Microchip Technology has expanded its configurable logic block-based microcontroller range with the PIC16F13276 and PIC18-Q35 families, combining MCU control and programmable logic in a single low-power device. The launch is aimed at engineers designing timing-critical systems for motor control, industrial automation, and automotive safety, where software-driven timing paths and multichip architectures can introduce latency, cost, and design complexity.
The new devices bring CPLD-like logic capability into standard PIC microcontrollers, allowing logic functions to be handled in dedicated hardware rather than software. Microchip says the PIC16F13276 family provides 32 logic elements, while the PIC18-Q35 family offers 128, giving designers room to implement deterministic logic alongside embedded control on the same chip. That approach can reduce bill-of-materials cost and board space while avoiding the integration overhead of pairing a discrete programmable logic device with a microcontroller.
Startup behaviour is another part of the design case. The company says the configurable logic block can be loaded automatically at power-up or reset, allowing logic to initialise independently of the CPU. In applications where timing determinism and predictable startup sequences are critical, particularly in industrial and automotive systems, that can simplify functional partitioning and reduce the need to push low-level control tasks back into software. The new families also remain compatible with existing PIC16 and PIC18 designs, giving developers a path to hardware-based logic without a full platform redesign.
Microchip is supporting the release with updates to its development ecosystem, including an enhanced CLB configuration tool in Visual Studio Code, support through MPLAB X and MPLAB Code Configurator, and Curiosity Nano evaluation kits for both device lines. The company has also attached aggressive entry pricing, with PIC16F13276 devices starting at $0.32 in volume and PIC18-Q35 devices from $0.62. For cost-sensitive embedded designs that still need deterministic timing, that combination could make the single-chip option increasingly difficult to ignore. Readers can learn more here.
