Eight Darlington pairs in a single DIP
The Darlington configuration delivers a minimum DC current gain of 1000 at 350 mA, so a 500 µA base drive saturates the output to 1.6 V typical — enough headroom to drive relays, solenoids, stepper-motor windings, or incandescent lamps directly from a 5 V logic output.
50 V / 500 mA per channel — load-switching ceiling
Each of the eight outputs can sink 500 mA continuous, with the total package power limited to 2.25 W. The 50 V Vce breakdown covers 24 V industrial loads with margin for inductive flyback; the integrated suppression diodes clamp the kickback on relay coils and motor windings without external catch diodes. The 1.6 V saturation at 350 mA means the load supply rail must be at least 1.6 V above the load's minimum operating voltage.
Through-hole 18-DIP — board-level fit
The 18-DIP (0.300", 7.62 mm) through-hole package mates with standard 0.100-inch pitch sockets or solders directly into plated through-holes. The 2.54 mm pin spacing is compatible with prototyping boards and legacy industrial controller layouts. Junction temperature range of -20°C to 150°C covers most factory-floor and outdoor telecom enclosures; derate the 2.25 W package power above 25°C per the datasheet curve.