Have you noticed any easing of the chip shortage? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Microdoser
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2022, 06:05:21 pm
content: I've started to get notifications for chips being in stock, and the stock they have is not vanishing before I can order some.Have any of you noticed chips being more available?

author: IconicPCB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2022, 06:25:46 pm
content: Parallax Propeller micro went from some 15=16 dollars to a peak of some 75 dollars only to come back down to about 18 dollars/

author: mon2
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2022, 07:38:36 pm
content: Shhhhhh!!!!! Not so loud but yes, see some trickles of parts on the ti online store. Hope the trend continues.

author: Rat_Patrol
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2022, 08:18:07 pm
content: A few things better, but a lot of things worse.Been far too difficult for me to find automotive grade 1% 1206 resistors in the sizes I need w/o paying stupid prices.I finally got some stuff from TI directly, that was nice. Also finally found some current sense resistors I've been needing, but at 3x the cost they were before this insanity.

author: mon2
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2022, 09:45:39 pm
content: QuoteSharing a great contact for you to chat with (they deal with WALSIN / SAMSUNG and are very good at it - always at every trade fair in HK; better prices than LCSC):Quote

author: twospoons
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2022, 10:57:54 pm
content: No. Still running around finding alternates for current projects.

author: Mangozac
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2022, 11:29:21 pm
content: Overall the situation continues to decline for us. There is the odd win here and there with random stock becoming available but overall nothing is in stock and lead times are getting worse. Not only that but lead times stated when orders were placed a year ago are being extended by several weeks. Some days lately I hate this industry we're in...

author: Styno
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2022, 10:49:55 am
content: I see more degradation, not only in chips but also in connectors, cables and production consumables.I have quite a few inventory notifications set at Texas Instruments but also actively check their inventory online, sometimes I see a component getting inventory of a few thousand but do not receive a notification email.Sometimes I'm quickly able to order a limited amount but last week something strange happened. A DC/DC converter had some 3500+ in inventory but orders were limited to 50pcs so I tried to order 50. Unfortunately their website said "Product(s) TPS60430YDBVR cannot be supported by available inventory at this time. [...]", so I tried 40, 10 pcs, nothing worked. I tried this throughout the day as I desperately need them but got the same error every time while the inventory gradually went down to eventually 0 by the end of the day. TI support was only able to utter scripted answers which were of no use. Pretty frustrating.

author: Berni
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2022, 10:55:43 am
content: Well it is a bit better because they cut off Russia for obvious reasons, so some of the orders that meant to go there ended up getting available. Once that injection of stocks dries up it is probably going to be back to the usual unobtainable silicon.

author: sam512bb
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2022, 02:29:33 pm
content: Good day,As others have mentioned... the situation is still getting worse, however, every once in a while some limited amount of stock surfaces... but is gone almost as fast as it appears. Lead times on most items (Ethernet PHYs, PMICs, MCUs, etc) still have 52+ week leadtimes with many showing availability in late 2023 or early 2024.I would say the ride is not over yet, so buckle up.Cheers,Sam

author: NorthGuy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2022, 03:06:09 pm
content: As I see it, it's getting only worse.

author: satoshi
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2022, 04:59:29 pm
content: I'd say it has been getting worse lately. Even now Mouser does not allocate inventory if your order needs to wait for a part that is not in stock, so you better ask them to ship out parts in stock if you want to guarantee they'll stay in stock.I hope you guys are enjoying ze great greaseat.

author: schmitt trigger
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2022, 05:42:24 pm
content: Definitely worse, it is now to the point that very mature opamps are also becoming unobtainium.Some instances those can be substituted, but the subs are anywhere 5 to 15 times more expensive. On a board with a dozen devices, the cost spirals totally out of control.In other instance those vintage opamps have a particular feature which the circuit requires to operate correctly. Or the device is not produced in the required IC package. Some of our boards are double decker because of all the adapter boards.A glimmer of light then and there, but overall the situation is still pretty dark.

author: Chris56000
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 13, 2022, 12:25:20 am
content: Hi!It is still absolutely bloody ridiculous!Two examples – the OnSemi FSA4159P6X Analog SPDT Switch (1 Ω "οn" resistance) in an SC–70 package and a 1.8 V LDO regulator with auto–discharge, MIC5504–1.8YM–5TR, to go in a circuit for a 405–line converter to feed a signal to vintage TV sets, can't be had for love nor money for TWO YEARS!!What are all these bloody Analog Switch ICs suddenly wanted for?!If this stupid chip shortage is going to go on for evermore I might as well stick to ancient oscilloscopes rather than try to make or fix anything modern!Chris Williams

author: Berni
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 13, 2022, 05:23:24 am
content: The problem is that the chip shortage has motivated companies to start stocking components themselves to avoid production grinding to a halt due to a part being on backorder for the next 2 years.So they might start buying up large quantities of even the cheep little chips like LDOs and Opamps so that they are covered for the next year or two in case that chip disappears from the market. The result of this being that they buy up all the stock at the chip fabs and distributors, making the chip shortage plague spread onto those too. This makes even more companies panic about chips going out of stock that they also start buying large quantities of parts left right and center....etc and the cycle just continues.It doesn't matter if the missing chip is a fancy MCU or just a stupid little LDO. If you don't have the chip, you can't make the board, you can't make the product.We did not have that much excess chip fab capacity, so the market can't handle this many people buying up stock. Climbing out of this is also difficult since we actually need extra chip production capacity to fill up the appetite of the panicking chip buyers to the point where they don't have the space/budget to keep stockpiling parts. So i am pretty sure this is not going away for at least the next 3 years. Maybe even 5

author: IconicPCB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 13, 2022, 07:33:49 am
content: It wont last all that long...if history with toilet paper is an indication of anything.

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 13, 2022, 07:51:49 am
content: No. And I've noticed that my usual resistors are out of stock.If you check Digikey's DC-DC page, 85% of the ICs are out of stock. That's my benchmark now.

author: mc172
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2022, 04:46:19 pm
content: Nope. Just had a look at ordering some parts for a personal project today, a large amount of things I wanted, basically anything semiconductor flavour, are out of stock until at least this time next year. Looks like I'm redesigning it then. By the time I finish doing that, the parts I put in will be out of stock until the same time the following year.

author: Berni
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2022, 05:36:58 pm
content: Quote from: mc172 on April 15, 2022, 04:46:19 pmYep indeed.My new strategy involves plonking down the major chips on a schematic and then ordering them the same day.Tho make sure what you see is actually orderable since i had lots of sites give me false hope. Like OctoPart says they have 1000 in stock but they actually have 0. Even worse is DigiKey telling me they have 100000 of some part in stock in the search results, yet when i click it the stock is actually 0.The people at WinSource are even bigger jokesters that claim they have 2000 of a part in stock and at a pretty reasonable price too, yet when you actually order it they come around and say "Well actually we don't have that part at all". Then why the frig does your website say that you do?!

author: Feynman
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2022, 08:10:34 pm
content: No easing here. At least we are still able to find alternatives. For now.

author: phil from seattle
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2022, 06:42:09 pm
content: I've noticed that lately some jelly bean ICs have been in short supply. 74AHCT541s for example. Several LVC logic chips as well. It's gotten to the point that I typically design in several different package types in case I have to switch due to shortages.

author: Kleinstein
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2022, 09:02:27 pm
content: The situation with µCs seems to have improved a little ( I have not looked too much at this, it depends on the type), but some more jelly bean parts seem to be on short supply and surprisingly long lead time. Still strange having to check availability of parts like DG201 or MCP6001 or look for alternatives.

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2022, 09:17:16 pm
content: Quote from: Kleinstein on April 20, 2022, 09:02:27 pmI've looked at entire lineup of ST and Silicon labs micros that were out of stock.I had to search for alternatives for 5 pin reset controllers. Those are the worst, there is like 3 different pinout a dozen voltage level, and you have to search for the exact part number to find an alternative. And then debate if a 2.67V part would be OK instead of the 2.9C because that's the only one in stock.

author: BreakingOhmsLaw
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2022, 07:40:48 am
content: The situation is still getting worse. We have many disgruntled customers because we use STM32 MCU in a lot of our products.Still better than 32-but PICs, which are pretty much impossible to get.Power conversion chios are really bad too. We've redesiged our battery packs for the third time now. Every time we do that, we have to redo the entire certification for them, meaning another 3-month delay. Quality discretes are also getting affected now, with orders bouncing here and there.

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2022, 10:07:21 am
content: Try finding anything CAN bus related.Any CAN transceiver that will run from 3.3V, and doesn't require a 5V supply, is unavailable. (Please, prove me wrong!!)Same goes for any CAN bus ESD protection device suitable for use on a 24V vehicle. Want to make something that plugs into a bus or truck's CAN bus? Forget it.

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 24, 2022, 04:47:40 pm
content: I had been waiting for about a year to buy a new PC locally.I refuse to buy either intel (because of their anti-competitive behavior) or Nvidia (hostile to open source), so AMD is pretty much the only option for me for a "mainstream" pc.For quite a long time it was nearly impossible to buy the parts for a PC (I can't buy a complete PC because I don't wand windoze)I bought the parts for a new PC in December 2021, and a Ryzen 5600G was pretty much the only affordable option, and to be fair, it is also quite near my ideal price / performance compromise.Already in December I had noticed prices of the AMD processors was coming down a bit. Prices from November to now (2022-04) are pretty much stable for AMD processors. I think they peaked in the summer. AMD mostly focused on the top processors during the shortage. In February and March some budged processors from AMD were available again. I just checked two local stores and those budget processors have seemed to dry up again. This may be because of a new processor line instead of the shortage though. I don't know. I'm not an "AMD fanboy", I just have a vehemently dislike for intel.Affordable AMD video cards have been completely unobtanium for a year or more. Recently there were times that you could only buy two or three models, and only for completely absurd prices (> EUR1500). This was only partly because the shortage, Those things have been popular for the coin mining craze for a while. This seems to have cooled down. At the moment I could buy an AMD video card again. There is plenty of stock (70+ models) and prices start around EUR 200 for a decent video card.Main boards, memory and SSD's do not seem to have been affected much.In the microcontroller world the picture apparently looks differently.I think the shortages are only getting worse there.It looks like people are forced to buy any microcontroller they can get their hands on and just make do with how to get some firmware into it.

author: Andrew1588
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 18, 2022, 11:40:44 am
content: This problem has been going on for a long time, and I always keep in touch with multiple suppliers to maintain inventory stability, but the purchase cost is high.

author: Nortek-Chris
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 20, 2022, 11:27:49 am
content: Its not just a Chip Shortage any more though is it!. Now getting lead times of 12+ months on some higher wattage Zener Diodes, had my first 2024 delivery date (due to allocation) on a Diodes inc part and Panasonic Electrolytic caps seem to be out of stock everywhere. Even bog standard 74HCT165 IC's seem to be fetching five times their usual price from Distribution - if you can find stock.T.I also now seem to have stopped even giving anticipated w/c delivery dates now - just using the "Out of Stock" flag on a lot of their lines.

author: Kean
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 22, 2022, 09:32:08 am
content: I've been trying to get some black nylon M4 thumb nuts for a client, a very specific part from Essentra. I can get them in white, but the client really wants black.Several suppliers have been trying to get me some since September 2021, giving all the standard excuses. I ended up just putting in a backorder with Mouser, and ETA is early July 2022.As a solution I designed an even more suitable part and get them 3D printed in black nylon by JLCPCB, but they cost a couple of dollars each getting them that way (no bulk discounts).

author: Mangozac
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2022, 10:42:10 pm
content: Quote from: Nortek-Chris on May 20, 2022, 11:27:49 amYes I've noticed all of these too. Even 12 month TI backorders through Digikey aren't safe from further delays.

author: IanJ
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 23, 2022, 06:29:27 am
content: LCDs are a new issue for me. I could find stock the past couple of years, but as of a few weeks ago its a nightmare. End of year apparently.

author: IconicPCB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2022, 06:52:33 am
content: Kean,Tryhttps://www.npa.com.au/They may have what you need.

author: Kean
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 23, 2022, 01:45:59 pm
content: @IconicPCBThanks, I've been dealing with NPA from the beginning, and even Essentra Australia - both have been helpful, but neither can get the black nylon parts for me (only white).Raw material shortages, staff shortages, and a general backlog of work, all seem to have meant other parts/customers are getting priority.

author: twospoons
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 24, 2022, 03:46:17 am
content: Its hitting passives now too. Went looking for a 47uF 35V electrolytic SMD - out of about 35 possibles at digikey there was only one in stock!We're spending more and more time scrambling for substitutes, with the purchasing dept grabbing whatever they can get.

author: FrankBuss
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 24, 2022, 07:36:38 am
content: I think it is getting worse. Got a few jobs from clients who need redesigns of microcontroller circuits I've developed for them. For example with Attiny, first idea was PIC, but also not available, which would be unheard if a few years ago. Now using a Padauk chip. And replacing a MSP430 with a Nuvonik chip. Looks like some of the lesser known far east chips are more likely to be available.

author: mikehaider
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 24, 2022, 10:59:42 am
content: No, I have been in a disgusting cycle of looking for alternatives, rebuilding and modifying plans, and looking for electronic component channels. F*** chip scammer

author: tonyjacksonw
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 26, 2022, 01:23:43 am
content: There is still a shortage, and the product production cycle has been extended by 2 weeks.

author: Andrew1588
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 26, 2022, 03:09:15 am
content: No. And I've noticed that my usual transistor are out of stock.If you check distributors page, 60% of the ICs are out of stock.The cost of obtaining electronic components from China is now several times higher than before

author: Mangozac
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2022, 05:04:27 am
content: I just had a new personal record: RS485 transceivers from TI with a lead time of 84 weeks :O

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2022, 05:12:29 am
content: Most of the shortages I have been able to work around. Really annoying but not a deal breaker.But the STM mcu shortage has left one product dead once we sell all our current stock.Thankful it's not a huge seller and we have some chips left. Will probably run out this year though.I may have to port the code to some other MCU, however that would be quite a mission considering how dependent it is on the STM32 timers. Will probably just accept the loss of sales and wait for more stock to eventually come.

author: SilverSolder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2022, 02:08:15 pm
content: Quote from: FrankBuss on May 24, 2022, 07:36:38 amAre Padauk and other unfamiliar brands a good alternative? Any issues?Are there alternatives for passive components as well?

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2022, 02:12:04 pm
content: Quote from: Mangozac on May 26, 2022, 05:04:27 amI've found substitutes for a few general-purpose parts like that at LCSC, as well as for dual MOSFETS in SOT23-6 and SO8Can be a bit of a trek finding them due to poor parametric search.e.g. this sub for my normal ST3485https://lcsc.com/product-detail/RS-span-style-background-color-ff0-485-span-RS-422-ICs_span-style-background-color-ff0-SIT-span-SIT3485ESA_C313015.html

author: FrankBuss
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 26, 2022, 02:17:42 pm
content: Quote from: SilverSolder on May 26, 2022, 02:08:15 pmThe documentation of the Padauk parts is not as good as e.g. for Microchip, and sometimes there are problems, as I described here:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/microcontrollers/timer16-problem-with-pms150c/But in general, there are no problems once the firmware runs. Another problem is the unusual custom language which they use, but there is a pretty advanced port of SDCC to program them C.I have a client who uses it in larger quantities, and no problems so far in the field. A bigger project I did for him was this, using the PWM feature to implement a soft fade-in and fade-out and some patterns, and soft-off/on, with a high frequency to avoid any flickering:

author: dietert1
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2022, 03:57:53 pm
content: Concerning STM32 i had the impression that cheap Cortex M0 and M0+ parts may never come back and that we should use STM32L4x or STM32U5x parts instead. Some days ago i saw that digikey or mouser had 1500 STM32U575 on stack.Regards, Dieter

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2022, 04:05:40 pm
content: It is rather odd that there's stock out there of brand new devices - presumably just because nobody has designed them into any products yet. It feels misguided somehow.I wish instead that they'd concentrate production efforts on existing parts, and put the new stuff on hold for now. Reading about how excited they are about some fancy new product, when I still can't buy the STM32F4xx parts I so desperately need, is immensely frustrating.

author: voltsandjolts
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 26, 2022, 04:45:47 pm
content: ^^ totally agree.Browse the ST website and you would think everything was just fine and dandy.Erm, hello, we are in the shit here, WTF are you doing about it?I wish they would come out and say 'we are focusing on production of one micro e.g. STM32F4xxxx for shipments to distributors, and commit to keeping it in stock'. At least it would be something to focus on.

author: jonpaul
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2022, 08:58:15 pm
content: Bonjour à tous in recent months , Severe worsening of stock and lead time of passiv, transformers, EMI filters céramique MLC capacité.Decades ago the Japanese manufacturers offshore factories too ChinaThe Covid-19 Zeero policy of Mr Xi locked down Shinzen, thus lead times pushing from 16...48 weeks out to 2023...2024.Next shortages will be power supplies, and EMI filtersBon courageJon

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2022, 09:20:53 pm
content: Quote from: AndyC_772 on May 26, 2022, 04:05:40 pmST has multiple manufacturing sites, TSMC, Samsung, but also smaller ones in the EU, that they own. I think they don't get the capacity in the far east. At least someone with insider info was hinting me something like this. For example their wireless microcontrollers are all made here, and they are supposed to be better stocked.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2022, 04:38:54 am
content: Quote from: dietert1 on May 26, 2022, 03:57:53 pmSadly STM32F042 is the one im after.

author: Keith956
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2022, 07:47:10 am
content: Might not have reached hobbyists but there are signs that inventory is growing:https://www-theregister-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.theregister.com/AMP/2022/05/26/sharp_chip_inventory_correction_looms/

author: Nortek-Chris
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 27, 2022, 09:16:52 am
content: Two quotes back over the last few weeks from UK BrokersVNB920B5-E - £92.00 EACH!ATMEGA328-AU - £16.11 EACH!Had similar prices back from a couple of Trusted sources in China, so I guess we are all chasing the same stock, and its not the middlemen doing the profiteering.

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2022, 10:28:18 am
content: Quote from: Keith956 on May 27, 2022, 07:47:10 amGeez, it's as though these analysts write their reports without even speaking to anyone in the industry.Of couse demand will fall, if critical components are simply unavailable for an extended period of time. Why would I even bother to order components Y and Z, if component X (which is also on the BoM for the same product) has been vapourware for the last 12 months solid? What am I going to do with them? Stick them on Ebay? It might be more profitable than building them into products that - surprise! - people can't afford because the cost of living is rising at the fastest rate in living memory. But then we'd be making the problem worse for everyone else, and that's not something that anyone with an actual conscience would choose to do.Of course products have been discontinued; we simply can't make them. If we could, for a while, it's been by scraping the bottom of the supply chain barrel and paying ridiculously inflated, predatory prices for the last few parts available for sale by anyone, anywhere. That's not sustainable. D'uh.

author: dietert1
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2022, 10:44:28 am
content: Take that publication with a grain of salt. Nowadays Britains are expected to speak bad about Europeans. Like calling others hobbyist.Regards, Dieter

author: SilverSolder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2022, 11:18:31 am
content: In order to maintain price levels as demand falls, sellers have to constrain supply - it's as simple as that. Otherwise prices would fall, and "they" really hate that.Seems to me their game is to constrain supply and hope the economy improves... at which point, the supply issues will magically disappear and we will be able to buy as much as we want... at the new, higher price levels that have now become the norm!

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2022, 11:37:24 am
content: I wonder whether those offering 'analysis' really understand that semiconductors aren't fungible.If there's a shortage in supply of one model of car, I can just choose to buy a different, competing model. For 'car' read dishwasher, cellphone, television, webcam, or any of the hundred other things a consumer might purchase that contains electronics. Personal brand loyalties aside, switching to an alternative product is easy.This is, of course, the general public's experience of electronics in a commercial sense. If you can't buy one thing that you wanted, you probably can "just" buy something else instead, and it'll do much the same job.Can't buy an STM32H723? Very different problem.

author: SilverSolder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2022, 11:58:52 am
content: Quote from: AndyC_772 on May 27, 2022, 11:37:24 amSome semiconductors are more fungible than others, though? - obviously redesigning a product for a different family of CPU is a major endeavour, but we can probably live with a different source of resistors etc.

author: FrankBuss
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 27, 2022, 12:18:23 pm
content: Quote from: AndyC_772 on May 27, 2022, 11:37:24 amNot much. There are many competing microcontrollers. And I write my programs for bigger projects in a way that the hardware layer is abstracted away (and even write emulations for it to test it on a PC), so that I can change to another vendor easily. But right, it is not exactly the same as buying a different car. And redesigning the circuit is annoying.Would be nice if every microcontroller would be a FPGA, with standardized analog features, a set of standard footprints, and same pin configurations. Then different manufacturers could build compatible versions, and just add additional features. If you don't use these features, you would have many second sources. Price would be probably cheaper than normal FPGAs, because of the competition. Only problem might be the power consumption, which is usually higher with FPGAs than hard IPs (for the same performance). But might be not a problem for many projects. You could just use "one computing chip, model x", as you would now buy "one car, for 4 persons".

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2022, 12:52:04 pm
content: Quote from: SilverSolder on May 27, 2022, 11:58:52 amYes, of course, but it's the most difficult component that dictates whether or not a given product can be manufactured, not the least. I've answered a great many emails this year along the lines of "we can't get <passive>, can we use <other passive> instead?", and the answer is usually 'yes'. Sadly the same can't be said when the component in question is a semiconductor, though.Quote from: FrankBuss on May 27, 2022, 12:18:23 pmAre you doing this commercially, or just for fun?I'd love to say it's possible to switch "easily" because of how the software is written, but you can't side step the fact that you still have to research a new CPU that's more readily available, design a new PCB, prototype it, update the code, then test functionality, redo EMC testing, keep track of the new part number and its (incompatible) firmware, update production tools and processes... it's never going to be "easy" to introduce a new product that has no benefit over its predecessor beyond "possible to buy (for now)".QuoteI think the closest we'll see to that is the ARM core and its associated, standard peripherals (NVIC etc).

author: SilverSolder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2022, 01:22:00 pm
content: Quote from: AndyC_772 on May 27, 2022, 12:52:04 pmMaybe that's an opportunity... make some product improvements as well, so the redesign is "worth the effort"? Also makes it easier to sell the inevitable inflation-driven price increases...

author: FrankBuss
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 27, 2022, 01:24:08 pm
content: Quote from: AndyC_772 on May 27, 2022, 12:52:04 pmYes, this is true. Only the core firmware can be reused, still a lot of work and expensive, but not too difficult.Quote from: AndyC_772 on May 27, 2022, 12:52:04 pmProbably in future more RISC-V cores. This would make it even possible for low power devices to have many different second source parts. Just define the pin positions for a crystal for all vendors, and make all internal peripherals configurable to all pins, and then provide some basic functions for all chips, like DAC, ADC, and GPIO features like pull-up/down, open drain etc. and it should be possible.Problem would be features like timers, PWM etc., they are pretty different between microcontrollers (has the PWM dead-time or other required features?). For this, maybe a small FPGA part would be useful.The manufacturers could define such a generic microcontroller in a group, same like for example OpenGL was defined for a standardized graphics standard.

author: dietert1
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 28, 2022, 09:02:22 pm
content: Quote from: tszaboo on May 26, 2022, 09:20:53 pmAnother interpretation: I'd assume for STM the appearance of STM32 clones (GD32) was a hostile act. Certainly they took measures to avoid that in the first place and they have to take other measures now to avoid cloning of their complete STM32 lineup. The world has become a strange place. In former times second-source used to be a requirement.Regards, Dieter

author: Keith956
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2022, 10:00:48 am
content: Quote from: dietert1 on May 27, 2022, 10:44:28 amWell I'm a hobbyist, and also a European, but don't care much for racist remarks.

author: cvriv
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2022, 09:17:08 pm
content: Its not going to get better.

author: jmelson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2022, 03:43:58 pm
content: Not chips, but connectors. I use a lot of On-Shore 2-piece screw-terminal plugs and headers. For some of them, I buy from a local distributor/factory rep that gives me 50% off the Digi-Key price. On some other parts, I don't get much discount, so I just buy from Digi-Key. Now, Digi-Key seems to be reducing stock and requiring massive minimum orders. I just got caught running low on a 2-pin, 3.81mm screw-terminal plug, and couldn't find any stock in the US. I finally found a compatible part at Arrow for over $2 each, where I used to pay $0.77 from Digi-Key. (Digi-Key part # ED2894, the tricky bit is that the keying tabs face opposite the wire entry side.)Jon

author: MR
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2022, 04:50:15 pm
content: Several FPGAs still have a very poor availability, and those which are available have a 2-3x higher price than usual.I'm still glad that I have ordered various EVBs years ago and I'm happy to do prototyping with them and finally try to find a silicon which will be suitable (and available) for my application.

author: abquke
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2022, 04:56:56 pm
content: The ethernet PHY I needed last year has lead times down to 52 weeks!...oh wait. It was 52 weeks a couple of months ago.

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2022, 05:09:10 pm
content: "52 weeks" doesn't mean 52 weeks, it means 'a year or more'. It's open-ended, ambiguous, just a placeholder for an actual lead time that the supplier simply isn't able to give you.

author: jc101
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2022, 05:18:42 pm
content: I ordered some PIC18 from Microchip with a date of December 2022 a few weeks ago, I've had two order updates since then, the latest was shipping mid-June, and that was 2022 too.Some Analog devices power ICs I ordered from DigiKey in June 2021 are due to be delivered next week, so almost a year later. They originally had a shipping date of August 2021. They did honour the original price though, they have increased 25% since then.

author: Pineapple Dan
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2022, 12:28:50 am
content: I notice the DSPIC33EP64GS502 is back in stock some places but not the 504/506. Prices much higher than before though

author: JPortici
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2022, 05:28:31 am
content: YeahdsPIC/PIC24 had their price increased by about 25-30%PIC18 are starting to coming through.. we've almost replenished our yearly supply. Delivery dates were correct.

author: uer166
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 17, 2022, 01:21:31 am
content: In low volumes I actually found that my assembly house was able to source pretty much every component on a power conversion board, I was surprised. The prices are a little eye-watering on some parts but at least they're able to get and assemble them:STM32G474VET6: $28.2UF3C065030B3 FET: $27 a popUCC5350SBDR 4-channel isolator: $22The rest of the 48 BOM lines are actually pretty reasonable, incl. passives. I'm not sure if it means that they have some back-channels (most of these parts have no availability in any disty), or the shortage is easing up, or is it simply the free market speaking: if you can afford to pay 2-10x the usual price for a part, you canprobablyget it somehow.

author: josuah
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 30, 2022, 01:42:34 pm
content: Trying to figure things out: we end-up with compromises like below?Option #1 contains:* Same complex components, waiting that they become available again* Uncertainty about when the next component will be available* Alternative compatible passivesOption #2 contains:* Another complex component slightly incompatible* Extra engineering time to port the project to the new component* Alternative compatible passivesOption #3 contains:* Stop production of that product altogether, focus on the next iteration* Extra engineering time for the new product, eventually planned already* Picking components among those availableOption #4 contains:* In case of availability at a higher price, pay the extra price to still be able to produce without a redesign* Uncertainty about how long the priucier component will be available* Alternative compatible passivesOption #5 contains:* No reaction, letting the doubt settle about everything(Not a real "option", but would probably happen in spite of any option chosen.)Option #6 contains:* Alternative compatible passives* Using adapter boards for different footprint or packages* Alternative incompatible active, now made compmatible* Moderate amount of engineering for integrating the adapter board in the process.Option #7 contains:* Alternative compatible passives* Change the footprints and find chips whose signal are compatible,* Alternative incompatible active, now made compmatible* Moderate amount of engineering for integrating the new footprints.* Moderate amount of engineering for making the new footprint flexible to more chips in the future.[EDIT: added Option #6 from Mr. schmitt trigger][EDIT: added Option #7 from Mr. SMdude]

author: schmitt trigger
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 01, 2022, 07:12:44 pm
content: I would add a 6th option: using adapter boards for different footprint or packages.

author: Infraviolet
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 01, 2022, 11:50:14 pm
content: "52 weeks" doesn't mean 52 weeks...The nasty part is when you see a date to backorder for and see it is in the next month, so you order, a month's not too long to wait, then you realise it was actually for August 2023.

author: dietert1
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 02, 2022, 10:46:10 am
content: Recently i noticed some cheap stm32l01.. mcus were on stock and for sale on the stm website. Anybody tried that?Regards, Dieter

author: SMdude
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 02, 2022, 11:38:28 am
content: Quote from: josuah on June 30, 2022, 01:42:34 pmI'd go option 4 and then work toward redesigning with available parts(purchase as you place them on the layout) and design in alternate footprints so you have better flexibility if parts become unavailable again.I just bought some parts from a company for about 10 times what I used to pay for them while they were being manufactured(no longer manufactured, obsolete, no alternatives) but without them I can't do my work, so just had to cop it.

author: vstrulev
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2022, 10:46:45 pm
content: Quote from: schmitt trigger on July 01, 2022, 07:12:44 pmOption 4

author: schmitt trigger
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2022, 12:22:44 am
content: Option 8: Pray.