Dual 8-bit DAC with I²C — what it is and where it fits
The Maxim Integrated MAX518BCSA+T is a dual 8-bit, voltage-output DAC in an 8-pin SOIC package. It uses an R-2R ladder architecture and communicates over an I²C interface.
6 µs settling — what it means for your update rate
The 6 µs typical settling time to ±½ LSB defines how fast the output can move from one code to another. For a full-scale step, the output settles in 6 µs typical.
Package and supply — board-level fit
The MAX518BCSA+T is supplied in an 8-pin SOIC package (body width 3.90 mm), a common footprint that routes easily on two-layer boards. Both analog and digital supply pins run from the same 5 V rail.
Linearity error — INL and DNL
The integral non-linearity (INL) is specified at ±1.5 LSB maximum, and the differential non-linearity (DNL) at ±1 LSB maximum. For an 8-bit DAC, ±1.5 LSB INL means the actual output can deviate from the ideal straight line.
Lifecycle and sourcing
It is ROHS3 compliant. No second-source or direct replacement is listed in the official records, but the I²C interface and 8-pin SOIC package are common enough that a pin-compatible alternative from another vendor could be qualified if supply resilience is critical — though that would require a separate qualification cycle.