguish this part include Peripheral Pin Select (PPS), which allows remapping of digital peripherals to any I/O pin for layout flexibility; eXtreme Low Power (XLP) with sleep currents below 1 uA typical; and functional safety (FuSa) support for safety-critical designs. The 256-byte EEPROM supports non-volatile user data storage without wearing the Flash array.
The architecture combines a Harvard RISC core with on-chip debug, a configurable logic cell (CLC) for hardware glue logic, complementary waveform generator (CWG), and numerically controlled oscillator (NCO) blocks. PPS, CIPs, and XLP together minimize external component count and extend battery life.
Typical applications include battery-powered IoT sensor nodes, consumer remote controls, low-end home appliances, industrial sensor conditioning, and portable medical peripherals. The wide 1.8V-3.6V operating range allows direct connection to single-cell Li-ion or two AA cells without additional regulation.
When designing with this device, allocate one I/O for the MCLR reset function unless the internal weak pull-up is enabled via configuration bits. Use PPS early in the schematic capture to avoid layout rework when assigning peripheral functions to physical pins.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, tape-and-reel packaging details, same-family drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LF18346T-I/SO — 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/SO (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Core Architecture, Package, ADC, Communication Peripherals, Core Independent Peripherals.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16LF18346-I/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.22 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F18346T-I/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.65 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF18326T-I/SO
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LF18345T-I/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.06 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF18346T-I/SO Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC16 8-bit RISC |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 28 KB (16K x 14 words) |
| Data RAM | 2 KB |
| Data EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 32 MHz |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (Industrial) |
| ADC | 10-bit |
| SPI | 2x |
| I2C | 2x |
| Package | 20-SOIC (7.50 mm width) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| MSL Level | 1 (unlimited floor life) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Low-Power Technology | XLP (eXtreme Low Power) |
| Core Independent Peripherals | CLC, CWG, CCP, PWM, NCO |
| Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) | Yes |
PIC16LF18346T-I/SO Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | VDD — Positive supply voltage (1.8V-3.6V) |
| Pin 2 | RA5 — Bidirectional I/O / analog input |
| Pin 3 | RA4 — Bidirectional I/O / analog input |
| Pin 4 | RA3 — Bidirectional I/O / MCLR input (per configuration) |
| Pin 5 | RA2 — Bidirectional I/O / analog input |
| Pin 6 | RA1 — Bidirectional I/O / analog input |
| Pin 7 | RA0 — Bidirectional I/O / analog input |
| Pin 8 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 9 | RA7 — Bidirectional I/O / oscillator |
| Pin 10 | RA6 — Bidirectional I/O / oscillator |
| Pin 11 | RC5 — Bidirectional I/O / PPS remappable |
| Pin 12 | RC4 — Bidirectional I/O / PPS remappable |
| Pin 13 | RC3 — Bidirectional I/O / PPS remappable |
| Pin 14 | RC2 — Bidirectional I/O / PPS remappable |
| Pin 15 | RC1 — Bidirectional I/O / ICSPCLK |
| Pin 16 | RC0 — Bidirectional I/O / ICSPDAT |
| Pin 17 | RB7 — Bidirectional I/O / PPS remappable |
| Pin 18 | RB6 — Bidirectional I/O / PPS remappable |
| Pin 19 | RB5 — Bidirectional I/O / PPS remappable |
| Pin 20 | RB4 — Bidirectional I/O / PPS remappable |
Typical Applications
PIC16LF18346T-I/SO is suitable for 7 applications: Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Node, Consumer Remote Control, Low-End Home Appliance Control, Industrial Sensor Conditioning, Portable Medical Peripheral, Automotive Body Electronics, Smart Home Wireless Node.
Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Node
The PIC16LF18346T-I/SO fits battery-powered IoT sensor nodes because its eXtreme Low Power (XLP) technology delivers sleep currents below 1 uA typical and its 1.8V-3.6V supply range accepts two AA alkaline cells or a single Li-ion cell directly without an external LDO. The 28KB Flash accommodates BLE/Zigbee stack fragments and sensor-fusion code; the integrated 10-bit ADC reads temperature, humidity, or gas sensors; and the two I2C/SPI peripherals interface with environmental sensors and a radio module. PPS lets the designer remap peripheral pins late in the schematic phase, reducing PCB rework when the RF section layout changes. Compared with a Cortex-M0+ solution, this part delivers lower sleep current and a simpler BOM at the cost of compute throughput.
Recommended
Consumer Remote Control
The PIC16LF18346T-I/SO suits consumer remote controls thanks to its low active current (sub-mA/MHz typical) and deep sleep modes that allow coin-cell battery life to extend beyond one year. The 10-bit ADC reads IR-photodiode signals for learning-mode remotes; PWM drives an IR LED at 38 kHz carrier; and CWG generates complementary IR drive waveforms without CPU involvement. The 256-byte EEPROM stores learned IR codes without wearing Flash. Pin-compatibility with the smaller PIC16LF18326T-I/SO gives designers a cost-down path for simplified remotes needing only 16KB Flash.
Recommended
Low-End Home Appliance Control
In low-end home appliances such as small kitchen blenders, air purifiers, and rice cookers, the PIC16LF18346T-I/SO provides deterministic GPIO control for relays, TRIACs, and segment displays while its integrated peripherals (CLC, CWG, PWM) replace external logic and timer ICs. The 20-SOIC package is hand-solderable for prototyping and supports wave soldering for high-volume assembly. The 256-byte EEPROM stores user preferences such as favorite cooking programs or filter-life counters, surviving power cycles without Flash wear. Industrial -40C to +85C temperature tolerance covers unheated cabinet environments.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Conditioning
The PIC16LF18346T-I/SO is well suited to industrial sensor conditioning front-ends where it digitizes a 4-20 mA or 0-10 V transducer output via its 10-bit ADC, applies linearization in firmware, and transmits the result over RS-485 or I2C to a controller. Its CWG and CLC blocks implement hardware PWM excitation for RTD bridge sensors, reducing firmware load. The 1.8V-3.6V supply allows operation directly from a 3.3V regulated rail common in industrial PLCs. PPS simplifies routing when the 4-20 mA loop interface is placed at the far edge of the PCB away from digital I/O.
Recommended
Portable Medical Peripheral
For portable medical peripherals such as pulse oximeters, single-parameter patient monitors, and electronic thermometers, the PIC16LF18346T-I/SO combines low-power operation, deterministic real-time response, and a small 20-SOIC footprint. The 10-bit ADC reads photoplethysmography (PPG) signals from a red/IR LED finger probe; PWM drives the LED at controlled duty cycles to limit average current; and the two I2C peripherals interface with a small OLED display and an EEPROM patient log. XLP sleep extends battery life between measurements; the LF variant's 1.8V minimum supports direct operation from a coin-cell backup.
Recommended
Automotive Body Electronics
In automotive body electronics applications such as interior lighting controllers, seat-position memory modules, and HVAC flap actuators, the PIC16LF18346T-I/SO with its AEC-Q100 capable family member provides robust performance across -40C to +125C. The 20-SOIC package is suitable for under-dash mounting where 5V supply is available; PPS remaps SPI to interface with LIN or CAN transceivers via software-configurable pins. The 28KB Flash supports CAN/LIN stack fragments and state-machine logic for position memory. Note that the automotive-grade AEC-Q100 qualified version is PIC16F18346T-I/SO (F variant, not LF), as confirmed by the DigiKey product listing for the FuSa variant.
Recommended
Smart Home Wireless Node
The PIC16LF18346T-I/SO serves as the host MCU for smart home wireless nodes such as battery-powered door/window sensors, leak detectors, and occupancy sensors. Its sleep current below 1 uA and Cortex-class deep-sleep wake sources enable multi-year battery life on a single CR2032 cell. The two I2C peripherals connect to a low-power sub-GHz or BLE radio module and a sensor; the 10-bit ADC reads battery voltage and analog sensors; and the 256-byte EEPROM stores network keys and calibration constants. PPS lets the designer keep the radio and sensor on opposite sides of the PCB for optimal antenna placement without firmware changes.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LF18346T-I/SO — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16LF18346-I/SO | PIC16F18346T-I/SO | PIC16LF18326T-I/SO | PIC16LF18345T-I/SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 20-SOIC | 20-SOIC (same) | 20-SOIC (same) | 20-SOIC (same) | 20-SOIC (same) |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Flash Memory | 28 KB | 28 KB | 28 KB | 16 KB | 14 KB |
| RAM | 2 KB | 2 KB | 2 KB | 1 KB | 1 KB |
| Operating Voltage | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 2.3 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| Max CPU Speed | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz |
| ADC | 10-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit |
| XLP / Low Power | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Automotive Grade | Industrial (-40C to +85C) | Industrial | AEC-Q100 capable (FuSa variant) | Industrial | Industrial |
Key Differentiators
- Highest Flash density in 20-SOIC PIC16 family (vs PIC16LF18326T-I/SO)
- Wide low-voltage range with LF designator (vs PIC16F18346T-I/SO)
- Twice the RAM of smaller siblings (vs PIC16LF18345T-I/SO)
- Integrated CIPs reduce external component count (vs PIC16LF18326T-I/SO)
Design Notes
Estimated: At VDD=3.3V and active current of about 5 mA at 32 MHz, the MCU dissipates roughly 16.5 mW. In Sleep mode with XLP, current drops below 1 uA, so battery life for an IoT sensor waking every 10 seconds is dominated by sleep current: a CR2032 (220 mAh) provides theoretical life exceeding 25 years if wake cycles are kept short (<5 ms). Place a 100 nF ceramic decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of VDD (pin 1) and a 10 uF bulk capacitor at the board power entry to handle inrush during radio transmission events.
Do not assume the PIC16LF18346T-I/SO can be programmed with a 5V programmer - it operates at 1.8V-3.6V and the ICSP pins are not 5V tolerant. Use Microchip's MPLAB PICkit 4 or MPLAB ICD 4 in 3.3V mode. Configuration bits must be set explicitly: if MCLR is disabled, an external reset supervisor (such as MCP130) is recommended for safety-critical applications to ensure deterministic startup under brown-out conditions.
Keep the SOIC-20 footprint on a 1.27 mm pitch standard land pattern with at least 0.2 mm annular ring for wave-solder compatibility. Place the decoupling capacitor (100 nF X7R) directly under or beside pin 1 with traces shorter than 3 mm to minimize VDD ripple during CWG/PWM switching events. Route the ICSP signals (RC0/RC1) to a 6-pin header with dedicated test points; do not share these pins with high-current loads because in-circuit programming requires bus isolation.
Take advantage of Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) to free up board space: route SPI to RB4-RB7 and I2C to RC3-RC5 even if the datasheet default mapping places these on different pins. This eliminates 2-3 layer crossings on space-constrained 2-layer boards. Always check the latest PPS Unlock Sequence in the device Family Programming Specification before locking the configuration bits, because locked PPS requires a full Bulk Erase to reprogram.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free compliant per Microchip product page. The standard PIC16LF18346T-I/SO is industrial grade (-40C to +85C). For AEC-Q100 automotive qualification, choose PIC16F18346T-I/SO (the F variant with FuSa / automotive qualification).
