Swiss semiconductor company ST Microelectronics has introduced a 32bit microcontroller targeting traditional 8bit and 16bit applications such as home appliances, industrial pumps, fans and smoke detectors.

The firm’s 32bit MCUs are traditionally used in smart industrial, medical and consumer products. It is now broadening access to its STM32 family by introducing its most affordable series yet, the STM32C0.

This means it can target equipment such as home appliances, industrial pumps, fans and smoke detectors typically served by simpler 8bit and 16bit MCUs. The modern, 32bit design of the STM32C0 permits improvements such as faster response, extra functions and network connection at similar overall cost and power consumption.

At the same time, its entry-level simplicity and free support ecosystem with resources including tools, software packs and the chance to connect with various developer communities ease entry to the 32bit world for new users.

“The next generations of smart appliances and industrial controllers must be easy to use, ultra-competitively priced, and with assured supply,” said Daniel Colonna, marketing director at ST Microelectronics. “By delivering on these requirements, our new STM32C0 general-purpose entry-level MCUs introduce exciting options to the 8bit and 16bit applications space, with the added benefits that come with the broad and powerful STM32 ecosystem.”

The STM32C0 series, now in high-volume production and available for shipment, is covered by a ten-year longevity programme for industrial products, renewed every year. Nine package choices are available, offering attributes such as easy handling, small form factor and low profile.

STM has engineered the series to let designers do more with less: the MCUs are housed in small and economical packages with only one pair of external power connections, making more IO pins available for the application while lowering bill-of-materials. Also, an on-board, high-accuracy (1%) clock saves external timing components.

As a part of the STM32 continuum, STM32C0 devices allow easy migration into the STM32G0 series to tackle more demanding projects, sharing a consistent pinout.

The STM32C0 integrates up-to-date peripherals, including a 1.7MS/s analogue-digital converter with hardware for 16bit over-sampling multiple timers including a control timer for applications such as motor control.

They provide DMA (direct memory access) channels that boost application performance and efficiency. They run at up to 48MHz and deliver 44DMips instruction throughput with CoreMark performance and efficiency of 114, drawing 80µA/MHz in run mode.

The series connects designers with the STM32 development ecosystem. An STM32C0 Nucleo (Nucleo-C031C6) development board and two STM32C0 discovery kits (STM32C0116-DK and STM32C0316-DK) are available. Software resources include STM32C0 support in the STM32CubeMX configuration tool, Microsoft Azure RTOS, and the STM32CubeC0 MCU package with hardware abstraction layer (HAL) and low-layer libraries.

STM employs 48,000 people who work with more than 200,000 customers and thousands of partners to design and build products and ecosystems. Its technologies enable smarter mobility, more efficient power and energy management, and the wide-scale deployment of the IoT and connectivity. STM is committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2027.