# Presentation: 156108

## The Fallacy Of COTS Economics For Space Applications

**                                                         **
**                                                          ****Steve Strickler                                                                                                                                                         ****	****	****	****	****	****Space Products Marketing Mgr**
**                                                          ****Intersil Corp.**
**PO Box 883**
**Melbourne, FL 32902**
**Ph: (321) 729-5869**
**Fax: (321) 729-5516**
**sstrickl@intersil.com**

- © Copyright 2001 Intersil Americas,Inc All Rights Reserved

## Background & Status 

**20+ Years Ago-Low Risk/Hi Reliability**
**5 Years Ago-COTS- Higher Risk/Lower Reliability**
**	**
**Now-Mixed Risk-Combination of devices**
**COTS Usage evolved from Technology To Technology & Cost**
**And what did we get-*****Problems*****!!—Better, Faster, Cheaper & *****Problems***

- © Copyright 2001 Intersil Americas,Inc All Rights Reserved

## COTS Drivers 

**Technology**
**New generation parts may not be available as Hi Rel/Rad Hard**
**Much broader portfolio of COTS devices**
**Cannot continue to modernize design with only RH devices**
**Cost**
**Originally believed to be cheaper**
**With less complex & well characterized devices, may be true**
**The Pendulum is swinging in that it is now accepted that on more complex devices it is not cheaper!**

- © Copyright 2001 Intersil Americas,Inc All Rights Reserved

## What is a COTS Upscreen?

**A Commercial or Military device**
**Characterized for a specific application**
**Rad characterized to a specific level**
**Derated as necessary**
**Blessed by Reliability/Survivability**
-       Or
**Used out of its Specified Range**
**          ****and**
**Blessed by your Reliability/Survivability**

- © Copyright 2001 Intersil Americas,Inc All Rights Reserved

## Fallacies About COTS for Space

**Are just as reliable because**
**They are made on a commercial SPC controlled line**
**Can be upscreened without a problem**
**Automotive Flow will yield parts as good as Hi Rel ones**
**Can be derated and will work fine **
**BUT**
**SPC will only give control within design parameters**
**Cannot be upscreened indiscriminately**
**Automotive Flow Fallacies-volume vs portfolio**
**Derating & Upscreening have risks that are not always comprehended**

- © Copyright 2001 Intersil Americas,Inc All Rights Reserved

## What Are The COTS Problems When Upgrading/Upscreening?

**Little or no support from the Manufacturer**
**Commercial Fab Processes**
**Cost reduction is constant-so are changes**
**Neither Process nor Design Change is communicated to users**
**Constantly shrinking geometry**
**What you get today will not be the same tomorrow**
**Die - will element eval qualify the parts?**
**Upscreening**
**Is the performance of the part completely tested?  How do you know?**
**Non-uniformity – lot to lot and fab to fab variations**
**What will be the long term effect of using the part beyond it’s design range?**

- © Copyright 2001 Intersil Americas,Inc All Rights Reserved

## The Intangible Cost Of COTS Reliability

**Can you test reliability in? COST?**
**Are all units uniform for performance-****Can you prove this?**
**Will all units meet the radiation specification?**
**How will you know?  What Price uncertainty?**
**Customer Oversight**
**How much cost does this add?**
**What additional testing will convince your customer? – How much will that add to the cost?**

**Who takes the risk?  What don’t you know?**

- © Copyright 2001 Intersil Americas,Inc All Rights Reserved

## The Real Costs

**What Are They?**
**Processing costs**
**DPA **
**Upscreen plan**
**Radiation evaluation**
**Intangible costs**
**Schedule delays**
**Is it really  reliable?**
**Who pays these costs?**
**Sometimes buried in a corporate account**
**Few people know the true costs**

- © Copyright 2001 Intersil Americas,Inc All Rights Reserved

## COTS Costs

- © Copyright 2001 Intersil Americas,Inc All Rights Reserved

## COTS Costs(con’t)

**Does not take into account any extra reliability tasks**
**Does not contain any upside for increased launch costs because of extra weight for shielding & redundant circuitry**
**Does not take into account that when you buy the next lot you have to do it again!**

- © Copyright 2001 Intersil Americas,Inc All Rights Reserved

## Summary/Conclusion

**Pick the device carefully**
**Pick the Manufacturer carefully**
**Pick the up-screener carefully**
**COTS may be the only path to get the technology you need**
**You have to use COTS parts**
**       ****BUT**
**It is neither cheaper nor better**
**May be better technology**
**It may be as good if done correctly**
**And it could be faster if not done correctly**

**   ****COTS FOR SPACE IS NOT CHEAPER!!**

- © Copyright 2001 Intersil Americas,Inc All Rights Reserved