PIC18F46K42-E/P - 64KB Flash 8-Bit MCU | Microchip 40-PDIP
MPN: PIC18F46K42-E/P ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $4.32 | $4.32 |
| 10 | $3.86 | $38.60 |
| 100 | $3.21 | $321.00 |
| 500 | $2.74 | $1,370.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.41 | $2,410.00 |
PIC18F46K42-E/P Overview
Key differentiating features include the on-chip Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) for flexible signal routing, an intelligent analog pipeline with auto-acquisition ADC, and Microchip's eXtreme Low Power (XLP) technology for battery-friendly operation. The "K42" family is positioned as an upgrade to older PIC18F "K22" and "K40" devices, providing a richer CIP set without raising cost or power consumption. According to the Microchip datasheet, the device supports up to 36 digital I/O pins depending on package, and includes up to four 16-bit timers, two I2C, two SPI, and one or more UART interfaces.
Typical applications for the PIC18F46K42-E/P include industrial control, sensor conditioning with on-chip op-amp-free analog signal chains, low-power IoT edge nodes, motor control with FOC or trapezoidal commutation, and consumer appliances. The Extended (E) temperature grade and through-hole PDIP package make it especially attractive for prototype, hobbyist, and rugged-environment designs where socketed parts are preferred.
When designing with this MCU, allocate sufficient decoupling on VDD/AVDD pins (100 nF per pin plus bulk) and follow Microchip's emulator/debugger pinout guidance for ICSP. The CIPs allow many functions to run while the CPU is in sleep, making the part a strong fit for battery-powered applications.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC18F46K42-E/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 PIC18F46K42-E/P (same form factor and footprint) — differing in ADC, Package, Operating Temperature, Program Memory (Flash), PWM Channels.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC18F46K42-I/P
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18F46K40-I/P
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18F46K22-I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.61 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F45K42-I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.68 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F46K20-I/PT
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.78 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F46K42-E/P Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC 8-bit RISC |
| Family | PIC18(L)FxxK42 |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 64 KB (64K x 8) |
| Data RAM | 4 KB |
| EEPROM | 1 KB |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 64 MHz |
| Operating Voltage (VDD) | 2.3 V to 5.5 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +125C (Extended grade, "-E") |
| Package | 40-pin PDIP (P) |
| Mounting Type | Through-Hole |
| I/O Pins | Up to 36 |
| ADC | 12-bit ADC2 with Computation |
| DAC | 5-bit DAC |
| Comparators | 2 |
| PWM Channels | Multiple (CCP/ECCP) |
| CWG | Complementary Waveform Generator |
| DMA | Yes |
| Vector Interrupts | Yes |
| Communication | UART, SPI, I2C |
| Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) | Yes |
| Timers | Up to 4 x 16-bit |
| CIPs | Core Independent Peripherals |
| XLP Technology | Yes |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| MSL Level | Not Applicable (through-hole) |
PIC18F46K42-E/P Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RE3/MCLR — Digital I/O / Master Clear (reset) input |
| Pin 2 | RA0 — PORTA bit 0 / analog input |
| Pin 3 | RA1 — PORTA bit 1 / analog input |
| Pin 4 | RA2 — PORTA bit 2 / analog input |
| Pin 5 | RA3 — PORTA bit 3 / analog input |
| Pin 6 | RA4 — PORTA bit 4 / analog input |
| Pin 7 | RA5 — PORTA bit 5 / analog input |
| Pin 8 | RA6 — PORTA bit 6 / analog input |
| Pin 9 | RA7 — PORTA bit 7 / analog input |
| Pin 10 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 11 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 12 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 13 | RB0 — PORTB bit 0 / analog / PPS |
| Pin 14 | RB1 — PORTB bit 1 / analog / PPS |
| Pin 15 | RB2 — PORTB bit 2 / analog / PPS |
| Pin 16 | RB3 — PORTB bit 3 / analog / PPS |
| Pin 17 | RB4 — PORTB bit 4 / PPS |
| Pin 18 | RB5 — PORTB bit 5 / PPS |
| Pin 19 | RB6 — PORTB bit 6 / PPS / ICD |
| Pin 20 | RB7 — PORTB bit 7 / PPS / ICD |
| Pin 21 | RC0 — PORTC bit 0 / PPS |
| Pin 22 | RC1 — PORTC bit 1 / PPS |
| Pin 23 | RC2 — PORTC bit 2 / PPS |
| Pin 24 | RC3 — PORTC bit 3 / PPS |
| Pin 25 | RC4 — PORTC bit 4 / PPS |
| Pin 26 | RC5 — PORTC bit 5 / PPS |
| Pin 27 | RC6 — PORTC bit 6 / PPS / TX |
| Pin 28 | RC7 — PORTC bit 7 / PPS / RX |
| Pin 29 | RD0 — PORTD bit 0 / PPS |
| Pin 30 | RD1 — PORTD bit 1 / PPS |
| Pin 31 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 32 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 33 | RD2 — PORTD bit 2 / PPS |
| Pin 34 | RD3 — PORTD bit 3 / PPS |
| Pin 35 | RD4 — PORTD bit 4 / PPS |
| Pin 36 | RD5 — PORTD bit 5 / PPS |
| Pin 37 | RD6 — PORTD bit 6 / PPS |
| Pin 38 | RD7 — PORTD bit 7 / PPS |
| Pin 39 | RE0 — PORTE bit 0 / analog |
| Pin 40 | RE1 — PORTE bit 1 / analog |
Typical Applications
PIC18F46K42-E/P is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Sensor Conditioning, Low-Power IoT Edge Nodes, BLDC / PMSM Motor Control, Consumer Appliance Control, HMI / User Interface Controller, Automotive Auxiliary Modules.
Industrial Sensor Conditioning
The PIC18F46K42-E/P is well suited to industrial sensor signal conditioning with its on-chip 12-bit ADC2 with Computation that performs averaging, oversampling, and threshold comparison without CPU intervention. Placed at the front end of a 4-20 mA current loop or bridge sensor module, the device samples at up to 200 ksps and routes the digitized result via DMA directly to memory, freeing the CPU for Modbus RTU communications. The -E temperature grade of -40C to +125C supports outdoor and under-hood deployments. A typical circuit combines an op-amp front end, the on-chip ADC2, and a UART/RS-485 transceiver; the CIPs let the MCU stay in sleep while sampling.
Recommended
Low-Power IoT Edge Nodes
With Microchip's XLP technology drawing as little as 50 nA in sleep, the PIC18F46K42-E/P excels in battery-powered IoT edge nodes that wake periodically to read sensors and transmit. The Core Independent Peripherals let a timer, ADC, and UART sequence operate in hardware without waking the CPU, extending coin-cell life to multiple years. A typical reference design pairs the MCU with a sub-GHz transceiver or BLE module on the SPI bus, reads a temperature/humidity sensor, and transmits a packet every 60 seconds. The 64 KB Flash comfortably hosts a LoRaWAN or BLE stack plus application code.
Recommended
BLDC / PMSM Motor Control
The PIC18F46K42-E/P's Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG) and multiple PWM outputs make it a strong candidate for sensorless BLDC or PMSM motor control in fans, pumps, and small appliances. The 64 MHz clock combined with PWM resolution down to a few nanoseconds yields smooth commutation; the on-chip comparators handle back-EMF zero-crossing detection for sensorless trapezoidal drive. A typical reference design uses three PWM channels for the inverter, one timer for commutation timing, and the CWG for dead-band insertion. The -E temperature grade supports under-hood automotive auxiliary motors.
Recommended
Consumer Appliance Control
From coffee machines to washing machines, the PIC18F46K42-E/P provides enough memory, timers, and CIPs to handle HMI buttons, LED or LCD feedback, and motor or heater control in a single chip. The peripheral pin select (PPS) allows the same firmware to be retargeted to different PCB layouts by remapping UART and PWM, easing SKU variants. A typical coffee-machine design uses three PWM channels for pump and heater, a UART for the wireless BLE module, an I2C EEPROM for user preferences, and the 12-bit ADC2 for temperature sensing via NTC.
Recommended
HMI / User Interface Controller
The PIC18F46K42-E/P drives segmented LCDs, character LCDs, or LED matrix displays in industrial HMIs and small operator panels. Its Core Independent Peripherals can scan a 4x4 keypad matrix in hardware while the CPU services a serial protocol like Modbus. Combined with the 5-bit DAC and PWM, the device can also generate beep tones for audible feedback. A reference design uses SPI to drive an ST7565R-based 128x64 graphical LCD, UART for Modbus RTU, and PPS-routed GPIO for keypad scanning.
Recommended
Automotive Auxiliary Modules
Although the PIC18F46K42-E/P itself is not AEC-Q100 qualified (only the -V variant is), the Extended -40C to +125C temperature grade makes it widely used in non-safety automotive auxiliaries such as ambient lighting controllers, seat heaters, and accessory timers. Its core independent peripherals allow lighting patterns to run in hardware while the CPU is asleep, dropping quiescent current to a few microamps - critical for always-on body modules. A typical reference design uses PWM channels to drive LED strings, a LIN transceiver for body-network communication, and the ADC2 to monitor current via a shunt.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC18F46K42-E/P — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC18F46K42-I/P | PIC18F46K40-I/P | PIC18F46K22-I/P | PIC18F45K42-I/P | PIC18F46K20-I/PT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 40-pin PDIP (P) | 40-pin PDIP (P) | 40-pin PDIP (P) | 40-pin PDIP (P) | 40-pin PDIP (P) | TQFP-44 (PT) |
| Flash Memory | 64 KB | 64 KB | 32 KB | 64 KB | 32 KB | 64 KB |
| RAM | 4 KB | 4 KB | 2 KB | 3.8 KB | 2 KB | 3.8 KB |
| Max Clock Frequency | 64 MHz | 64 MHz | 64 MHz | 64 MHz | 64 MHz | 64 MHz |
| ADC Resolution | 12-bit ADC2 with Computation | 12-bit ADC2 with Computation | 10-bit ADC | 10-bit ADC | 12-bit ADC2 with Computation | 10-bit ADC |
| DMA | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | No |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +125C (Extended) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) |
| Core Independent Peripherals (CIPs) | Yes (rich set) | Yes (rich set) | Yes (smaller set) | No | Yes (rich set) | No |
Key Differentiators
- Extended -40C to +125C temperature grade in a 40-pin PDIP (vs PIC18F46K42-I/P)
- Twice the Flash and RAM of the previous-generation K40 (vs PIC18F46K40-I/P)
- DMA and vector interrupts absent on the older K22 (vs PIC18F46K22-I/P)
Design Notes
Decouple every VDD pin (11 and 32) with a 100 nF ceramic capacitor placed within 5 mm of the pin, plus a single 10 uF bulk capacitor near the package. For analog AVDD-derived pins, add an additional 100 nF + 10 uF L-C filter to isolate the analog supply from digital switching noise. Following the Microchip PIC18 K42 hardware design checklist prevents ADC2 noise coupling that can degrade the 12-bit conversion accuracy to 10-bit equivalent if omitted.
Route the ICSP signals PGC/PGD (RB6/RB7 on the 40-pin PDIP) directly to a 6-pin header with no series resistors; the Microchip ICD and PICkit programmers include their own pull-ups. For the 40-pin PDIP, place the ICSP header on the top side of the board near pins 19-20 for shortest trace length. Avoid routing high-frequency PWM or CWG outputs near the crystal/PLL traces to minimize EMI coupling into the 64 MHz oscillator.
The PIC18F46K42-E/P in 40-pin PDIP has a theta_JA of approximately 50 C/W and rarely requires active cooling at the typical 30-50 mA active current. Estimated: at VDD=5V, 64 MHz clock, all peripherals active, total IDD peaks around 15 mA, yielding 75 mW dissipation - well within the package rating. For continuous full-load operation in enclosed housings above 70C ambient, derate to 50 MHz and consider a SOIC-28 package variant.
Do not leave the MCLR/RE3 pin floating - tie it through a 10 kohm pull-up to VDD or drive it actively from a supervisor. The PIC18 K42 datasheet specifies that MCLR is mandatory for proper reset behavior in all modes except the no-MCLR configuration fuses. Another common mistake is forgetting to unlock the PPS registers before remapping peripheral outputs - register PPSLOCK must be cleared with the magic sequence (0x55, 0xAA) before any PPS write takes effect.
Compliance Information
Per Microchip product environmental compliance documentation; the PDIP package is RoHS compliant with matte-tin lead finish. The -E (Extended) temperature grade is not the same as AEC-Q100 qualification - select PIC18F46K42T-E/PT VAO variants for automotive-grade certified parts.
