PIC16LF18346T-I/SS - 32MHz 8-bit XLP MCU, 28KB Flash | Microchip
MPN: PIC16LF18346T-I/SS ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.38 | $1.38 |
| 10 | $1.24 | $12.40 |
| 100 | $1.1 | $110.00 |
| 500 | $0.99 | $495.00 |
| 1,000 | $0.89 | $890.00 |
| 3,000 | $0.79 | $2,370.00 |
PIC16LF18346T-I/SS Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller is a single-chip computer built around an 8-bit data path and Harvard-architecture CISC core, optimized for deterministic control of simple analog and digital I/O at very low cost and ultra-low power. Within the broader taxonomy these parts are classified as microcontrollers (MCU) -> 8-bit microcontrollers -> low-power microcontrollers -> PIC16 family -> PIC16F183xx sub-family. They sit below 16-bit MCUs and 32-bit Cortex-M cores in compute and memory scale, but excel at energy efficiency, real-time interrupt response, and short development cycles where raw MIPS-per-dollar matters more than absolute throughput.
The LF18346's Core Independent Peripherals (CIPs) include the Configurable Logic Cell (CLC), Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG), Numerically Controlled Oscillator (NCO), and multiple Capture/Compare/PWM (CCP) modules that operate without CPU intervention. The Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) feature allows digital peripherals to be remapped to alternate I/O pins, which simplifies PCB layout in space-constrained SSOP designs. Instruction execution is enhanced by an internal 32 MHz oscillator that is factory calibrated to within ±1% across the full voltage and temperature range, eliminating the need for an external crystal in cost-sensitive applications.
Typical applications include battery-powered sensor nodes, wearable health monitors, remote controls, low-power IoT edge devices, and capacitive-touch user interfaces. The 256-byte EEPROM is well suited for storing calibration constants, device IDs, and user preferences across power cycles, while the 2 KB RAM supports modest protocol stacks such as SMBus or Modbus slave on industrial sensors. Designers who upgrade from smaller PIC16 devices appreciate the migration path this part provides within the same MPLAB X IDE and XC8 toolchain.
Designers should pair this device with a low-ESR ceramic decoupling capacitor of at least 100 nF placed within 2-3 mm of the VDD pin, and a bulk capacitor of 1-10 µF on the same rail. The unused I/O pins should be configured as outputs low or inputs with internal weak pull-ups enabled to minimize sleep current, and care must be taken to keep unused PPS-mapped peripherals in their reset state to avoid spurious wake events.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in PIC16 same-family alternatives, and practical low-power design notes that complement - not duplicate - the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LF18346T-I/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 PIC16LF18346T-I/SS (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Operating Temperature, Program Memory (Flash), DAC, Package, ADC.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16LF18326T-I/SS
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LF18345T-I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.79 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F18346T-I/SS
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F18346-E/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.55 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF18326T-I/JQ
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$0.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF18346T-I/SS Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | PIC® XLP™ 16F |
| Core | PIC16 8-bit RISC |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 28 KB (16K x 14) |
| Data RAM | 2 KB |
| EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Frequency | 32 MHz |
| Operating Voltage Range | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| I/O Pins | 18 |
| ADC | 10-bit, up to 12 channels |
| DAC | 5-bit, 32 levels |
| Communication Interfaces | 2x SPI, 2x I²C, 2x EUSART |
| Timers/PWM | CCP, PWM via CIP |
| Core Independent Peripherals | CLC, CWG, NCO, PPS |
| Package | 20-pin SSOP |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature | -40°C to +85°C (industrial, I grade) |
| Process Technology | CMOS with XLP low-power |
| MSL Level | 1 (unlimited) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead Free | Yes |
PIC16LF18346T-I/SS Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | VDD — Positive supply (1.8 V to 3.6 V) |
| Pin 2 | RA0 — Analog-capable I/O / ADC channel |
| Pin 3 | RA1 — Analog-capable I/O / ADC channel |
| Pin 4 | RA2 — Analog-capable I/O / ADC channel |
| Pin 5 | RA3 — Analog-capable I/O / MCLR input |
| Pin 6 | RA4 — Digital I/O / SOSC crystal driver |
| Pin 7 | RA5 — Analog-capable I/O / ADC channel |
| Pin 8 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 9 | RA7 — Digital I/O / PGC (programming) / DAC reference |
| Pin 10 | RA6 — Digital I/O / ICSPCLK |
| Pin 11 | RC0 — Analog-capable I/O / ADC channel |
| Pin 12 | RC1 — Analog-capable I/O / ADC channel |
| Pin 13 | RC2 — Analog-capable I/O / ADC channel |
| Pin 14 | RC3 — Analog-capable I/O / ADC channel / SCL |
| Pin 15 | RC4 — Analog-capable I/O / ADC channel / SDA |
| Pin 16 | RC5 — Analog-capable I/O / ADC channel |
| Pin 17 | RC6 — Digital I/O / TX/CK |
| Pin 18 | RC7 — Digital I/O / RX/DT |
| Pin 19 | RB7 — Digital I/O / ICSPDAT / analog |
| Pin 20 | RB6 — Digital I/O / PGD / analog |
Typical Applications
PIC16LF18346T-I/SS is suitable for 6 applications: Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes, Wearable Health Monitors, Capacitive-Touch User Interfaces, Industrial Sensor Conditioning and Alarming, Low-Cost Remote Controls and IR-Controlled Devices, Smart-Home Edge Nodes and BLE Beacons.
Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes
The PIC16LF18346T-I/SS is well-suited to battery-powered IoT sensor nodes thanks to its eXtreme Low Power (XLP) sleep current under 1 µA and 1.8-3.6 V wide-supply tolerance that matches single-cell Li-coin or 2x AA chemistries. The 28 KB Flash fits over-the-air firmware-update loaders plus application code for temperature, humidity, and motion sensors, while the dedicated 10-bit ADC with 12 channels performs periodic battery-voltage and sensor sampling without waking the CPU. The XLP DOZE mode plus selective I/O gating routinely achieves years of service from a CR2032 cell, making this MCU the platform of choice for LoRa/Sigfox end-node boards and BLE-beacon peripherals. Pairing with a CC2530 or RN4871 radio module places the part inside typical 5-10 mA TX active current, dominated by the radio, not the MCU.
Recommended
Wearable Health Monitors
The PIC16LF18346T-I/SS is a strong fit for wearable health monitors because its 32 MHz 8-bit core provides enough MIPS for heart-rate/SPO2 signal conditioning while keeping active current below 1 mA at full compute load. The on-chip mTouch® Capacitive Sensing Module supports up to 12 capacitive buttons or sliders with no external components, enabling sealed wearable user interfaces that resist sweat and water ingress. The 256-byte EEPROM stores calibration data across battery replacements, and the 2 KB RAM buffers raw pulse-oximetry samples before BLE transmission. Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) lets designers remap I²C/SPI to RB4-RB7 to avoid conflicts with analog front-ends on a tight 20-SSOP layout.
Recommended
Capacitive-Touch User Interfaces
The PIC16LF18346T-I/SS drives capacitive-touch user interfaces via the on-chip mTouch module that uses the internal ADC and auto-calibration logic to detect up to 12 touch buttons with no external capacitors. The Core Independent Peripherals (CLC/CWG) process sensor data without CPU intervention, enabling sub-µA touch-probe current in sleep and instantaneous wake on touch. Designers gain 28 KB of Flash to host anti-noise scanning algorithms and self-capacitance wheel/slider decoding that meets IEC 61000-4-6 conducted-immunity on white-goods and appliance control panels.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Conditioning and Alarming
The PIC16LF18346T-I/SS is a dependable MCU for industrial sensor conditioning because the 10-bit ADC with 12 channels runs in hardware-triggered, sleep-walking mode from a 31 kHz LFINTOSC source, removing the need to keep the CPU active while sampling. Two EUSART and two SPI/I²C peripherals enable slave-node stacks such as Modbus-RTU on RS-485 or SMBus plus 4-20 mA analog loops, while the 256-byte EEPROM retains set-points and alarm thresholds during brown-outs and battery backup events. PPS remap solves the trace-mismatch common in retrofit SSOP-20 sensor boards, and the I-grade -40 to +85°C operating range suits factory-floor installations.
Recommended
Low-Cost Remote Controls and IR-Controlled Devices
The PIC16LF18346T-I/SS fits low-cost remote-control designs because its 32 MHz MIPS-to-µA ratio is well-matched to IR-protocol carrier generation (38 kHz NEC/RC5), and XLP sleep current under 1 µA delivers multi-year battery life on a single CR2032 with typical 10 mA active bursts. The CCP module produces hardware-timed IR sub-carriers without CPU load, and the Peripheral Pin Select mapper reassigns UART/CCP to any RB/RC pin to simplify two-layer PCB layouts. The 28 KB Flash is ample for multi-protocol decoding libraries, large keymaps, and firmware-update bootloaders common in universal remote designs.
Recommended
Smart-Home Edge Nodes and BLE Beacons
The PIC16LF18346T-I/SS anchors smart-home edge nodes because its 2 KB RAM buffers 4-10 sensor readings between interrupts while the Core Independent Peripherals offload beacon-emit timing, motion-trigger debouncing, and PWM LED dimming without waking the core. The 1.8-3.6 V range matches coin-cell or 2x AAA supplies directly, eliminating boost converters in compact BLE beacon designs. With AES-128-like integrity not in the silicon, the design relies on application-layer security, but the migration to PIC32 or SAM within the same MPLAB X IDE makes long-term scaling to secure AWS-IoT cores painless.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LF18346T-I/SS — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16LF18326T-I/SS | PIC16LF18345T-I/SS | PIC16F18346T-I/SS | PIC16F18346-E/SS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 20-pin SSOP | 20-pin SSOP - same | 20-pin SSOP - same | 20-pin SSOP - same | 20-pin SSOP - same |
| Core / Speed | PIC16 8-bit, 32 MHz | PIC16 8-bit, 32 MHz | PIC16 8-bit, 32 MHz | PIC16 8-bit, 32 MHz | PIC16 8-bit, 32 MHz |
| Program Flash | 28 KB (16K x 14) | 16 KB (-43%) | 14 KB (-50%) | 28 KB | 28 KB |
| Data RAM | 2 KB | 2 KB | 1 KB (-50%) | 2 KB | 2 KB |
| EEPROM | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B |
| Operating Voltage | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 4.0 V to 5.5 V | 4.0 V to 5.5 V |
| Temperature Range | -40°C to +85°C (I grade) | -40°C to +85°C | -40°C to +85°C | -40°C to +85°C | -40°C to +125°C (E grade) |
| ADC | 10-bit, up to 12 channels | 10-bit, up to 11 channels | 10-bit | 10-bit, up to 12 channels | 10-bit, up to 12 channels |
| Unit Price (qty-1) | $1.38 | ~$1.20 | ~$1.10 | ~$1.42 | ~$1.55 |
Key Differentiators
- 28 KB Flash with 2 KB RAM plus 256 B EEPROM in 20-SSOP (vs PIC16LF18326T-I/SS)
- Industrial -40 to +85°C operation at full 32 MHz (vs PIC16LF18345T-I/SS)
- Same SSOP-20 footprint as PIC16F18346 (vs PIC16F18346T-I/SS)
Design Notes
Place a 100 nF X7R decoupling capacitor within 2-3 mm of the VDD pin and a bulk 1-10 µF X5R on the same rail to suppress XLP sleep-mode transients. Configure unused pins as outputs low or inputs with internal weak pull-ups to keep quiescent current below the 1 µA target - any floating input on a CMOS gate can source 5-10 µA per pin, defeating the XLP sleep budget.
Keep the ICSPDAT/PGD (RB7/RB6) pair free of long series resistors or high-capacitance loads; Microchip's in-circuit serial programming relies on clean transitions to these pins. Place the 20-SSOP part on a 2-layer FR4 with a continuous ground plane under the SSOP body and route analog (ADC) traces away from PWM and SPI clock signals to limit coupled switching noise.
Do not apply 5 V to the LF-suffix PIC16LF18346 input - VDD abs max is 4.0 V and over-voltage will permanently damage the silicon. If the system bus is 5 V, drop in PIC16F18346 (F-suffix) which shares the same peripheral mapping and pinout but operates from 4.0-5.5 V. Also note that MCLR/VPP on pin 5 must see a slow-rising VPP ramp per the datasheet programming spec to avoid BOR lockups.
Compliance Information
RoHS/REACH compliant per Microchip product page; LF-suffix parts are -40 to +85°C industrial (I grade), not AEC-Q100 qualified - for automotive designs AEC-Q100 grades in the PIC16F18346 family exist separately.
