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On the other hand, sometimes, it's straight ahead bad luck. A chip we use in one of our products is made in a semiconductor fab in Malaysia. It's the only plac
by 11thEarlOfMar 5y ago
On the other hand, sometimes, it's straight ahead bad luck.
A chip we use in one of our products is made in a semiconductor fab in Malaysia. It's the only place in the world that makes the chip. That fab has been shut down for about 6 months as the nation struggles with COVID. In the meantime, the inventory in the supply chain, and even customer warehouses, has been picked clean by brokers to be re-sold for high-cost applications like cars and industrial equipment.
We've paid as much as $15.00 for that $0.47 chip. One broker offered them for $50.00.
We haven't found any in more than 2 months.
- HarryHirsch 5y agoIt's the only place in the world that makes the chip. Back then we had second-source agreements. What happened to that concept?
- 11thEarlOfMar 5y agoWe don't buy enough chips to compel Infineon to build another fab. Usually, we manage end of life matters with last time buys, etc. But this wasn't an end of life situation, and frankly, was not anticipated. To solve, we'd need to design alternate chips for all that are used, which is not economically feasible at this point in the product's life cycle (now 20+ years).
- robomartin 5y agoIf you post the part number someone might be able to help you.
- notacoward 5y agoMore likely, another HNer who knows of a supply will use that information to "hustle" their way into a bigger profit. I'd strongly advise against sharing the part number.
- robomartin 5y agoGlass half full vs. half empty? While I agree with you in general terms, I still prefer to think people, at a fundamental level, are good and like to help each other. Yes, I know, silly.
- ikiris 5y agoits not bad luck when you buy something thats only made one place on the planet.
- 11thEarlOfMar 5y agoMany, if not most, chips (by part number) are fabricated in one fab on the planet. It’s not possible to design a product with dual sources for every chip. This is particularly the case with older designs that are on the sustaining end of their life cycle. In some cases, a part # is run once a year, in one fab on the planet.
- ikiris 5y agoI'm completely aware of this. It's still not an issue of luck when all of your eggs are in one geographical basket.