PIC18F55K42-E/MV - 8-bit MCU, 32KB Flash, 48-pin UQFN | Microchip
MPN: PIC18F55K42-E/MV ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.85 | $2.85 |
| 10 | $2.57 | $25.70 |
| 100 | $2.28 | $228.00 |
| 500 | $2.05 | $1,025.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.82 | $1,820.00 |
PIC18F55K42-E/MV Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer containing a CPU core, non-volatile program memory (Flash), volatile working memory (RAM), and a rich set of on-chip peripherals. The PIC18 family uses Microchip's enhanced 8-bit RISC architecture with hardware multiplier and 16-bit instructions, sitting above baseline PIC10/12/16 parts in capability. The K42 sub-family targets low-power XLP-class designs while adding a high-resolution PWM and 12-bit ADC2 analog front-end, making it a power-management IC class part for embedded control nodes.
Key features include 32KB self-programmable Flash with code protection, configurable oscillator modes up to 64MHz internal, 12-bit ADC2 with Computation (ADCC) capability, 10-bit DAC, multiple Zero-Cross Detect comparators, Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG), and 4 Slices of Capture/Compare/PWM (CCP). Communications include UART, I2C, SPI, and CLC (Configurable Logic Cell) for hardware glue logic.
Architecturally, the PIC18F55K42-E/MV uses an 8-bit data path with a 16-bit instruction word Harvard architecture, featuring 31-level stack hardware call/return, priority-vector interrupt controller with shadow register sets, and Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) for flexible I/O mapping. The 12-bit ADCC provides averaging, oversampling, and burst-averaging modes that offload CPU cycles.
Typical applications include IoT sensor nodes, BLDC motor control (FOC firmware) using the CWG and PWM peripherals, industrial HMI/touch sensing, and home appliance control panels. The wide-voltage 2.3V–5.5V range with XLP eXtreme Low Power support enables long battery-life designs.
When designing with this MCU, reserve PPS mapping early because most peripherals share pins. The UQFN-EP package requires thermal vias under the exposed pad to dissipate up to 0.6W and meet solder-joint reliability.
This page synthesizes Microchip product-page data, drop-in alternatives within the PIC18FxxK42 family, and practical design notes not consolidated on a single distributor page.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC18F55K42-E/MV — 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 PIC18F55K42-E/MV (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, ADC, Comparators, Program Memory (Flash), DAC.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC18F57K42-I/MV
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18F56K42-I/MV
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.45 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F47K42-I/MV
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$2.04 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F46K42-E/MV
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18F45K42-I/MV
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.18 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F47K40-I/MV
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18F55K42-E/MV Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC18 8-bit RISC (Harvard) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 32 KB |
| Data Memory (SRAM) | 2 KB |
| EEPROM | 256 B |
| Maximum CPU Frequency | 64 MHz |
| Operating Voltage Range | 2.3 V to 5.5 V |
| ADC | 12-bit ADC2 with Computation (ADCC) |
| DAC | 5-bit DAC |
| Comparators | Multiple with Zero-Cross Detect |
| PWM | 16-bit PWM with Complementary Waveform Generator |
| CCP Modules | 4 slices (Capture/Compare/PWM) |
| Communication Peripherals | UART, I2C, SPI |
| DMA | Yes |
| Configurable Logic Cell (CLC) | Yes |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40 C to +125 C (E suffix = extended) |
| Package | 48-pin UQFN-EP (MV) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Tube Packaging | Yes (E/MV = tube) |
PIC18F55K42-E/MV Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA0 — Port A bit 0 / analog input |
| Pin 2 | RA1 — Port A bit 1 / analog input |
| Pin 3 | RA2 — Port A bit 2 / analog input |
| Pin 4 | RA3 — Port A bit 3 / analog input |
| Pin 5 | RA4 — Port A bit 4 |
| Pin 6 | RA5 — Port A bit 5 |
| Pin 7 | RA6 — Port A bit 6 |
| Pin 8 | RA7 — Port A bit 7 |
| Pin 9 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 10 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 11 | RB0 — Port B bit 0 / analog input |
| Pin 12 | RB1 — Port B bit 1 / analog input |
| Pin 13 | RB2 — Port B bit 2 / analog input |
| Pin 14 | RB3 — Port B bit 3 / analog input |
| Pin 15 | RB4 — Port B bit 4 |
| Pin 16 | RB5 — Port B bit 5 |
| Pin 17 | RB6 — Port B bit 6 / ICSPCLK |
| Pin 18 | RB7 — Port B bit 7 / ICSPDAT |
| Pin 19 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 20 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 21 | RC0 — Port C bit 0 |
| Pin 22 | RC1 — Port C bit 1 |
| Pin 23 | RC2 — Port C bit 2 |
| Pin 24 | RC3 — Port C bit 3 |
| Pin 25 | RC4 — Port C bit 4 |
| Pin 26 | RC5 — Port C bit 5 |
| Pin 27 | RC6 — Port C bit 6 |
| Pin 28 | RC7 — Port C bit 7 |
| Pin 29 | RE0 — Port E bit 0 |
| Pin 30 | RE1 — Port E bit 1 |
| Pin 31 | RE2 — Port E bit 2 |
| Pin 32 | RE3 — Port E bit 3 |
| Pin 33 | RD0 — Port D bit 0 |
| Pin 34 | RD1 — Port D bit 1 |
| Pin 35 | RD2 — Port D bit 2 |
| Pin 36 | RD3 — Port D bit 3 |
| Pin 37 | RD4 — Port D bit 4 |
| Pin 38 | RD5 — Port D bit 5 |
| Pin 39 | RD6 — Port D bit 6 |
| Pin 40 | RD7 — Port D bit 7 |
| Pin 41 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 42 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 43 | RF0 — Port F bit 0 |
| Pin 44 | RF1 — Port F bit 1 |
| Pin 45 | RF2 — Port F bit 2 |
| Pin 46 | RF3 — Port F bit 3 |
| Pin 47 | RF4 — Port F bit 4 |
| Pin 48 | RF5 — Port F bit 5 |
Typical Applications
PIC18F55K42-E/MV is suitable for 7 applications: IoT Sensor Node / Wireless MCU Companion, BLDC / PMSM Motor Control (FOC Firmware), Industrial HMI with Touch Sensing, Home Appliance Control Board, Automotive Body and Lighting Modules, Solar Inverter / MPPT Battery Charger, Medical / Health Monitoring Devices.
IoT Sensor Node / Wireless MCU Companion
The PIC18F55K42-E/MV fits IoT sensor nodes requiring deterministic 8-bit control alongside a wireless module. Its 12-bit ADCC with hardware averaging offloads sensor sampling while DMA moves data to RAM, leaving the CPU free to run protocol stacks. The XLP eXtreme Low Power modes (down to ~50 nA in sleep with RTC) enable multi-year battery life on coin cells. At 32 KB Flash it has ample headroom for protocol stacks such as Modbus RTU or sensor fusion logic, and the 48-pin UQFN-EP exposes more I/O than 40-pin K42 variants for analog front-end expansion. The 2.3-5.5 V range supports single-cell Li-ion and 3.3 V systems natively.
Recommended
BLDC / PMSM Motor Control (FOC Firmware)
The PIC18F55K42-E/MV is well-suited for BLDC and PMSM motor control using sensorless Field-Oriented Control firmware. The Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG) and 16-bit PWM with dead-band control three-phase inverter FETs directly, while the 12-bit ADCC samples phase currents with hardware-triggered timing synchronized to the PWM. The DMA controller moves ADC results without CPU intervention, and the 64 MHz CPU delivers 16 MIPS - enough headroom for Park/Clark transforms in C. The 48-pin UQFN-EP package handles the gate-driver interface, Hall-sensor inputs, and fault handling with adequate I/O margin.
Recommended
Industrial HMI with Touch Sensing
The PIC18F55K42-E/MV serves well in industrial HMI panels with mTouch capacitive touch buttons and small LCDs. The CLC (Configurable Logic Cell) implements custom logic glue for touch event triggering without CPU overhead, while 12-bit ADC reads touch sigma-delta front ends with oversampling for noise immunity. Five-bit DAC and PWM can drive a small graphic LCD backlight with smooth dimming. The extended -40C to +125C temperature range and 5V tolerance on digital inputs suit factory-floor electrical environments. UART and SPI enable communication to a host PLC or display controller.
Recommended
Home Appliance Control Board
The PIC18F55K42-E/MV fits home appliance controls such as washing machines, dishwashers, and induction cooktops where 8-bit determinism, robust peripherals, and low cost are priorities. The 16-bit PWM drives motor and heating-element control loops, while CWG generates complementary gate signals for IGBT inverter stages. The high-resolution ADCC samples temperature sensors, water-level probes, and current shunts simultaneously with hardware averaging for noise rejection. XLP sleep modes drop the controller to nanoamp sleep for standby. The 5V-tolerant I/O simplifies interface to legacy triac-driver ICs in white goods.
Recommended
Automotive Body and Lighting Modules
The PIC18F55K42-E/MV is appropriate for non-safety automotive body modules such as interior lighting, mirror control, or seat-position controllers when paired with automotive-grade power conditioning. The CWG peripheral drives multi-channel LED strings with dimming, while ADCC reads ambient-light sensors and potentiometers. Note: this part is NOT AEC-Q100 qualified - for safety-critical modules the PIC18F46K42-E/MV with automotive screening or dsPIC33A should be used. The K42 family's hardware DMA offloads LIN/CAN message buffering from the CPU in body-domain networks.
Recommended
Solar Inverter / MPPT Battery Charger
The PIC18F55K42-E/MV is well matched to small solar MPPT battery chargers where 8-bit cost is critical and the 16-bit PWM provides efficient synchronous-buck gate driving. The 12-bit ADCC samples PV panel voltage/current at high rate using DMA into circular buffers, executing incremental-conductance MPPT every few hundred milliseconds without disturbing the main control loop. Five-bit DAC sets MPPT reference, while the 2.3-5.5 V range supports direct battery sensing. The CLC implements windowed over-current comparator logic for hardware shutdown paths independent of firmware timing.
Recommended
Medical / Health Monitoring Devices
The PIC18F55K42-E/MV fits low-cost medical peripherals such as blood-pressure monitors, pulse oximeter front ends, and portable diagnostic aids that require deterministic 8-bit control with high-resolution analog. The 12-bit ADCC with oversampling reaches effective >14-bit ENOB for pulse-oximetry photodiode current measurement, while DMA hands samples to RAM buffers for post-processing. XLP sleep reduces quiescent to nanoamp range for shelf-life, and the wide 2.3-5.5 V range supports 2x AA cells directly. Note: For FDA-regulated medical designs IEC 60730 Class B firmware verification is supported via PIC18F K42 functional-safety libraries.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC18F55K42-E/MV — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC18F57K42-I/MV | PIC18F56K42-I/MV | PIC18F47K42-I/MV | PIC18F46K42-E/MV | PIC18F45K42-I/MV | PIC18F47K40-I/MV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 48-pin UQFN-EP (MV) | 48-pin UQFN-EP (MV) - same | 48-pin UQFN-EP (MV) - same | 48-pin UQFN-EP (MV) - same | 48-pin UQFN-EP (MV) - same | 48-pin UQFN-EP (MV) - same | 48-pin UQFN-EP (MV) - same |
| Flash Memory | 32 KB | 128 KB (+300%) | 64 KB (+100%) | 32 KB (same) | 64 KB (+100%) | 32 KB (same) | 32 KB (same) |
| RAM | 2 KB | 8 KB (+300%) | 4 KB (+100%) | 2 KB (same) | 4 KB (+100%) | 2 KB (same) | 2 KB (same) |
| EEPROM | 256 B | 1024 B (+300%) | 1024 B (+300%) | 256 B (same) | 1024 B (+300%) | 256 B (same) | 256 B (same) |
| Max CPU Frequency | 64 MHz | 64 MHz (same) | 64 MHz (same) | 64 MHz (same) | 64 MHz (same) | 64 MHz (same) | 64 MHz (same) |
| ADC Resolution | 12-bit ADCC | 12-bit ADCC (same) | 12-bit ADCC (same) | 12-bit ADCC (same) | 12-bit ADCC (same) | 12-bit ADCC (same) | 10-bit ADC (older K40) |
| DMA Controller | Yes | Yes (same) | Yes (same) | Yes (same) | Yes (same) | Yes (same) | No (K40 family predates DMA) |
| CLC (Configurable Logic Cell) | Yes | Yes (same) | Yes (same) | Yes (same) | Yes (same) | Yes (same) | No (K40 family predates CLC) |
| Temperature Range | -40C to +125C (E grade) | -40C to +85C (I grade) | -40C to +85C (I grade) | -40C to +85C (I grade) | -40C to +125C (E grade) | -40C to +85C (I grade) | -40C to +85C (I grade) |
Key Differentiators
- Larger memory within same package footprint (vs PIC18F57K42-I/MV)
- E-grade temperature range for industrial environments (vs PIC18F47K42-I/MV)
- Newer K42 architecture with DMA and CLC (vs PIC18F47K40-I/MV)
Design Notes
The 48-pin UQFN-EP package has a center exposed pad that MUST be soldered to a PCB copper pad of at least the same size with thermal vias (typically 9-16 vias in a 3x3 grid) stitching to an internal ground plane. Without proper thermal vias, junction-to-ambient thermal resistance rises sharply and the device may throttle or fail at full 64 MHz operation with all peripherals active. Estimated theta_JA on a 4-layer JEDEC test board is approximately 28 C/W; on a 1-layer 1-oz board with minimum thermal vias it can exceed 80 C/W.
Place decoupling capacitors on every VDD/VSS pair (pins 10/9, 20/19, 42/41) using 100 nF X7R ceramic as close as physically possible (within 2 mm) to the IC pins. Add a bulk 1-10 uF tantalum or ceramic on the main VDD rail. ICSP pins RB6/RB7 require pull-up or pull-down resistors for in-circuit programming reliability; do not leave them floating if used as inputs. PPS (Peripheral Pin Select) remapping should be finalized early in firmware - moving UART or PWM after PCB layout forces a respin.
Do not skip the configuration word programming: an unconfigured PIC18F55K42 ships with internal LFINTOSC and all I/O as analog inputs, which can cause digital input pins to float and draw current. Always write CONFIG1-CONFIG5 in your initialization sequence. Watch the E vs I grade mismatch - the E grade (this part) supports -40C to +125C, but the I-grade siblings (57K42-I/MV etc.) only reach +85C; do not substitute I-grade into industrial thermal environments.
The PIC18F55K42-E/MV's high-speed 64 MHz operation combined with PWM edges having sub-25 ns rise/fall times can couple noise into analog inputs via PCB traces. Route analog inputs (RA0-RA3, RB0-RB3) away from PWM/GPIO switching traces, and guard them with ground fills. The 12-bit ADCC's effective resolution drops to ~10 bits if the analog front-end sees digital switching noise - use the ADCC's hardware oversampling mode to average out residual noise.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Microchip product page. NOT AEC-Q100 qualified - for automotive safety-critical designs use dsPIC33A or PIC18F-Q84 with AEC-Q100 screening. PIC18FxxK42 family supports IEC 60730 Class B firmware verification for white-goods appliances.
