12-bit voltage-output DAC in a through-hole DIP
The Maxim MAX502BCNG+ is a 12-bit digital-to-analog converter with a voltage-buffered output, built around an R-2R ladder architecture. It accepts parallel digital data and converts it to an analog voltage with a settling time of 5 µs to within 1 LSB.
A 5 µs settling time to ±1 LSB means this DAC can update its output at rates up to roughly 200 kSPS in a single-channel system, assuming the parallel bus and external reference settle within the same window. For control-loop or arbitrary-waveform applications, that settling time sets the minimum update period; a 5 µs window leaves margin for the op-amp and filter that follow. If your system needs faster updates — say 1 MSPS or above — you would look at a current-output or segmented DAC with a sub-microsecond settling spec.
±1 LSB INL/DNL — monotonicity without trimming
That means the DAC is monotonic — every digital code produces a unique analog output — and the linearity error stays within one least-significant bit. For a 12-bit system with a 10 V output span, ±1 LSB corresponds to ±2.44 mV of absolute error at the output pin, before any external reference or buffer drift. This is a production-grade spec; you do not need to trim or calibrate each board for linearity.