What the 18 I/O and PWM mean for your design
The MAX7314ATG+ is an I²C-controlled GPIO expander with 18 bidirectional I/O pins, each capable of sinking or sourcing 50 mA. The open-drain outputs let you drive LEDs, relays, or logic inputs directly without external pull-ups on the output side — the pull-ups go on the I²C bus lines, not the port pins. The integrated PWM controller on each I/O is the differentiator here — it generates PWM signals without continuous host intervention, so you can dim LEDs or sequence loads at a duty cycle set once over I²C and then leave the expander to run autonomously.
Package, footprint, and thermal pad
Housed in a 24-lead TQFN (4x4 mm) with an exposed pad — the 24-WFQFN and 24-TQFN (4x4) are the same package, just different supplier notations. Supplied in Tube packaging, which is the standard for prototype and low-volume builds. For reel quantities, check the alternate ordering code — the Tube variant is fine for bench validation and small production runs.