Finding Components to purchase

[MLarsen]

I cannot get availability on the Altera 10M08SAM153I7G. I am in the process of designing a new board and need 25 pieces to build prototype and qualification units by 2/23. Can I get any or do I need to find an alternative part. 

 I have another production design where we are using the Altera EP4CGX22CF19I7N. We have been trying to purchase this part since February.

I have been a developer using Altera FPGAs and CPLDs for decades. Since the pandemic chip shortage and the purchase of Altera by Intel, I have been unable to procure or get support in purchasing Altera devices. Digikey won't accept back-orders at this time and Mouser has cancelled orders of Altera components for existing designs. This is significantly impacting our ability to deliver product to our customers. We are even considering redesigning product, at a significant cost impact, to replace the Altera devices already in place. Does Intel intend on continuing to produce and sell Altera FPGA devices??

[RShie]

A lot of people have been hit hard. A lot of electronics design companies have been hit across the board, not just Altera FPGA, I guess that Intel have pushed back the priority of getting its FPGA lines up and running. Not sure what difference it would have made if Altera still owned it. 

Overall this is bad, really bad, for everyone. 

[ak6dn]

LOL you think Intel has shut down it's FPGA lines?

Long time ago Altera used TSMC et al for fab capability.

Altera has never owned their own fabs.

A few years ago they switched to Intel as a 3rd party fab.

And then they got bought by Intel.

Intel has to prioritize what products get sent thru its fab, when.

I think you will find that Intel is producing lots of FPGA parts now.

They are just all going to committed volume purchase contract orders for large customers.

There are no parts left over to go to distributors, who do not place large pre-committed orders.

[RShie]

You mean volume purchasers would not use ASICs? (Of course there may be exceptions)

Seriously nobody knows what Intel is doing except for Intel. Plenty of other volume purchasers are getting hit with shortages from a range of suppliers. 

[MLarsen]

It may seem funny to you but is a reasonable question. I'm an old timer too and know the history of Altera and their fab. I NEVER had this problem when Altera was "getting by" with TSMC as their foundry. I get it that there are supply chain issues but I am getting zero support from Intel for Altera devices.  If their first tier distributors won't even accept orders for devices, I begin to question the business model.  And try to reach someone online or via phone. How do you design a product when you cannot secure a supply line. Intel is blowing it big time for new design wins in my opinion. At this rate, they might as well shut the fab line down. 

Have a great day!

[RShie]

It is not funny at all. This is costing us business too for a Cyclone IV GX part. We managed to get a broker in the end who is gouging our eyes out. Not the only company suffering this though. 

[ak6dn]

Not funny at all. But the comment above "I guess that Intel have pushed back the priority of getting its FPGA lines up and running" is what made me LOL. Like Intel has shut down its fab lines.

Back when Altera was using TSMC we were not in and just coming out of a world wide pandemic that shut down the WORLD's supply lines.

Based on what I am reading in the news about the lack of COVID vaccinations going forward and the highly transmissible nature of the new COVID variants I do not see anything positive going forward for the start of next year. I would not be surprised to see more shutdowns and disruptions.

Just my opinion of course. Feel free to disagree.

[NazrulNaim_Intel]

Hi Mark Larsen

Apologize for the inconveniences.

Unprecedented demand increases and supply constraints across the semiconductor industry have translated into tightness across the supply chain for PSG Products. We are working actively to prioritize Intel delivery and increase Intel's allocated capacity.

Please kindly contact our authorized distributor for order and further update on the supply.

Best Regards,

Nazrul Naim

[RShie]

Well they have pushed back the priority of getting their FPGA lines up and running, to an extent, as we can get some Intel product (we use their processors) but not FPGAs. 

Intel were hard hit because a lot of their components were of particularly high demand during the pandemic (think laptop processors for Zoom meetings when working from home etc.).  

Our distributors tell us that 'Intel FPGA' is in a bad way' and getting further information from Intel about their FPGA deliveries is next to impossible. 

I do not think anyone here has a clue what the current status of Intel FPGA is except Intel FPGA themselves. Our distributors have heard nothing about supplying customers with large volumes. 

[ak6dn]

FYI Xilinx FPGA parts are no more available than Intel FPGA parts are.

Go to a major distributor (Mouser, DigiKey, etc) and search for Xilinx FPGAs.
You will find no stock available, parts on order, due in January 2024. Not a typo.

This is an industry wide problem, not just an Intel problem.

[RShie]

That is not surprising as Xilinx were taken over by AMD (same problem as Intel)

I notice Lattice and Microchip still have parts available at Digikey. 

[Farabi]

Hello,

From our Marketing strategy communication, the supply issue will be recovered in 2023.

So I would like recommend you to check again with your local supplier on the device order.

You need to place order so your device will be allocated accordingly.

link : https://marketplace.intel.com/s/pmp-partner-program/a723b0000008PICAA2/distributor

I am sorry, we cannot help much here, but we are trying very hard to fulfill all customer orders.

regards,

Farabi

[scott451]

Now we are halfway through 2023 with no improvement on the availability of Intel/Altera Max10 parts.   The situation has not "recovered" as you (Farabi) said.  What is the current outlook?

[Kwag]

Distributors won't even give you a guess when they may get them I have PO's in distribution for 1.5 Years. Ask whats going on an told Intel doesn't inform them. Maybe an industry wide problem but when you can't even speak to someone means your business isn't relevant to them

[RShie]

True and it appears that Intel is laying off employees. I still get advertisements from them, which just add to the customer relations disaster. 

[eng1]

The advertisements from Intel are like a slap in the face.  Good thing we can't reach anyone to slap them back.  I am not interested in learning about more parts I can't buy.

I asked about part availability on 6-3-21.  That must have been when things started looking really bleak for us.  There have been essentially no Cyclone or MAX parts available since then.  I have redesigned about 10 PCBs since then to keep shipping.  Anyone designing in Intel programmable logic right now either knows more about sourcing parts than me, or is making a mistake.

[RShie]

Wow. That sounds painful. 

And yeah I got an 'invite' to a webinar for next generation FPGAs by email today. Absolutely unreal when there are no current FPGAs available from distributors.