For manufacturers looking to secure a competitive advantage both technically and commercially, it’s clear to see the appeal of an application specific IC (ASIC). Unlike an off-the-shelf IC, which may be designed for a range of tasks, an ASIC is a custom chip designed specifically for its intended application.
Such a tailored design approach means that the ASIC can be fully optimized for the application at hand, whether it’s meeting a need for ultra-low power consumption or reduced PCB size. Therefore, the ASIC can offer performance and functionalities far beyond those offered by a standard IC.
While the benefits offered by an ASIC may be well understood, there’s a key aspect of IC design that hasn’t been so well documented: the process of selecting an ASIC partner. So, what do you need to consider?
Source: Swindon Silicon Systems
Egineering expertise
First, consider whether the designer has prior experience of working in your application sector. Choosing an IC partner well-versed with the specific demands of your industry helps to simplify the project, particularly with ensuring compliance with relevant industry standards and regulations.
In the automotive industry for example, relevant qualification and safety methodologies include AEC Q100 and ISO 26262. It’s also necessary to determine the Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL), essentially a hazard and risk assessment for each individual component in the vehicle.
To ensure a successful project, these certification criteria should be considered as early as possible in the design stage to avoid costly redesigns later. Therefore, choosing an ASIC supplier that is already fully up to date with regulations helps to ensure the final IC design is 100 per cent compliant.
Another key consideration is to determine whether the IC designer has the required expertise to deliver a product that meets requirements. There’s no one size fits all approach with ASIC design. Each chip must be carefully tailored to the specific application and expectations of the customer. If the designer doesn’t have the know-how to fine-tune IC design at the required level, the chip may have sub-optimal performance.
If your application requires both analog silicon and digital functionalities, it’s no good if your IC designer only specializes in one of these domains. For optimum results, you’ll instead need to look for a mixed-signal designer. A mixed-signal specialist can combine analogue and digital technologies on a single device, resulting in a high-performance chip in a small, low-cost package.
In-house capabilities
Another element to consider is how much of the IC design workflow can be done in-house. A full turnkey ASIC supplier offers specification, development, packaging and test processes all under one roof. This makes communication far simpler between the customer and the designer. With a single point of contact, the customer can feel reassured knowing exactly who is responsible for their IC project.
Source: Swindon Silicon Systems
And a process managed entirely in-house will likely be much more efficient, with quicker production lead times and reduced costs. The result of this is a high-quality ASIC solution that meets specification and is delivered on-time.
A robust supply chain
The last point to consider is the supply chain. In most cases, embarking on an ASIC design project is the beginning of a long-term relationship between customer and supplier, far beyond first product delivery. It’s therefore essential to look for a supplier that can deliver in the long-term to avoid being left without supply.
When thinking about the long-term, obsolescence is likely to be a key concern for manufacturers. Obsolescence is partly addressed through in the nature of a custom IC itself: production of a standard IC can be halted at any time at the manufacturer’s discretion, but not so with a custom IC.
But there is still a chance of obsolescence occurring. This is usually due to the silicon process becoming obsolete. It’s possible to minimize obsolescence risks here by ensuring the silicon process chosen matches the required longevity of the product. But if obsolescence does occur, the IC designer must be able to work quickly with the customer to find the right solution.
Key points to check are how long the ASIC supplier has been in the industry, its supply chain management policies and obsolescence protection. Swindon, for example, has been a market leader in ASIC design and development for more than 40 years and, as a full turnkey service provider, manages every step of the IC design workflow to ensure superior product quality and 100 per cent on time delivery.
Swindon also works extensively to protect its customers from obsolescence, ensuring there’s never a gap in IC availability. This not only includes careful consideration of the ideal silicon process at initial design, but also extensive support beyond product delivery. And in the case that obsolescence does occur, Swindon can work quickly and flexibly to provide and present solutions to the customer.
Manufacturers keen to unlock the benefits offered by a custom IC can be tempted to jump headfirst into a project. But before putting any pen to paper, it’s crucial to take the time to find the right supplier for your product. Industry experience, in-house capabilities and whether the company can deliver a long-term solution are all key considerations to make before beginning any ASIC design project.
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