Microchip Debuts Low-Cost dsPIC33CK Value Line Controllers for Real-Time Motor Designs

What happened: Microchip Technology has launched the dsPIC33CK Value Line family of Digital Signal Controllers for cost-sensitive real-time control applications. The devices combine up to 100 MHz deterministic processing, high-resolution PWM, and a 12-bit analog-to-digital converter. 

Why it matters: The controllers support motor Field Oriented Control, touch, and precision sensing without paying for higher-end features. A balanced peripheral set lets designers consolidate functions onto a single device, cutting external component count, board footprint, and bill-of-materials cost. Flash memory scales from 32 KB to 256 KB, with compatibility across the wider dsPIC33CK family.

Industry context: The parts hold AEC-Q100 Grade 1 qualification and include secure boot and secure firmware update features, targeting industrial, automotive, consumer, and medical use. They offer up to 2 ns PWM resolution across eight channels, a 12-bit ADC up to 2 MSPS, and interfaces including CAN FD, LIN, SENT, UART, SPI, and I²C. A Curiosity Nano evaluation kit and MPLAB tools support development.