PIC18F448-I/P - 8-bit 40MHz 16KB Flash MCU w/ CAN | Microchip
MPN: PIC18F448-I/P ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $6.92 | $6.92 |
| 10 | $6.23 | $62.30 |
| 100 | $5.54 | $554.00 |
| 500 | $4.98 | $2,490.00 |
| 1,000 | $4.42 | $4,420.00 |
PIC18F448-I/P Overview
What is a PIC18F microcontroller? The PIC18F is Microchip's enhanced 8-bit family built on a modified Harvard RISC architecture. PIC18F devices belong to the broader 8-bit microcontroller category, which sits under the embedded MCU hierarchy (microcontroller -> microcontroller IC -> semiconductor). The PIC18F instruction set uses 77 single-word instructions, so most instructions execute in one instruction cycle (4 clock periods), which is why a 40 MHz oscillator yields 10 MIPS throughput. Compared with base-line PIC16F parts, the PIC18F family adds higher program/data memory, larger register sets, and richer peripherals such as CAN, USB, and enhanced capture/compare modules.
Key differentiating features of the PIC18F448 include on-chip ECAN-ready CAN module, 10-bit ADC with up to 8 channels, two capture/compare/PWM (CCP) modules plus an enhanced ECCP, two USART ports, MSSP (SPI/I2C), 10 MIPs throughput, and self-programmable Flash. The /I suffix in the part number indicates the industrial temperature range of -40 C to +85 C, and the /P indicates the PDIP-40 package.
The PIC18F448 architecture combines a 16-bit-wide instruction word with an 8-bit data path, allowing single-cycle access to Flash while preserving byte-level peripheral operation. The integrated CAN engine supports CAN 2.0B active frames at up to 1 Mbps bit rate, providing hardware message acceptance filtering and interrupt-driven transmission. The Flash memory is qualified for at least 100,000 erase/write cycles and supports ICSP (In-Circuit Serial Programming) for production-line or field updates.
Typical applications for the PIC18F448 include CAN nodes in automotive body and chassis electronics, industrial sensor nodes, building-automation nodes, low-end PLCs, and CAN bridges. The 34 I/O pins plus analog and serial peripherals cover most simple to moderately complex networked embedded designs without external glue logic.
A key design consideration is supply decoupling. Place a 100 nF ceramic capacitor as close as possible to the VDD pin and a 10 uF bulk capacitor on the analog AVDD rail to keep ADC noise low. When the CAN bus is active, also respect the ISO 11898 transceiver layout guidance and use a dedicated CAN transceiver IC such as MCP2551.
This page combines distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes that are not bundled in any single distributor page.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC18F448-I/P — 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 PIC18F448-I/P (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Operating Temperature, Core Architecture, ADC, Timers.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC18F448-E/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.8 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F458-I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$7.45 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F4580-I/P
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$5.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F4550-I/P
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18F442-I/P
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$5.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F448-I/P Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core | PIC18 8-bit RISC |
| Program Memory Type | Flash |
| Program Memory Size | 16 KB (8K x 16) |
| RAM Size | 768 B |
| EEPROM Size | 256 B |
| Max CPU Speed | 40 MHz (10 MIPS) |
| Instruction Set | 77 single-word instructions |
| Operating Voltage | 2.0 V to 5.5 V |
| I/O Pins | 34 |
| ADC | 10-bit, 8 channels |
| CAN Module | 1 (CAN 2.0B active) |
| USART | 2 |
| MSSP (SPI/I2C) | 1 |
| CCP / ECCP Modules | 2 CCP + 1 ECCP |
| Timers | 4 (Timer0/1/2/3) |
| Package | PDIP-40 (/P) |
| Mounting Type | Through-Hole |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial, /I) |
| MSL Level | 1 (unlimited floor life, through-hole) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC18F448-I/P Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | MCLR/VPP — Master clear (reset) input / programming voltage input |
| Pin 2 | RA0/AN0 — PORTA bit 0 / analog input 0 |
| Pin 3 | RA1/AN1 — PORTA bit 1 / analog input 1 |
| Pin 4 | RA2/AN2/VREF-/CVREF — PORTA bit 2 / analog input 2 / DAC ref- / comparator Vref |
| Pin 5 | RA3/AN3/VREF+ — PORTA bit 3 / analog input 3 / ADC Vref+ |
| Pin 6 | RA4/T0CKI/C1OUT — PORTA bit 4 / Timer0 clock / comparator 1 output |
| Pin 7 | RA5/AN4/SS/HLVDIN/C2OUT — PORTA bit 5 / analog input 4 / SPI SS / HLVD / comparator 2 out |
| Pin 8 | RE0/RD/AN5 — PORTE bit 0 / read control for PSP / analog input 5 |
| Pin 9 | RE1/WR/AN6 — PORTE bit 1 / write control / analog input 6 |
| Pin 10 | RE2/CS/AN7 — PORTE bit 2 / chip select / analog input 7 |
| Pin 11 | VDD — Digital supply voltage (2.0 V to 5.5 V) |
| Pin 12 | VSS — Digital ground |
| Pin 13 | OSC1/CLKI/RA7 — Crystal oscillator input / external clock in |
| Pin 14 | OSC2/CLKO/RA6 — Crystal oscillator output / clock out |
| Pin 15 | RC0/T1OSO/T1CKI — PORTC bit 0 / Timer1 oscillator out / Timer1 clock |
| Pin 16 | RC1/T1OSI/CCP2 — PORTC bit 1 / Timer1 oscillator in / CCP2 |
| Pin 17 | RC2/CCP1 — PORTC bit 2 / CCP1 PWM output |
| Pin 18 | RC3/SCK/SCL — PORTC bit 3 / SPI clock / I2C clock |
| Pin 19 | RD0/PSP0/C1IN+ — PORTD bit 0 / parallel slave port bit 0 |
| Pin 20 | RD1/PSP1/C1IN- — PORTD bit 1 / PSP bit 1 |
| Pin 21 | RD2/PSP2/C2IN+ — PORTD bit 2 / PSP bit 2 |
| Pin 22 | RD3/PSP3/C2IN- — PORTD bit 3 / PSP bit 3 |
| Pin 23 | RC4/SDI/SDA — PORTC bit 4 / SPI data in / I2C data |
| Pin 24 | RC5/SDO — PORTC bit 5 / SPI data out |
| Pin 25 | RC6/TX/CK — PORTC bit 6 / USART TX / USART sync clock |
| Pin 26 | RC7/RX/DT — PORTC bit 7 / USART RX / USART sync data |
| Pin 27 | RD4/PSP4/ECCP1/P1A — PORTD bit 4 / PSP bit 4 / enhanced CCP1 PWM output A |
| Pin 28 | RD5/PSP5/P1B — PORTD bit 5 / PSP bit 5 / enhanced CCP1 PWM output B |
| Pin 29 | RD6/PSP6/P1C — PORTD bit 6 / PSP bit 6 / enhanced CCP1 PWM output C |
| Pin 30 | RD7/PSP7/P1D — PORTD bit 7 / PSP bit 7 / enhanced CCP1 PWM output D |
| Pin 31 | VSS — Digital ground |
| Pin 32 | VDD — Digital supply voltage |
| Pin 33 | RB0/INT0 — PORTB bit 0 / external interrupt 0 |
| Pin 34 | RB1/INT1 — PORTB bit 1 / external interrupt 1 |
| Pin 35 | RB2/INT2/CANTX — PORTB bit 2 / external interrupt 2 / CAN transmit output |
| Pin 36 | RB3/CANRX — PORTB bit 3 / CAN receive input |
| Pin 37 | RB4 — PORTB bit 4 |
| Pin 38 | RB5 — PORTB bit 5 |
| Pin 39 | RB6/PGC — PORTB bit 6 / ICSP clock |
| Pin 40 | RB7/PGD — PORTB bit 7 / ICSP data |
Typical Applications
PIC18F448-I/P is suitable for 6 applications: Automotive CAN Body Electronics Nodes, Industrial Sensor and Actuator Nodes, Building Automation and HVAC Controllers, Low-End PLC and Motor Control Subsystems, CAN-to-Serial Bridges and Gateways, Educational and Hobby Robotics Platforms.
Automotive CAN Body Electronics Nodes
The PIC18F448-I/P is purpose-built for automotive body and chassis CAN nodes (window/liftgate controllers, seat controllers, lighting modules). Its on-chip CAN 2.0B engine supports up to 1 Mbps bit rates and 11-/29-bit identifiers with hardware acceptance filtering, eliminating the need for an external standalone CAN controller. The 16 KB Flash and 768 B RAM are sufficient for typical body-controller state machines, and the industrial -40 C to +85 C grade covers cabin temperatures. A companion MCP2551 CAN transceiver handles the ISO 11898 physical layer, while the part's 34 I/O lines and PWM/CCP modules drive relays, LEDs, and small DC loads directly.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor and Actuator Nodes
For factory-floor sensor nodes (limit switches, encoders, analog transducers) the PIC18F448-I/P provides on-chip 10-bit ADC with up to 8 channels, plus USART and MSSP for SPI/I2C sensor chains. The 10 MIPS throughput handles modest DSP-style filtering and HMI response within latency budgets, while the 40-pin PDIP package simplifies hand-soldered prototypes and field-replaceable modules. CAN connectivity lets many PIC18F448-I/P nodes share a single industrial bus back to a PLC. The wide 2.0 V to 5.5 V supply range also accommodates 3.3 V sensors and legacy 5 V actuator drives on the same board.
Recommended
Building Automation and HVAC Controllers
Building automation controllers (BACnet-over-CAN or proprietary CAN) benefit from the PIC18F448-I/P's integrated CAN, EEPROM for non-volatile setpoints, and PWM/CCP channels for fan/valve actuator control. The 10-bit ADC reads multiple analog temperature, humidity, and pressure sensors in parallel, while two USARTs allow simultaneous BMS-bus and local HMI-panel connectivity. The -40 C to +85 C industrial range handles mechanical-room environments without additional thermal hardening.
Recommended
Low-End PLC and Motor Control Subsystems
Compact PLCs and small inverter/motor-control boards use the PIC18F448-I/P as a supervisory controller that handles CAN communication, user I/O scanning, and PID-style loop closure around a power-stage driver. The Enhanced CCP module generates center-aligned PWM up to 40 MHz peripheral clock, while the four timers provide input capture for speed feedback. The MCU's 16 KB Flash holds typical ladder-logic or state-machine firmware and supports self-programming for field updates.
Recommended
CAN-to-Serial Bridges and Gateways
Industrial gateways that translate between CAN and RS-232/RS-485 or USB are a natural fit for the PIC18F448-I/P because the device exposes two USARTs and one CAN controller simultaneously. Firmware can filter/forward CAN frames in real time at low bus loads using the 10 MIPS CPU and 768-byte RAM mailbox. The 40-pin PDIP package suits rugged field-mounted gateway enclosures where through-hole soldering is preferred for vibration tolerance.
Recommended
Educational and Hobby Robotics Platforms
Hobby robotics platforms and university embedded courses frequently adopt the PIC18F448-I/P because the 40-pin PDIP is breadboard-friendly, the instruction set has only 77 opcodes, and Microchip's MPLAB X + XC8 toolchain is free. CAN connectivity teaches students industrial networking basics while the CCP/PWM channels drive servos and DC motors. The 16 KB Flash accommodates reasonable C-coded projects, and ICSP lets students reprogram in-circuit without removing the chip.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC18F448-I/P — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC18F448-E/P | PIC18F458-I/P | PIC18F4580-I/P | PIC18F4550-I/P | PIC18F442-I/P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | PDIP-40 (/P) | PDIP-40 - same | PDIP-40 - same | PDIP-40 - same | PDIP-40 - same | PDIP-40 - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 16 KB | 16 KB | 32 KB | 32 KB | 32 KB | 16 KB |
| RAM | 768 B | 768 B | 1536 B | 1536 B | 2048 B | 768 B |
| EEPROM | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B |
| CAN Module | 1 (CAN 2.0B) | 1 (CAN 2.0B) | 1 (CAN 2.0B) | 1 (ECAN 2.0B) | 1 (CAN 2.0B) | None |
| USB | No | No | Yes (USB FS) | Yes (USB FS) | Yes (USB FS) | No |
| Max CPU Speed | 40 MHz / 10 MIPS | 40 MHz / 10 MIPS | 40 MHz / 10 MIPS | 48 MHz / 12 MIPS | 48 MHz / 12 MIPS | 40 MHz / 10 MIPS |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C (industrial) | -40 C to +125 C (extended) | -40 C to +85 C (industrial) | -40 C to +85 C (industrial) | -40 C to +85 C (industrial) | -40 C to +85 C (industrial) |
Key Differentiators
- Industrial temp grade suits cabin electronics, not under-hood (vs PIC18F448-E/P)
- Cost-optimized CAN, no USB (vs PIC18F458-I/P)
- Dedicated CAN, no USB silicon overhead (vs PIC18F4550-I/P)
Design Notes
Decouple VDD with a 100 nF ceramic capacitor placed within 5 mm of pins 11 and 32, and add a bulk 10 uF tantalum or ceramic on the same net. The analog AVdd (when supplied separately on pin 7 - RA5/AN4) needs an additional 10 uF plus 100 nF RC network to keep ADC noise low. Avoid routing digital switching traces under the AVdd/AVss pin pair to minimize digital-to-analog crosstalk. When the internal CAN module is active, also place a 100 nF cap close to the MCP2551 transceiver's VCC pin.
For CAN bus nodes, keep the differential CANH/CANL traces short, matched in length, and routed as a 100-ohm differential pair with no stubs; place the termination resistor (typically 120 ohm) only at the bus ends. The MCP2551 should sit no more than 10 mm from the PIC18F448 CANRX/CANTX pins (RB3/RB2) and the trace impedance to the bus should be 120 ohms differential. A common-mode choke on CANH/CANL further improves EMI immunity in automotive harnesses.
Do not configure the ADC while the internal CAN module is in reset without first clearing the ANSEL bits for the ADC channels - shared analog/digital I/O pins default differently between PIC18F448 and PIC18F4580 variants. Also, the ICSP clock and data pins (RB6/RB7) must be left in high-impedance mode during normal runtime or external pull-ups on those pins will interfere with programming. When upgrading to PIC18F458-I/P, recompile the project because the Flash and RAM linker map differs from PIC18F448 even though pins are identical.
Compliance Information
RoHS-compliant Microchip MCU per Microchip product page. /I grade is industrial temp (-40 to +85 C), not AEC-Q100; AEC-Q100 variants are sold separately under automotive part numbers. Lead-free PDIP packaging.
