P8X32A-D40 Shortage Expected by August 1st, 2009
Ken Gracey
Posts: 7,401
Hello Propeller customers,
We are projecting a shortage of P8X32A-D40 (the DIP) processors relatively soon, perhaps within days after I post this message. The shortage will occur as a result of two variables: (a) increased demand for DIP parts beyond our projections; and (b) underestimation of several lead times in our enterprise resource business planning software.
We don't have accurate replenishment dates at this stage, but our preliminary projections are to have more P8X32A-D40s in stock by October; from history I assure you the date will change +/- 30-60 days. We will update this thread as our suppliers confirm our orders with actual delivery times. As you may know, fabricating chips involves several steps. First, wafers are made at the foundry. Next, they're sent to a packaging company. Finally, they're tested.
We do not foresee shortages with the P8X32A-Q44 or P8X32A-M44. The replenishment of P8X32A-D40s will include more inventory of the other two packages, too.
I post this to the forums because there are several Propeller tool and board providers present, and we feel it is important to give them some priority and advance warning.
Because of this shortage there will be no free or discounted P8X32A-D40s. Occasionally we have traded chips for customer applications or other purposes. Some level of ration-based distribution will be left up to Jim Carey, our Sales Manager.
Sincerely,
Ken Gracey
Parallax Inc.
We are projecting a shortage of P8X32A-D40 (the DIP) processors relatively soon, perhaps within days after I post this message. The shortage will occur as a result of two variables: (a) increased demand for DIP parts beyond our projections; and (b) underestimation of several lead times in our enterprise resource business planning software.
We don't have accurate replenishment dates at this stage, but our preliminary projections are to have more P8X32A-D40s in stock by October; from history I assure you the date will change +/- 30-60 days. We will update this thread as our suppliers confirm our orders with actual delivery times. As you may know, fabricating chips involves several steps. First, wafers are made at the foundry. Next, they're sent to a packaging company. Finally, they're tested.
We do not foresee shortages with the P8X32A-Q44 or P8X32A-M44. The replenishment of P8X32A-D40s will include more inventory of the other two packages, too.
I post this to the forums because there are several Propeller tool and board providers present, and we feel it is important to give them some priority and advance warning.
Because of this shortage there will be no free or discounted P8X32A-D40s. Occasionally we have traded chips for customer applications or other purposes. Some level of ration-based distribution will be left up to Jim Carey, our Sales Manager.
Sincerely,
Ken Gracey
Parallax Inc.
Comments
This is awful!! Outr only hope is that it is because they are spending extra time on the Prop II.............
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Toys are microcontroled.
Robots are microcontroled.
I am microcontroled.
If it's not Parallax then don't even bother. :-)
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Mini-Din/PS2 connectors are for sale! 5 for $1! PM me if you wish to make an order.
Cheap·shipping unless specified!··········150 left!!··
Is it possible to use the QFN package chips and mount them into some kind of socket (like a Pentium CPU) so they can be switched out without soldering?
Russ.
I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened.
@Painless
You mean like this? www.warrantyvoid.us/tiki-index.php?page=Protoboard+Nano
OBC
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New to the Propeller?
Visit the: The Propeller Pages @ Warranty Void.
I'm talking about using the QFN propeller chips, the ones that have no legs, and instead of soldering them to the board dropping them into an IC socket of some kind for easy replacement. The latest Pentium chips are similar to this concept in that they have no legs and are simply placed into a holding socket on the PC motherboard, which is locked down with a retaining arm.
It looks like something along these lines is offered, found this link whilst googling:
www.locknest.com/newsite/products/qfn/index.htm
Russ.
Post Edited (Painless) : 7/9/2009 7:45:39 PM GMT
You could also make/buy a PCB DIP "Adapter" board, and solder on the QFP version, at least in the intermediate term. Not easy, but better than having to redesign PCB's like the MultiBlade/SpinStudio/Morpheus.
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propmod_us and propmod_1x1 are in stock. Only $30. PCB available for $5
Want to make projects and have Gadget Gangster sell them for you? propmod-us_ps_sd and propmod-1x1 are now available for use in your Gadget Gangster Projects.
Need to upload large images or movies for use in the forum. you can do so at uploader.propmodule.com for free.
Would it be possible for Parallax to create a variant of the PropStick USB where only the essentials (prop/eeprom/crystal) are loaded?
I don't believe the PCB would need modification; just the loading pattern
I believe this would be the simplest solution for we end users, while using an existing Parallax design framework
tubular
Ken, is there an allocation limit ? Propeller rations [noparse]:)[/noparse] I see qty 942 still on the Parallax store.
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--Steve
Propalyzer: Propeller PC Logic Analyzer
http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=788230
Post Edited (jazzed) : 7/9/2009 10:23:57 PM GMT
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propmod_us and propmod_1x1 are in stock. Only $30. PCB available for $5
Want to make projects and have Gadget Gangster sell them for you? propmod-us_ps_sd and propmod-1x1 are now available for use in your Gadget Gangster Projects.
Need to upload large images or movies for use in the forum. you can do so at uploader.propmodule.com for free.
This is still not exactly what I was hoping for, something similar to >this< would make things much simpler. I'm hoping to be producing my own automotive product based on the propeller in the very near future (still a work very much in progress) and like the idea of a whole unit not becoming scrap (in the customers eyes) just because one chip needs to be replaced.
Russ.
SMT really isn't such a miracle and can be done by hand as fast as through hole parts. And even replacing them is in fact faster (as long as you don't use sockets, but I wouldn't use them in such an application anyhow).
Nick
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Never use force, just go for a bigger hammer!
The DIY Digital-Readout for mills, lathes etc.:
YADRO
Why wouldn't you use sockets in an automotive application? Because of vibration or simply personal preference?
Russ.
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Toys are microcontroled.
Robots are microcontroled.
I am microcontroled.
If it's not Parallax then don't even bother. :-)
·
Mini-Din/PS2 connectors are for sale! 5 for $1! PM me if you wish to make an order.
Cheap·shipping unless specified!··········150 left!!··
Vibration is the reason why you go with soldered components vs. sockets. Also from a repair POV with the right equipment its just as easy removing and replacing SMT IC's as socketed ones.
I can only hope this is because of much more awareness of the chip and hence more demand
I need to get my QFP to 1.3"x1.3" pcb and sram pcb out (RamBlade thread)
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Links to other interesting threads:
· Home of the MultiBladeProps: TriBladeProp, RamBlade, TwinBlade,·SixBlade, website
· Single Board Computer:·3 Propeller ICs·and a·TriBladeProp board (ZiCog Z80 Emulator)
· Prop Tools under Development or Completed (Index)
· Emulators: Micros eg Altair, and Terminals eg VT100 (Index) ZiCog (Z80), MoCog (6809)
· Search the Propeller forums (via Google)
My cruising website is: ·www.bluemagic.biz·· MultiBladeProp is: www.bluemagic.biz/cluso.htm
Vibrations, condensation etc. If you use sockets, they will have to be high quality and they cost a lot. And maybe you think about coating the assembled PCB with some PU or so. Then the socket's advantage is lost, because you can't pull out the IC any longer.
I don't want to drive you into SMT, but sockets in a production product are quite a waste of time and money. In my eyes.
Nick
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Never use force, just go for a bigger hammer!
The DIY Digital-Readout for mills, lathes etc.:
YADRO
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Links to other interesting threads:
· Home of the MultiBladeProps: TriBladeProp, RamBlade, TwinBlade,·SixBlade, website
· Single Board Computer:·3 Propeller ICs·and a·TriBladeProp board (ZiCog Z80 Emulator)
· Prop Tools under Development or Completed (Index)
· Emulators: Micros eg Altair, and Terminals eg VT100 (Index) ZiCog (Z80), MoCog (6809)
· Search the Propeller forums (via Google)
My cruising website is: ·www.bluemagic.biz·· MultiBladeProp is: www.bluemagic.biz/cluso.htm
Rick
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Prop Forum Search (Via Google)
One of the many reasons I like dealing with Parallax is nice touches like this.
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www.mikronauts.com - my site my 6.250MHz custom Crystals for running Propellers at 100MHz
Las - Large model assembler for the Propeller Largos - a feature full nano operating system for the Propeller
Please use mikronauts _at_ gmail _dot_ com to contact me off-forum, my PM is almost totally full
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Toys are microcontroled.
Robots are microcontroled.
I am microcontroled.
If it's not Parallax then don't even bother. :-)
·
Mini-Din/PS2 connectors are for sale! 5 for $1! PM me if you wish to make an order.
Cheap·shipping unless specified!··········150 left!!··
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Here's a bit more detail about your demand. This graph shows our P8X32A-D40 sales for the last year. Parallax must supply DIPs for prototyping and some low-volume production, yet they are not the kind of package alone on which we can base a chip business. Our sales volume of this package increased the last couple of months, as you can see. Our projections for DIPs were relatively flat, representing an average of our monthly usage. However, a few "big" months changes the picture quickly. If the dollars from P8X32A-D40 sales are relatively low, why didn't we just buy some more several months ago? Because there's a minimum order quantity (MOQ) for Propeller wafers. Basically, we'll need to spend 1000x (or something like that) the monthly sales value of P8X32A-D40s to replenish the inventory for this package type. The wafers can be made into any Propeller package, of course, so some of them will be QFNs and QFPs. From history, though, we'll be making more QFPs than QFNs.
Ken Gracey
Parallax Inc.
Post Edited (Ken Gracey (Parallax)) : 7/10/2009 9:17:00 PM GMT
Thanks for the insight on this, it makes a lot of sense. I have to admit that the idea of not drilling umpteen holes in a PCB is a very inviting one, with some practice I'm sure I could get used to surface mount parts, my eyes aren't what they used to be but that's nothing a magnifying glass can't cure
@Ken
The appreciation is well deserved, I've become recently addicted to parallax products and have been through a chip failure replacement process and have to say that I found you guys to have excellent customer service accompanied by some very enthusiastic support.
Russ.
what can we - your customers - do to be of assistance?
How about Planned PropHood ? [noparse]:)[/noparse])
We pre-order and pay into an escrow-like account, knowing we have to wait. When we hit the magic number, you order the batch. And we become happy prop parents ( - with no messy diapers to boot! )
Since you've graciously shown an internal sales metric, my I ask what led to the spikes in Sept-Oct08, Feb-Mar09, May-June09?
thanks
- Howard
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I am curious too about the spikes, what caused them. Is the low point in May because people were holding off until the Prop Expo in June? Or maybe schools were getting out and people were traveling.
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Timothy D. Swieter, E.I.
www.brilldea.com - Prop Blade, LED Painter, RGB LEDs, 3.0" LCD Composite video display, eProto for SunSPOT
www.tdswieter.com
If I may pass some comments on the demand graph...
As you know there has been a great deal of activity this year with new designs and software, the prop has become of age, at least in the hobby community. The introduction of multi-prop pcbs has meant more usage.
The dip in May may be due to the price drop notification where stockists were clearing "old" inventory (cannot recall the exact date).
The pricing on the prop has now meant that using it as an "intelligent" peripheral to other chips is cost effective. e.g. PropTerm is being used by the N8VEM (Z80) guys as a terminal.
With more pcbs being released and operating type software coming, I can only see demand going higher
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Links to other interesting threads:
· Home of the MultiBladeProps: TriBladeProp, RamBlade, TwinBlade,·SixBlade, website
· Single Board Computer:·3 Propeller ICs·and a·TriBladeProp board (ZiCog Z80 Emulator)
· Prop Tools under Development or Completed (Index)
· Emulators: Micros eg Altair, and Terminals eg VT100 (Index) ZiCog (Z80), MoCog (6809)
· Search the Propeller forums (via Google)
My cruising website is: ·www.bluemagic.biz·· MultiBladeProp is: www.bluemagic.biz/cluso.htm
Personally, I've ordered around 140 DIP40 props in the last two months, just so I will have decent assured stock for my kits and upcoming assembled offerings.
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www.mikronauts.com - my site 6.250MHz custom Crystals for running Propellers at 100MHz
Las - Large model assembler for the Propeller Largos - a feature full nano operating system for the Propeller
Morpheus & Mem+ Advanced dual Propeller SBC with XMM and 256 Color VGA
Please use mikronauts _at_ gmail _dot_ com to contact me off-forum, my PM is almost totally full
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The dsp/fpga king is dead, long live the prop.
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propmod_us and propmod_1x1 are in stock. Only $30. PCB available for $5
Want to make projects and have Gadget Gangster sell them for you? propmod-us_ps_sd and propmod-1x1 are now available for use in your Gadget Gangster Projects.
Need to upload large images or movies for use in the forum. you can do so at uploader.propmodule.com for free.